Matías Fernandez

Colo-Colo

Fernández began with the youth squads of Colo-Colo at the age of 12. His debut in the Primera División came on 1 August 2004 against Club Universidad de Chile, and a week later he scored his first two goals, against Cobresal. Fernández would go on to net a total of eight goals in the 2004 Clausura, and was named best young player of the season. In the 2006 Apertura he helped his team capture their 24th title and, in December of the same year, he helped them reach the final of the Copa Sudamericana, losing to C.F. Pachuca of Mexico, by scoring nine times in six games for the tournament. He left on a high note, winning the 2006 Clausura tournament and the South American Footballer of the Year award.

Villarreal

In late October 2006, Fernández was signed by Spanish club Villarreal CF for a fee of €8.7 million, joining compatriot Manuel Pellegrini who was the coach. The transaction was made before he received the "South American Player of the Year" award and, despite reports that Real Madrid and Chelsea were also interested, he agreed to terms and arrived at the Valencia airport on 27 December; on 7 January 2007 he made his La Liga debut in a 0–1 home loss against Valencia CF, scoring his first competitive goal three months later in the 3–0 league win at Gimnàstic de Tarragona. Despite having had a buyout clause of €50 million inserted in his contract, Fernández failed to achieve significant playing time during his first three seasons, but still…

Fernández captained the Chile team at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship, scoring a goal in the 7–0 rout of Honduras. Despite a second-round exit to the Netherlands he displayed overall good football, playing alongside Nicolás Canales, Carlos Villanueva and José Pedro Fuenzalida. Also a former under-17 international, Fernández quickly established himself as an integral part of the full side, netting five times and appearing for the nation at the 2007 Copa América. After featuring prominently in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign, he was selected for the finals in South Africa, playing – and starting – in the group stage against Honduras and Switzerland (both 1–0 wins), in an eventual last-16 exit. In May 2014, Fernández underwent ankle surgery on his right foot, thus being unable to participate in that year's World Cup. He was included in the Chilean squad for the 2015 Copa América, being sent off in the opening match, a 2–0 win over Ecuador at the Estadio Nacional in Santiago; after having come as a 75th-minute substitute for Jorge Valdivia, he was one of four players on target in the final against Argentina, which ended 4–1 in a penalty shootout. Fernández was initially named in the Copa América Centenario squad, but had to withdraw through injury and was replaced by Mark González as the nation again won the tournament.

Fernández was born in the Caballito neighbourhood in Buenos Aires to an Argentine mother, Mirtha, and Chilean father Humberto. He moved to La Calera, Chile, at the age of 4.

Fernández married his Chilean wife in March 2013, but the couple's first child had already been born in late 2008. He was fined for speeding when he was driving from Santiago to Viña del Mar to witness the baby's birth. Before moving to Europe, Fernández was often compared to compatriot David Pizarro, who spent most of his professional career in Italy. His daughter Aylén became the Chilean pre-junior champion in two categories of speed skating in November 2025.