Back when the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ got under way, Enzo Fernandez was on the fringes of the Argentina team, finding his path blocked by some top-class household names in the middle of the park.
However, following Lionel Scaloni’s side’s shock defeat by Saudi Arabia in their opener and Fernandez’s impressive cameo as a substitute in the next match, against Mexico, the then SL Benfica star earned a starting berth and went on to establish himself as one of the leading lights for the eventual world champions.
By the time that the curtain came down on the competition in Qatar, the schemer was one of the hottest properties in world football, with a host of juggernauts battling it out for his signature. Chelsea FC eventually won the race in January 2023, snapping him up in a deal worth more than €100 million.
Two-and-a-half years on, Fernandez is one of the first names on the team sheet and a driving force for the Blues, who are desperate to reclaim their place among the elite both domestically and on the continental and global stages. The FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ provides a perfect platform for them to showcase their credentials.
The West London club have enjoyed a highly successful 2024/25 campaign overall, including triumphing in the UEFA Conference League while sealing a return to the Champions League for next season, and the Argentinian’s skills and personality have proven instrumental.
All this means that, at the age of just 24, the man from Greater Buenos Aires is an undisputed linchpin in two of the most demanding environments in the global game: on the international front with Argentina, with whom he has practically won the lot, and at club level with Chelsea.
Now Fernandez and his Blues team-mates are gearing up for the FIFA Club World Cup™, in which they face CR Flamengo, Espérance and LAFC in Group D. The anchorman looked ahead to the tournament – which will also feature two of his former sides, Benfica and boyhood club CA River Plate – in an interview with FIFA, in which he made no bones about his ambition of lifting the trophy.
Enzo Fernandez: The secret is working hard day-in, day-out, believing in myself and never giving up. Besides that, I get a lot of support from the team. I’m a big believer in our coach: he’s taught me a great deal and really helped me to kick on, and I can’t forget my team-mates either, as they’ve always had my back. I try to give my all to help them in every match, and they do the same.
We’ve only been working together for a relatively short amount of time, but like I’ve said repeatedly, he’s a great coach. He gives us lots of tips on a day-to-day basis. He’s a very good communicator, both when walking us through drills or tactics in training and in terms of explaining the game plan when matches come around. He’s there to help us every single day, both as footballers and as people. I think that’s crucial for a player.
It’s a really important competition, especially as it’s a global one. The world will be watching, and we’ll try to perform to the best of our ability. It’s almost the end of the season for us, so we’ll be looking for one last push and going all out to win the title, which would be a huge deal for the club.
Naturally, we’ll be aiming to lift the trophy.
Every time we travel as a club, wherever in the world, we see Chelsea fans. It’s fantastic to feel that support everywhere we go, and I hope we can give the people who’ll be cheering us on in the United States something to shout about.
Flamengo are a massive club who are known the world over. The atmosphere is going to be unbeatable because Brazilians are very passionate, just like us Argentines. I hope that the stadium is buzzing, everyone enjoys it and football is the winner.
