Place of birth La Orotava, Spain Name Diego Fernandez 1970–1977 CD Vera Role Footballer | 1977–1978 Tenerife Height 1.79 m Years Team | |
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Full name Diego Rodriguez Fernandez Date of birth (1960-04-20) 20 April 1960 (age 55) | ||
Diego Rodríguez Fernández (born 20 April 1960), known simply as Diego, is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a central defender.
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During his professional career, which spanned nearly two decades, he played for both Seville clubs, Betis and Sevilla, appearing in a total of 450 La Liga games.
Club career
Diego was born in La Orotava, Tenerife. Having started professionally with local CD Tenerife he joined Real Betis for the 1982–83 season, appearing in nearly 250 official games and scoring four La Liga goals.
After six years, Diego joined Andalusia neighbours Sevilla FC, continuing as an undisputed starter almost until his final campaign, which was 1995–96. His lowest output with the club consisted of 24 matches in the 1994–95 season, starting in all his appearances as the side qualified for the UEFA Cup as fifth.
Diego retired professionally in June 1998 at the age of 38, after competing in the second division with Albacete Balompié, but still played well into his 40's with another team in his region of adoption, amateur Dos Hermanas CF. In early 2002, immediately after quitting football, he began his coaching career, acting as assistant to Alfonso Guzmán at third level's Ciudad de Murcia but replacing him for the final ten games of the season.
In 2008, Diego returned to Sevilla, starting with the C-team and upgrading the following year to the reserves. His first game in charge of the latter was a 0–8 away loss against Hércules CF for the division two championship, and, in mid-February 2010, he was sacked.
International career
Diego earned one cap for the Spanish national team, on 24 February 1988, appearing in the second half of a 1–2 friendly loss with Czechoslovakia, in Málaga. He was subsequently picked in the nation's squad for UEFA Euro 1988.