Everything we know about Pedro Fernandez, the Filipino Spanish phenom in FC Barcelona
Filipino talent has recently flourished in scenes and sports once unfamiliar to the wider Filipino audience.
There’s Margielyn Didal in skateboarding, Alex Eala in tennis, Carlos Yulo in gymnastics, Bianca Bustamante in motor racing, and EJ Obiena in pole vaulting. It’s not necessarily as if the Philippines was unaware of such sports—they were and probably just still are inaccessible to everyone else, unlike the fan favorites: basketball, football, boxing, and volleyball.
But while the general public has grown to appreciate and root for these world-class talents, there remains a wishful hope for a Filipino to one day rise above the ranks in the sports most of us love. After all, for all the attention and support given to the aforementioned mainstream sports, success on the world stage has by and far been scarce.
That is, until Pedro Fernández scored his first goal in his FC Barcelona debut against Vissel Kobe in Japan.
Truly a goal-getter
FC Barcelona recently finished its Asian Tour, where the squad spent 11 days in Japan and South Korea, and played three friendly matches: 3-1 against Vissel Kobe, 7-3 over FC Seoul, and a 5-0 victory against Daegu FC.
Fernández substituted in for English star Marcus Rashford with 15 minutes left in the game, before scoring his debut goal in a minute 87 against Vissel Kobe. He didn’t play in the match against FC Seoul, but played 46 minutes in the game with Daegu FC before being subbed out for Dani Olmo.
But just who is Fernández? Let’s look back. The 17-year-old was born on Jan. 12, 2008 in Nigrán in the autonomous community of Galicia to a Filipino mother and a Spanish father.
He first played in Val Miñor Nigrán, a small club in Galicia, in 2022. Shortly after this stint, he joined La Masia, FC Barcelona’s development academy, where he reportedly scored 10 goals in his debut season. Fernández progressed quickly through the ranks, making appearances in FC Barcelona’s Juvenil B and Juvenil A teams, the UEFA Youth League, and Spain’s U17 national team, before his most recent games with FC Barcelona’s main lineup.
A promising path for the rising star
Fernández has drawn comparisons to Paulino Alcantara, a Filipino Spanish football legend who netted 395 goals in 399 matches in his storied career.
Following the Asian Tour, FC Barcelona is set to play another friendly match on Aug. 11 against Como 1907 for the Joan Gamper Trophy—an annual exhibition match held before the La Liga season. The official season starts on the 16th with a game against Real Mallorca.
Fernández is expected to primarily suit up for Barça Atletic (FC Barcelona’s B team that plays in the Segunda Federación, a lower tier league in Spain) this season.
However, according to Spanish media outlet Mundo Deportivo, FC Barcelona has reportedly found a likely prospect in the 17-year-old and has reassured his camp that the club has future plans for him. This includes alternating him between the first and second teams this year, and a potential upgrade to his contract should he continue to perform well. Fernández is currently signed with Barcelona until 2027.
