On A Day Like Today… Fernando scores his first LaLiga goal for Valencia CF

On March 24th, 1984, Fernando Gómez Colomer scored his first LaLiga goal for Valencia CF. The player with the most appearances for the club in official matches (552) and the midfielder to score the most goals in a Valencia CF shirt, he was able to put together a run of seven consecutive seasons racking up double figures for strikes. Fernando was the first midfielder to score more than 100 goals in Spain, and he ended his career with 143 to his name.

Over 15 years on the first team, he became one of the standout players in Valencia CF history, and only Waldo, Mundo and Mario Kempes have a superior goal tally to him.

He got off the mark aged just 18 years old, in a game against Atletico Madrid at Mestalla. Starting on the bench, his introduction came on 78 minutes, and he took just 4 minutes to find the net. It was one of the most memorable goals of his professional career, as he tells VCF Media:

“I received a short pass, brought the ball down with my chest and then let it bounce, before striking it completely cleanly,” he recalls. The shot from outside the area went in off the upper part of the post.

As opening goals go, it was a statement of what was to come. It also made him the club’s second youngest LaLiga goalscorer, behind Juan Mena. Third and fourth on the list are current first team squad members Kang In and Ferran Torres.