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

He is known as Gatito () for being the son of former Paraguayan 1986 World Cup goalkeeper Roberto Fernández, nicknamed Gato (). 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.

Gatito Fernández

Career

Club 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.

Gatito Fernández

Utrecht (loan) In August 2011, Utrecht announced to have signed Fernández on loan for one year to cover a possible departure of Michel Vorm.

Gatito Fernández

Botafogo

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

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

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

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

International

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

International

Paraguay

Copa América Runner-up: 2011

Individual

Copa do Brasil Best Goalkeeper: 2017

Troféu EFE Brasil: 2017

References

External links

1988 births

Living people

Footballers from Asunción

Paraguayan men's footballers

Men's association football goalkeepers

Paraguayan expatriate men's footballers

Paraguayan Primera División players

Argentine Primera División players

Eredivisie players

Campeonato Brasileiro Série A players

Campeonato Brasileiro Série B players

Cerro Porteño players

Estudiantes de La Plata footballers

Racing Club de Avellaneda footballers

FC Utrecht players

Esporte Clube Vitória players

Figueirense FC players

Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas players

2011 Copa América players

2019 Copa América players

Paraguay men's under-20 international footballers

Paraguay men's international footballers

Paraguayan expatriate sportspeople in Argentina

Paraguayan expatriate sportspeople in Brazil

Expatriate men's footballers in Argentina

Expatriate men's footballers in the Netherlands

Expatriate men's footballers in Brazil

Paraguayan people of Italian descent

Paraguayan people of Spanish descent