Nacho Fernandez (full name Fernandez Iglesias, José Ignacio) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a defender (mostly on the right) at Real Madrid and the Spanish national team. Spends his entire career in Real Madrid, playing for the main team since 2011. In a cream shirt he won many trophies, including the Champions League. The growth of Nacho Fernandez is 180 centimeters, weight - about 75 kg. At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the Spanish defender defended the colors of his team and even managed to score a very beautiful goal against Portugal, which hit the top 5 of the best goals of the mundial.
Soccer player biography
Nacho Fernandez was born on January 18, 1990 in Madrid, Spain. He is a graduate of the Real Madrid football academy, previously studied at the Complutetense school. In the youth system of Real Madrid, Nacho began to study at the age of eleven. In the 2008/09 season, he began performing in Segund B, a league for reservists. Here he consistently received game practice and gained a lot of experience. During these years, Fernandez formed a strong friendship with the Russian football player Denis Cheryshev, who also studied in the youth cream system.
Youth career at Real Madrid
On April 23, 2011, Nacho made his debut in La Liga in a match against Valencia, which ended in a victory of Real Madrid with a score of 6: 3. The second appearance on the field in a galactic shirt did not happen next week in a lost match against Real Zaragoza club (2: 3).
Nacho Fernandez was one of the few youth players to qualify for friendly matches in North America ahead of the 2011/12 season. The young defender came on as a substitute in all matches against clubs such as Los Angeles Galaxy, FC Guadalajara and Philadelphia Union.
On September 2, 2012, the team’s head coach José Mourinho announced that Nacho Fernandez, along with Alvara Morata and Jesús, will be transferred to the first team, however, they will continue to temporarily play with Real Castilla.
Career for the main team "creamy"
At the start of the 2013/14 season N. Fernandez became a full-fledged player of the main galactic team, having received a t-shirt with the 18th number, which was released after the departure of Raul Albiol.
On July 3, 2014, Nacho signed a new contract with Real until 2021. The defender scored his first official goal on January 10 of the following year, putting an end to the match against Espanyol (3-0).
Heroism of Nacho in the Champions League 2015/16
On November 3, 2015, in the group stage match of the Champions League, Real Madrid met with Paris Saint-Germain. In the first half, Brazilian defender Marcelo was injured, so the head coach had to make a replacement and release Nacho Fernandez. Exactly two minutes after the replacement, Nacho scored a goal against the Paris team, which was the only and victorious match. Within the Champions League, he spent five more matches and achieved the main goal with the team - to win the main European cup.
An important figure for Real Madrid: Nacho Fernandez has become a key player
On February 11, 2017, Fernandez played his 100th match for Real Madrid against Osasuna, which ended in a 3-1 victory. In general, Nacho has never been a major or key player. Fernandez entered the field only when Marcelo, Carvajal or one of the central defenders were injured. However, in the 2016/17 season, Nacho became the most popular defensive player on his team, thanks in part to his actions, Real Madrid managed to regain the championship in La Liga after a five-year hiatus.
On January 21, 2018, the Spaniard scored his first goal in La Liga in the match against Deportivo de La Coruna, which ended in a crushing victory of creamy 7: 1. In the same year, Fernandez played in eight matches of the Champions League, where he also scored a goal. This time, “creamy” again reached the Champions League final, where they easily dealt with Liverpool (3: 1) and won their 13th title in this tournament. At the 37th minute of the match, the right-back of Dani Carvajal suffered serious damage, as a result of which he could not continue the game and was replaced by Nacho Fernandez, who perfectly coped with the role of the right lateral.
International career
In 2005, he played in the junior team of Spain until the age of 16. In subsequent years, he played in all age categories of the national team. In 2013, he made his debut for an adult team in a match against Chile in Geneva, replacing Sergio Ramos.
At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Nacho Fernandez was the main player in the Spanish national team, because Dani Carvajal, the undisputed leader of the right flank, was injured in the Champions League final. It is worth noting that Nacho coped with his task by all five points, proving to the world his football competence at the international level. In the match against Portugal on June 15, he scored an incredibly beautiful goal with a powerful blow, after which the ball flew along an unpredictable trajectory.