Gatito Fernández

Roberto Júnior Fernández Torres (born 29 March 1988), better known as Gatito Fernández, is a Paraguayan footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Botafogo.

Gatito Fernández

Fernández with Cerro Porteño in 2014
Personal information
Full name	Roberto Júnior Fernández Torres[1]
Date of birth	(1988-03-29) 29 March 1988 (age 36)
Place of birth	Asunción, Paraguay
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team	Botafogo
Number	1
Youth career
2000–2007	Cerro Porteño
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2007–2014	Cerro Porteño	122	(0)
2009–2010	→ Estudiantes (loan)	0	(0)
2010–2011	→ Racing Club (loan)	15	(0)
2011–2012	→ Utrecht (loan)	13	(0)
2014–2015	Vitória	39	(0)
2016	Figueirense	28	(0)
2017–	Botafogo	113	(0)
International career‡
2007	Paraguay U20	4	(0)
2011–	Paraguay	22	(0)
2024	Paraguay Olympic (O.P.)	5	(0)
Medal record Representing  Paraguay Copa América Runner-up 2011 Argentina Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 July 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 October 2024

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Fernández and the second or maternal family name is Torres.

He is known as Gatito (English: little cat or kitten) for being the son of former Paraguayan 1986 World Cup goalkeeper Roberto Fernández, nicknamed Gato (English: cat). Because of his father, who was a goalkeeper at Brazilian clubs, such as Internacional and Palmeiras, Gatito had lived in Brazil before his professional days.^[2]

Club career

Earlier career

Fernández started his professional career with Paraguayan Primera División club Cerro Porteño in 2007. He became Paraguayan champion with the club in the 2009 Apertura. Following the achievement, he joined Argentine Primera División side Estudiantes de La Plata. After a season in the club without any first team appearance, he joined Racing.^[3]

Utrecht (loan)

In August 2011, FC Utrecht announced to have signed Fernández on loan for one year to cover a possible departure of Michel Vorm. ^[4]

Botafogo

On 26 November 2016 Fernandéz signed with Botafogo, on a free transfer, a two-year contract until December 2018.^[5]

On 9 April 2018, after good performances in the 2017 Copa Libertadores and 2018 Campeonato Carioca, Botafogo extended contract with Fernandéz until December 2021.^[6][7]

On 6 October 2022, he became the foreign player with the most appearances for Botafogo, surpassing his teammate Joel Carli with 188 games.^[8]

On February 2, 2023, Gatito Fernández signed a contract renewal until the end of 2024 with Botafogo.^[9]

On July 19, Gatito Fernández returned to play for Botafogo in a 1-1 draw against the Argentine team Patronato, a game valid for the Copa Sudamericana.^[10] The game marked Gatito's return after eight months without playing. Although the goalkeeper had been fully recovered for months from the injury suffered in a game against Atlético Minero at the end of the previous year, his return to the field took a long time to happen due to the good performances of teammate Lucas Perri, who ended up taking over in goal. from Botafogo.

International career

He debuted with the Paraguayan U20 national team in the 2007 South American Youth Championship replacing injured Blas Hermosilla. He was selected for Paraguay senior squad for the 2011 Copa América. He was an un-used substitute for the squad as they finished the tournament as the runner-up.

Career statistics

Club

As of 13 July 2024.^[11][12]

Club	Season	League			Cup		Continental		State League		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Cerro Porteño	2007	Paraguayan Primera División	12	0	—		—		—		—		12	0
	2008		35	0	—		—		—		—		35	0
	2009		22	0	—		—		—		—		22	0
	2012		5	0	—		2[a]	0	—		—		7	0
	2013		37	0	—		2[a]	0	—		—		39	0
	2014		11	0	—		8	0	—		—		19	0
	Total		122	0	—		12	0	—		—		134	0
Estudiantes (loan)	2009–10	Argentine Primera División	0	0	—		—		—		0	0	0	0
Racing Club (loan)	2010–11		15	0	—		—		—		—		15	0
Utrecht (loan)	2011–12	Eredivisie	13	0	0	0	—		—		—		13	0
Vitória	2014	Série A	15	0	0	0	4[a]	0	0	0	—		19	0
	2015	Série B	24	0	0	0	—		0	0	—		24	0
	Total		39	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	—		43	0
Figueirense	2016	Série A	28	0	1	0	2[a]	0	16[b]	0	2[c]	0	49	0
Botafogo	2017		31	0	5	0	13[d]	0	9[e]	0	1	0	60	0
	2018		8	0	0	0	1[a]	0	9[e]	0	—		18	0
	2019		30	0	4	0	6[a]	0	8[e]	0	—		48	0
	2020		8	0	6	0	—		8[e]	0	3	0	25	0
	2021	Série B	0	0	0	0	—		0[e]	0	—		0	0
	2022	Série A	32	0	2	0	—		10[e]	0	—		44	0
	2023		1	0	0	0	5	0	0	0	—		6	0
	2024		3	0	0	0	7	0	11	0	0	0	21	0
	Total		113	0	17	0	32	0	57	0	4	0	221	0
Career total			330	0	18	0	50	0	71	0	6	0	463	0

1. Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana.
2. Appearance(s) in Campeonato Catarinense.
3. Appearance(s) in Primeira Liga.
4. Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores.
5. Appearance(s) in friendly games.

International

As of match played 15 October 2024.

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Paraguay	2013	1	0
	2014	3	0
	2017	1	0
	2018	1	0
	2019	10	0
	2020	1	0
	2022	1	0
	2024	4	0
Total		22	0

Honours

Club

Cerro Porteño

• Primera División: 2009

Estudiantes de la Plata

• FIFA Club World Cup Runner-up: 2009

Botafogo

• Campeonato Carioca: 2018
• Campeonato Brasileiro Série B: 2021
• Taça Rio: 2023, 2024

International

Paraguay

• Copa América Runner-up: 2011

Individual

• Copa do Brasil Best Goalkeeper: 2017
• Troféu EFE Brasil: 2017 ^[13]

References

1. "FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2009 presented by Toyota: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 9 December 2009. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 September 2012.
2. Inquieto, Gatito dava problema na escola e morou no RS por causa do pai
3. "Llegó el arquero Fernández a Racing". ESPN Deportes (in Spanish). 16 July 2010. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
4. FC Utrecht rondt komst van doelman Fernández af - Voetbal International (in Dutch)
5. "Gatito Fernández assina por dois anos e acerta com o Botafogo até 2018". Globoesporte.com. 26 November 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
6. "Um dos heróis do título, Gatito renova com o Botafogo por mais três anos". Globoesporte.com. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
7. "Botafogo renova com Gatito Fernández até o final de 2021". ESPN.com.br. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
8. "Gatito bate recorde de jogos de um estrangeiro pelo Botafogo". Globoesporte.com. 6 October 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
9. Redação (2 February 2023). "Botafogo anuncia renovação de Gatito Fernández; novo contrato vale até 2024". Fogo na Rede (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 6 April 2024.
10. "Gatito comemora 'estreia' pelo Botafogo contra Patronato: 'Estava ansioso para o jogo'". Fogo na Rede (in Brazilian Portuguese). 20 July 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
11. "Gatito Fernández :: Roberto Júnior Fernández Torres :: Botafogo". www.ogol.com.br. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
12. Gatito Fernández at Soccerway
13. - UOL (in Portuguese)

External links

• Argentine Primera statistics at Fútbol XXI (in Spanish) at the Wayback Machine (archived 31 August 2012)
• Roberto Junior Fernandez at BDFA (in Spanish)
• Roberto Junior Fernandez at Soccerway