Enzo Fernandez landed the FIFA Young Player Award at Qatar 2022™ and the versatile engine-room virtuoso will line up at this year’s FIFA World Cup 2026™ as one of the finest midfielders on the planet.
Over the past few years, El Musico’s trajectory has been on a relentless upward curve. The former River Plate starlet flourished during a loan spell at Defensa y Justicia before becoming one of Los Millonarios’ hottest prospects and earning a move to Benfica. He then went on to make an instant impact for Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina and secured a big-money switch to Chelsea, where he has evolved into a complete midfielder, comfortable as either an anchorman or in a more advanced role.
Fernandez’s achievements and attributes
The all-action midfielder’s career is filled with success. He holds the distinction of being the only player to have lifted both the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup™. Fernandez proved to be a key figure in the Albiceleste side that reigned supreme in 2022 before he tasted glory with Chelsea at the inaugural edition of FIFA’s global club showpiece last year.
He began his journey in the game as an attacking midfielder before gradually developing into an all-round engine-room star capable of occupying a number of roles and performing a host of duties, often displaying his chameleon-like qualities during the course of the same match. Scaloni has made the most of Fernandez’s versatility, initially deploying him as a central midfielder before asking him to operate further forward. Under the tutelage of former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, he developed into a potent attacking threat, timing his runs into the box to devastating effect.
In Argentina’s second group-stage outing against Mexico at the last World Cup, he came off the bench to curl home a superb strike that sealed a 2-0 victory, with his eye-catching contribution earning him a starting berth against Poland, and he never looked back. The silky schemer played a key role in the victory over the Poles, in the Round of 16 triumph over Australia and in the gripping quarter-final showdown with the Netherlands before putting in dazzling displays against Croatia in the last four and France in the trophy decider.
Fernandez had an equally influential impact in his next campaign on the global stage, helping guide Chelsea to the Club World Cup title in the United States last year with victory over Paris Saint-Germain.
Fernandez tributes
“He’s a very well-rounded midfielder who’s capable of playing anywhere centrally across the middle. At the end of the day, when you set up with two central midfielders, it makes no odds to him whether he lines up on the left or the right of the two, and he’s equally at home in any narrow role on either side of the central midfielders. In the modern game, I think that players are able to adapt to a number of positions. That said, playing wide is a whole different ball game to playing centrally. Enzo is a central midfielder through and through, he’s able to play anywhere in there.”
Lionel Scaloni, Argentina coach
“What Enzo’s doing doesn’t surprise me one bit. I know him well and have seen what he’s capable of in training. I’ve come up against him in the Champions League. He deserves every success because he’s a fantastic person and a crucial player for us, just like everyone else in the squad.”
Lionel Messi, Argentina team-mate speaking after the win over Mexico
“I think the confidence is what strikes me about him for someone so young. His trajectory in the last year, I’ve never seen anything like it. It doesn’t faze him. I watched him in the World Cup. He goes into that team and looks like somebody who’s meant to be in there. The pressure that those Argentinians are under to produce at the World Cup – not only for their country but for Messi – you can’t put that into numbers what that means. And he went out there and played like it was any game.”
Rio Ferdinand, former Manchester United and England defender speaking after Fernandez’s English Premier League debut
“He can adapt to any position. His game intelligence allows him to operate as a false 9, a No10, on the right or on the left. When a player has football intelligence, it enables them to adapt.”
Pablo Esquivel, the talent scout who discovered Fernandez
Fernandez trivia
Fernandez stats
Fernandez’s World Cup history
The midfield dynamo’s only previous taste of World Cup action came at Qatar 2022. Across his seven appearances at the global extravaganza, he claimed a goal and an assist. After starting on the bench in Argentina’s first two outings, he commanded a starting berth in their final group-stage contest before becoming a mainstay of Scaloni’s side.
Fernandez and Argentina’s World Cup 2026 hopes
Fernandez is set to play a central role in the reigning world champions’ bid to retain their crown and stitch a fourth star to their shirts, with Group J showdowns against Algeria, Austria and Jordan on the immediate agenda. El Musico is poised to orchestrate proceedings alongside Alexis Mac Allister and Rodrigo De Paul in Scaloni’s go-to midfield trident. He has come on in leaps and bounds from the emerging talent who announced himself on football’s biggest stage four years ago – no longer one to watch, he is now expected to deliver.
