Rommel Fernández
Rommel Fernández Gutiérrez (born January 15, 1966 in El Chorrillo, Panama City , † May 6, 1993 near Albacete ) was a Panamanian football player .
In his native country, “Panzer” , as he was affectionately called, played for Atlético Panamá and Alianza Panamá as well as Macabi FC . He played for his country in numerous games and it was a trip by the national team to Spain that earned him first international attention. In the Mundialito de la Emigración , a tournament in which CD Tenerife played against a selection of Spanish-born footballers, Fernández attracted such attention that the local club made him an offer. In 1986 he moved to Spain in the Segunda División for CD Tenerife . He later played for Valencia CF and Albacete Balompié in the Primera División . As the first footballer from Panama to get a contract with a professional club in Europe, he quickly became a crowd-pleaser.
After three years in the Segunda División, Fernández rose to the Primera División in 1989 with CD Tenerife. He made his league debut on September 3, 1989 against Sevilla FC . In the 1989/1990 season he met ten times in the opposing goal and was named "Best Player in South America" in the top Spanish league.
He played another season in Tenerife and after scoring 48 goals for his club in five years, he moved to three-time UEFA Cup winner Valencia CF in 1991 . There he was used rather sporadically and could only score two goals in his first year. For the 1992/1993 season he therefore moved to Albacete Balompié, where he found his way back to his form. He scored his 50th first division goal for Albacete, interestingly against CD Tenerife, for which he had scored his first years earlier.
The Estadio Revolución in Panama City was renamed Estadio Rommel Fernández in his honor after he died on May 6, 1993 in a car accident near Albacete when he lost control of his vehicle and hit a tree. He was extremely popular with his fans and such an important part of the national team that it was decided to give the stadium his name. He is considered one of the most important figures in the sport in Panama.
His last international match was a 5-1 defeat on August 23, 1992 against Costa Rica in qualifying for the 1994 World Cup in the USA.
Web links
- Rommel Fernández Gutiérrez at bdfutbol.com
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Fernández, Rommel |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Fernandéz Gutiérrez, Rommel |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Panamanian soccer player |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 15, 1966 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Panama City |
| DATE OF DEATH | May 6, 1993 |
| Place of death | Albacete |