Fernando Redondo

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

A defensive midfielder with the ability to contribute offensively and creatively, he turned professional playing for Argentinos Juniors and played one full decade in La Liga, for CD Tenerife and Real Madrid, then finished his career (curtailed by several injury problems) in Italy, with AC Milan. With Real Madrid, he won two La Liga championships and as many Champions League trophies, adding the 2003 Champions League with Milan. Redondo was a member of the Argentina national team in the 1990s, representing the nation in the 1994 World Cup, and also winning the 1992 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 1993 Copa América.

In Their Own Story

In the 2000 Champions League quarter-final at Old Trafford, Redondo authored a moment of pure genius. With the ball at his feet near the touchline, Manchester United defender Henning Berg closed in. Redondo flicked the ball behind his own standing leg with his heel, spinning past Berg in one fluid motion. He collected the ball on the other side and delivered a precise pass to Raúl, who slotted home. The play left Old Trafford stunned. After the 3–2 win, Alex Ferguson marvelled, "What does this player have in his boots? A magnet?" That season, Redondo was named UEFA Club Footballer of the Year, capping a campaign that saw Real Madrid lift their eighth European Cup.

Reader's Guide

Born in Adrogué, Buenos Aires Province, Redondo played his first game in the Primera División at only 16 for Argentinos Juniors, and remained five years with the team before moving abroad to Spain. He made his debut in La Liga with CD Tenerife, under the management of countryman Jorge Solari. During this period, Real Madrid twice lost the league title to arch-rivals FC Barcelona on the final day of the season, in matches against Tenerife who were managed by Jorge Valdano and, when the coach was appointed at Real Madrid in the summer of 1994, the player also made the move for a fee of US$5 million. The key years of Redondo's career were spent at Real Madrid, where he won two league championships and the UEFA Champions League in 1998 and 2000. During the second victorious campaign in the latter competition, his performances won him the competition's Most Valuable Player award, with new coach Vicente del Bosque utilising him in a midfield combination with Steve McManaman. In the quarter-finals against Manchester United at Old Trafford, he was the author of a spectacular play in which he dribbled past Henning Berg by backheeling the ball around him, recovering it and assisting Raúl for his side's third goal (3–2 win, 3–2 on aggregate); after the game, opposing manager Alex Ferguson said 'What does this player have in his boots? A magnet?'. For his performances, he was subsequently voted the Champions League and UEFA Club Footballer of the Year. During his time in Madrid, Redondo earned the nickname El Principe ('The Prince'). In April 2013 he was named by daily newspaper Marca as a member of the 'Best foreign eleven in Real Madrid's history', and four years later was selected by its readers to the club's all-time XI; during one full decade, he amassed Spanish top division totals of 268 games and 12 goals. In 2000, Redondo transferred to Serie A club A.C. Milan in a controversial £11m move: he stated that he was not involved in transfer discussions and expressed his desire to stay at Madrid. In response, a section of Real Madrid supporters gathered outside the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium protesting the transfer. However, he suffered a serious knee injury in one of his first training sessions for his new team, and was unable to play for the next 2+1⁄2 years; he suspended his £2.74m-a-year salary, and even tried to give back the house and car which the Milan board ha

Did You Know?

• Redondo was born into an industrialist family and enjoyed a wealthy upbringing, later studying law at university in the early years of his playing career.
• He married the cousin of fellow footballer Santiago Solari, and his sons Federico and Fernando Jr. were also involved in the sport.
• An avid reader, Redondo counted Jorge Luis Borges and Gabriel García Márquez as his two favourite authors.