| Diego | |
| Fullname: | Diego Rodríguez Fernández |
| Birth Date: | 20 April 1960 |
| Birth Place: | La Orotava, Spain |
| Height: | 1.79 m |
| Youthyears1: | 1970–1977 |
| Youthyears2: | 1977–1978 |
| Years1: | 1978–1982 |
| Caps1: | 113 |
| Goals1: | 2 |
| Years2: | 1982–1988 |
| Caps2: | 198 |
| Goals2: | 4 |
| Years3: | 1988–1996 |
| Caps3: | 252 |
| Goals3: | 7 |
| Years4: | 1996–1998 |
| Caps4: | 46 |
| Goals4: | 2 |
| Years5: | 1998–2002 |
| Caps5: | 110 |
| Goals5: | 3 |
| Totalcaps: | 719 |
| Totalgoals: | 18 |
| Nationalyears1: | 1980–1981 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 2 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Nationalyears2: | 1980–1984 |
| Nationalcaps2: | 13 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
| Nationalyears3: | 1982–1987 |
| Nationalcaps3: | 7 |
| Nationalgoals3: | 0 |
| Nationalyears4: | 1984 |
| Nationalcaps4: | 1 |
| Nationalgoals4: | 0 |
| Nationalyears5: | 1988 |
| Nationalcaps5: | 1 |
| Nationalgoals5: | 0 |
| Manageryears1: | 2002 |
| Managerclubs1: | Ciudad Murcia (assistant) |
| Manageryears2: | 2002 |
| Manageryears3: | 2008–2009 |
| Manageryears4: | 2009–2010 |
| Managerclubs4: | Sevilla B |
Diego Rodríguez Fernández (born 20 April 1960), known simply as Diego, is a Spanish retired professional footballer who played as a central defender.
In a professional career that spanned more than two decades, he played for both Seville clubs, Betis and Sevilla, appearing in a total of 450 La Liga matches.[1]
Diego was born in La Orotava, Tenerife. Having started professionally at local CD Tenerife he signed with Real Betis for the 1982–83 season, going on to play nearly 250 official matches and score four La Liga goals.[2]
After six years, Diego joined Andalusia neighbours Sevilla FC, being an undisputed starter – as well as team captain, which he also was at Betis – almost until his final campaign, 1995–96. His lowest output with the club consisted of 24 games in 1994–95, starting in all his appearances as the side qualified for the UEFA Cup as fifth.[3] [2]
Diego retired professionally in June 1998 at the age of 38, after competing in the Segunda División with Albacete Balompié, but still played well into his 40s with another side in his region of adoption, amateurs Dos Hermanas CF.[4] In early 2002, immediately after quitting football, he began his coaching career, acting as assistant to Alfonso Guzmán at Segunda División B's Ciudad de Murcia but replacing him for the final ten matches of the season.
In 2008, Diego returned to Sevilla, starting with the C team and upgrading the following year to the reserves.[5] His first game in charge of the latter was a 8–0 away loss against Hércules CF for the second tier,[6] and in mid-February 2010 he was dismissed.[7]
Diego earned one cap for the Spain national team, appearing in the second half of a 2–1 friendly loss with Czechoslovakia on 24 February 1988, in Málaga.[8] He was subsequently picked for the squad that appeared at that year's UEFA European Championship.[2]