Matías Fernández

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Personal information
Matías Fernández
Full name	Matías Ariel Fernández Fernández
Date of birth	15 May 1986
Place of birth	Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height	5'9 (176 cm)
Nickname	Mati, El Pelusa, Matigol, El Crá
Position	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Colo-Colo
Number	14
Youth clubs
1998-2004	Colo-Colo
Professional clubs*
Years	Club	Apps (goals)
2004-present	Colo-Colo	60 (31)
National team**
2005-present	Chile	5 (2)
* Professional club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 09 December 2006. ** National team caps and goals correct as of 11 November 2006.

Matías Fernández (born on May 15, 1986, in Buenos Aires, Argentina) is a Chilean football player, who currently plays for Chilean club Colo-Colo and a free kick specialist.

Born in the Caballito neighbourhood to an Argentine mother and Chilean father^[1], they moved when Matías was four to La Calera in Chile. He began with the youth squads of Colo-Colo, with whom he debuted in first division on August 17, 2004, against archrival Universidad de Chile. A week later he scored his first two goals against Cobresal.

Fernández represented Chile at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship scoring a goal in the 7-0 victory over Honduras. However, in the following game, Chile lost 7-0 against Spain. The team still ended in the group's third place allowing them to the next round, but failed to win against Netherlands and were eliminated from the competition.

On October 18, 2006, he signed by Spanish side Villarreal CF for a fee of 8.700.000 euros to replace the injured French midfielder Robert Pirès. Despite reports that Real Madrid and Chelsea were also interested, he has agreed terms with Villarreal and is scheduled to join the club on January 1, 2007. He currently is the star of Colo-Colo of Chile.