Fer Niño Explained

Fer Niño
Fullname:Fernando Niño Rodríguez[1]
Birth Date:24 October 2000
Birth Place:Rota, Spain
Height:1.91 m
Position:Forward
Currentclub:Burgos
Clubnumber:9
Youthyears1:2011–2013
Youthclubs1:Rota
Youthyears2:2013–2014
Youthclubs2:Cádiz
Youthyears3:2014–2016
Youthclubs3:Balón de Cádiz
Youthyears4:2016–2019
Youthclubs4:Villarreal
Years1:2019–2020
Caps1:13
Goals1:4
Years2:2020–2023
Caps2:43
Goals2:4
Years3:2020–2023
Caps3:25
Goals3:4
Years4:2021–2022
Clubs4:Mallorca (loan)
Caps4:23
Goals4:2
Years5:2023–
Caps5:37
Goals5:6
Nationalyears1:2021
Nationalcaps1:5
Nationalgoals1:2
Club-Update:8 June 2024

Fernando "Fer" Niño Rodríguez (born 24 October 2000) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Burgos CF.

Club career

Villarreal

Niño was born in Rota, Andalusia, and joined Villarreal CF's academy in 2016 from Balón de Cádiz CF in his native region. He made his senior debut with the former's C team on 24 August 2019, starting in a 3–0 Tercera División away win against CF Recambios Colón.[2]

Niño scored his first league goal on 26 October 2019, opening the 5–0 home rout of UD Benigànim.[3] The following 22 January, when he still had not even appeared for the reserves, he made his first-team debut by coming on as a second-half substitute for Pau Torres in a 3–0 away victory over Girona FC in the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey.[4]

Niño played his first La Liga match on 25 January 2020, in a 2–1 win at Deportivo Alavés; replacing Carlos Bacca in the 88th minute, he scored the winner the following minute.[5] On 12 November, he renewed his contract until 2024.[6] He contributed five appearances to their victorious campaign in the UEFA Europa League,[7] netting against Maccabi Tel Aviv FC (group phase, 4–0)[8] and FC Red Bull Salzburg (round of 32, 2–0).[9]

In a pre-season friendly against Leicester City in August 2021, Niño broke Wesley Fofana's leg with a late challenge,[10] apologising for the action the following day on social media.[11] Later that month, he was loaned to RCD Mallorca for the season.[12]

Back to the Estadio de la Cerámica for 2022–23, Niño was assigned back to the B team, now in the Segunda División.[13]

Burgos

On 22 June 2023, Niño signed a three-year contract with Burgos CF also in the second tier.[14]

International career

Niño made his debut for the Spain under-21 side on 31 May 2021, in a 2–1 extra time defeat of Croatia in the quarter-finals of the 2021 UEFA European Championship.[15] His first goals came on 3 September, when he scored a brace in the 4–1 win over Russia for the 2023 European Championship qualifiers; his Villarreal teammate Yeremy Pino added the other two.[16]

Personal life

Niño's father, also named Fernando, was also a footballer. A central defender, he spent most of his career with Mallorca.[17]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Villarreal B2019–20Segunda División B4040
2022–23Segunda División5050
Total90000090
Villarreal2019–20La Liga512172
2020–21La Liga1735362288
Total22474623510
Mallorca (loan)2021–22La Liga23220252
Career total49694626212

Honours

Villarreal

2020–21[7]

Notes and References

  1. News: Fernando Niño. Diario AS. 1 May 2022.
  2. Web site: El Villarreal CF C demostró sus hechuras y ganó bien en El Perdiguer. Villarreal C showed what they're made of and win comfortably at El Perdiguer. Golsmedia. Suso. Martínez. es. 24 August 2019. 22 November 2020.
  3. Web site: El Villarreal rompió el maleficio ante el Benigánim y ganó un partido tras un mes de sinsabores (5–0). Villarreal broke jinx against Benigánim and won a match after month full of setbacks (5–0). Castellón Información. es. 27 October 2019. 1 May 2022.
  4. News: Chukwueze lidera el pase del Villarreal a la siguiente ronda. Chukwueze leads Villarreal's qualification to the next round. Diario AS. David. Esteve. es. 22 January 2020. 7 February 2020.
  5. News: Nino the hero as Villarreal strike late at Alaves. Marca. Geoff. Gillingham. 25 January 2020. 26 January 2020.
  6. Web site: The Villarreal of the future. Villarreal CF. 12 November 2020. 28 December 2020.
  7. Web site: Villarreal 1–1 Manchester United. BBC Sport. Simon. Stone. 26 May 2021. 26 May 2021.
  8. News: El Villarreal se pasea ante el Maccabi. Walk in the park for Villarreal against Maccabi. El País. Javier. Pérez. es. 5 November 2020. 2 May 2022.
  9. News: El 'Submarino' sale a flote en Austria. The 'Submarine' stays afloat in Austria. Sport. Alba. López. es. 18 February 2021. 2 May 2022.
  10. Web site: Wesley Fofana: Leicester City defender suffers broken leg in friendly. BBC Sport. 5 August 2021. 5 August 2021.
  11. Web site: Wesley Fofana: Villarreal's Nino apologises for tackle on Leicester defender. BBC Sport. Simon. Stone. 5 August 2021. 5 August 2021.
  12. Web site: Fer Niño, loaned to RCD Mallorca. Villarreal CF. 18 August 2021. 18 August 2021.
  13. News: El regreso de Javi Ontiveros a Málaga y La Rosaleda. Javi Ontiveros returns to Málaga and La Rosaleda. Estadio Deportivo. José Antonio. Rivero. es. 24 September 2022. 19 July 2023.
  14. Web site: Fer Niño, más pólvora para la delantera del Burgos CF. Fer Niño, more gunpowder for the forward lines of Burgos CF. Burgos CF. es. 22 June 2023. 22 June 2023.
  15. News: España sufre para superar a Croacia y se mete en las semifinales de la Eurocopa sub-21. Spain suffer to best Croatia and reach semi-finals of under-21 European Championships. El País. Luis. Villaescusa. es. 31 May 2021. 1 May 2022.
  16. News: Yéremi Pino y Fer Niño lideran el ilusionante debut de la 'generación de oro'. Yéremi Pino and Fer Niño lead exciting debut of 'golden generation'. Marca. Óscar. García. es. 3 September 2021. 1 May 2022.
  17. News: La semana mágica de Niño. Niño's magical week. Marca. Víctor. Franch. es. 25 January 2020. 26 January 2020.