Fernandinho (footballer, born May 1985)

This article is about the Brazilian footballer born May 1985. For other uses, see Fernandinho.
In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Luiz and the second or paternal family name is Roza.

Fernandinho
Fernandinho lining up for Brazil in 2014
Personal information
Full name Fernando Luiz Roza[1]
Date of birth (1985-05-04) 4 May 1985 (age 39)[2]
Place of birth Londrina, Brazil
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)[3]
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Athletico Paranaense
Number 5
Youth career
1999–2000 PSTC
2000–2002 Atlético Paranaense
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2005 Atlético Paranaense 95 (21)
2005–2013 Shakhtar Donetsk 184 (31)
2013–2022 Manchester City 264 (20)
2022– Athletico Paranaense 78 (7)
International career
2003 Brazil U20 4 (1)
2011–2019 Brazil 53 (2)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Brazil
Copa América
Winner 2019
FIFA U-20 World Cup
Winner 2003 U-20 Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:55, 7 July 2024 (UTC)

Fernando Luiz Roza (born 4 May 1985), known as Fernandinho, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Athletico Paranaense. He has also captained the Brazil national team on many occasions.[4][5] Fernandinho is regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders of his generation and one of the best Brazilians to play in the Premier League.[6][7][8]

Fernandinho started his career at Brazilian club Atlético Paranaense before moving to Shakhtar Donetsk in 2005, where he became one of the best foreign players to ever play in the Ukrainian Premier League.[9] With Shakhtar, he won six Ukrainian Premier League titles, four Ukrainian Cups and the 2008–09 UEFA Cup. He was voted by the Shakhtar Donetsk fans as the best Brazilian player to ever play for the team.[10] Fernandinho is well known for his nine-year spell with Premier League club Manchester City, with which he won five Premier League titles, six EFL Cups, and the FA Community Shield. He assumed the captaincy in the 2020–21 season and was instrumental in leading City to the 2021 Champions League final, where he earned a runners-up medal.

The scorer of the only goal in the final of the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship and a full international for Brazil from 2011 to 2019, he was part of their squad which came fourth at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and also competed at the 2015 Copa América, the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and the 2019 Copa América, winning the latter tournament.

  1. ^ "FIFA World Cup Russia 2018: List of Players: Brazil" (PDF). FIFA. 15 July 2018. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 June 2019.
  2. ^ "2018 FIFA World Cup Russia: List of players: Brazil" (PDF). FIFA. 10 June 2018. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 June 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference PremProfile was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Fernandinho set to captain Brazil". Manchester City. 15 November 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  5. ^ "Fernandinho is your captain today". Twitter. Manchester City. 28 July 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  6. ^ "The greatest Brazilian in Premier League history? Man City's Fernandinho bows out after nine trophy-laden years". Goal.com. 18 May 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  7. ^ "'Fernandinho is the ultimate defensive midfielder of this era' – Man City star ranked above Kante and Co by Dunne". Goal.com. 17 November 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  8. ^ "Vieira, Keane, Kante: Who Is The Premier League's Greatest Defensive Midfielder?". The Sportsman. 16 February 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  9. ^ "Символическая сборная легионеров чемпионата Украины" (in Russian). 7 June 2012. Archived from the original on 7 December 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
  10. ^ Лучший бразильский игрок Шахтера всех времен? [The best Brazilian Shakhtar player of all times?] (in Russian). Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.