Fernando Velasco (footballer)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Fernando Velasco

| fullname = Fernando Velasco Salazar

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|1|8|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Córdoba, Spain

| height = {{convert|1.79|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub = Marbella FC (youth coach)

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = UD Marbella

| years1 = 2003–2004 | caps1 = 7 | goals1 = 0 | clubs1 = Marbella

| years2 = 2004–2005 | caps2 = 9 | goals2 = 4 | clubs2 = Estepona

| years3 = 2005–2007 | caps3 = 59 | goals3 = 16 | clubs3 = Fuengirola

| years4 = 2007–2009 | caps4 = 69 | goals4 = 14 | clubs4 = Lucena

| years5 = 2009–2011 | caps5 = 37 | goals5 = 7 | clubs5 = Cádiz

| years6 = 2010 | caps6 = 15 | goals6 = 1 | clubs6 = → Ceuta (loan)

| years7 = 2011–2013 | caps7 = 63 | goals7 = 13 | clubs7 = Melilla

| years8 = 2013–2015 | caps8 = 66 | goals8 = 12 | clubs8 = Leganés

| years9 = 2015 | caps9 = 5 | goals9 = 1 | clubs9 = Petrolul Ploiești

| years10 = 2016–2017 | caps10 = 38 | goals10 = 5 | clubs10 = Fuenlabrada

| years11 = 2017–2019 | caps11 = 44 | goals11 = 9 | clubs11 = El Ejido

| years12 = 2019–2020 | caps12 = 10 | goals12 = 0 | clubs12 = Europa

| club-update = 29 February 2020

}}

Fernando Velasco Salazar (born 8 January 1985) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

He made 31 appearances and scored four goals in the Segunda División for Cádiz and Leganés, but spent most of his career in Segunda División B, playing 317 games and scoring 57 goals for eight clubs.

Football career

Born in Córdoba, Andalusia, Velasco began his career in the lower leagues, playing in Segunda División B with UD Marbella and Lucena CF. In June 2009, after scoring seven goals for the latter, he signed for Cádiz CF.{{cite news |title=El Cádiz hace oficial el fichaje de Velasco|trans-title=Cádiz make official the signing of Velasco|url=https://www.diariodecadiz.es/cadizcf/Cadiz-hace-oficial-fichaje-Velasco_0_273272742.html |access-date=4 February 2023 |work=Diario de Cádiz |date=30 June 2009 |language=Spanish}}

Velasco made his professional debut on 30 August 2009 as the Segunda División season began with a 1–0 loss at home to UD Salamanca; he was a 64th-minute substitute for Enrique Ortiz. Having added only four more games – one in the Copa del Rey – he was loaned back to the third tier with AD Ceuta.{{cite news |title=Velasco dice en su presentación que quiere ascender con el Ceuta|trans-title=Velasco says in his presentation that he wants to win promotion with Ceuta |url=https://www.diariodecadiz.es/cadizcf/Velasco-presentacion-quiere-ascender-Ceuta_0_339266171.html |access-date=4 February 2023 |work=Diario de Cádiz |date=5 February 2010 |language=Spanish}}

After spending the 2010–11 season back at Cádiz in the third division, Velasco returned to North Africa, this time joining UD Melilla.{{cite news |title=PRESENTACIÓN de Rubén Cruz y Solabarrieta.|trans-title=PRESENTATION of Rubén Cruz and Solabarrieta.|url=https://elfarodemelilla.es/presentacion-de-ruben-cruz-y-solabarrieta/ |access-date=4 February 2023 |work=El Faro de Melilla |date=28 July 2011 |language=Spanish}} On 1 November 2012, he scored the only goal from a penalty kick at home to La Liga team Levante UD in the last 32 of the cup; the Valencians advanced with a 4–1 win in the second leg.{{cite news |title=Gesta de un épico Melilla, que tumba con diez al EuroLevante|trans-title=Heroic feat by an epic Melilla, who fall with ten men to EuroLevante|url=https://as.com/futbol/2012/11/01/copa_del_rey/1351797832_306178.html |access-date=4 February 2023 |work=Diario AS |date=1 November 2012 |language=Spanish}}

In July 2013, Velasco joined CD Leganés again in the third tier.{{cite news |title=El marbellí Velasco continuará en Segunda B con el CD Leganés|trans-title=Marbella-born Velasco will continue in Segunda B with CD Leganés|url=https://www.marbella24horas.es/futbol/el-marbelli-velasco-continuara-en-segunda-b-con-el-cd-leganes-3768 |access-date=4 February 2023 |publisher=Marbella 24 Horas |date=19 July 2013 |language=Spanish}} He scored twice on 11 September in a 5–1 home win over former club Lucena in the second round of the cup,{{cite news |title=La Copa tampoco es bálsamo|trans-title=The cup is not a comfort either |url=https://www.eldiadecordoba.es/deportes/Copa-balsamo_0_733727236.html |access-date=4 February 2023 |work=El Día de Córdoba |date=12 September 2013 |language=Spanish}} and on 12 January 2014 he scored a hat-trick in a 4–0 league win over SD Amorebieta.{{cite news |last1=Martín |first1=J. |title=¿Qué hacÍa [sic] el Leganés hoy hace 4 años? Un milagro en imágenes|trans-title=What were Leganés doing 4 years ago today? A miracle in images|url=https://as.com/futbol/2018/01/12/primera/1515770816_475280.html |access-date=4 February 2023 |work=Diario AS |date=12 January 2018 |language=French}} After winning promotion, he scored four goals in the second division, starting with the only one of a win over Real Betis at the Estadio Municipal de Butarque on 19 October.{{cite news |title=Velasco: "El gol fue un momento de los más bonitos de mi carrera"|trans-title=Velasco: "The goal was one of the most beautiful moments of my career" |url=https://as.com/futbol/2014/10/21/segunda/1413914043_474744.html |access-date=4 February 2023 |work=Diario AS |date=21 October 2014 |language=Spanish}}

After a brief spell in the Romanian Liga I with FC Petrolul Ploiești – scoring once off the bench to equalise in a 1–1 draw at home to SSU Politehnica Timișoara{{cite news |last1=Vrabie |first1=Valentin |title="Lupii galbeni" se scufundă. Petrolul Ploiești – ACS Poli Timișoara 1–1. Llorente a deschis scorul cu un șut superb, Velasco a egalat|trans-title=The "Yellow Wolves" sink. Petrolul Ploiești – ACS Poli Timisoara 1–1. Llorente opened the scoring with a superb shot, Velasco equalised |url=https://www.prosport.ro/fotbal-intern/liga-1/lupii-galbeni-se-scufunda-petrolul-ploiesti-acs-poli-timisoara-1-1-llorente-a-deschis-scorul-cu-un-sut-superb-velasco-a-egalat-14797347 |access-date=4 February 2023 |work=ProSport |date=5 October 2015 |language=Romanian}} – Velasco returned to his country's third tier and the Community of Madrid, signing for CF Fuenlabrada in January 2016.{{cite news |title=Fernando Velasco es nuevo jugador del CF. Fuenlabrada|trans-title=Fernando Velasco is new CF. Fuenlabrada player|url=https://ondafuenlabrada.es/fernando-velasco-es-nuevo-jugador-del-cf-fuenlabrada/ |access-date=4 February 2023 |publisher=Onda Fuenlabrada |date=29 January 2016 |language=Spanish}} Eighteen months later, he moved to CD El Ejido in the same division.{{cite news |title=El CD Ejido ficha a Velasco y golea al Atlético Malagueño|trans-title=CD Ejido sign Velasco and thrash Atlético Malagueño|url=https://www.diariodealmeria.es/deportes/CD-Ejido-Velasco-Atletico-Malagueno_0_1158784313.html |access-date=4 February 2023 |work=Diario de Almería |date=30 July 2017 |language=Spanish}} Following their relegation in 2019, he moved to Europa F.C. in the Gibraltar Premier Division, taking part in his first European campaign by reaching the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League against Legia Warsaw.{{cite news |title=Fernando Velasco deja El Ejido y firma por el Europa de Gibraltar|trans-title=Fernando Velasco leaves El Ejido and signs for Europa of Gibraltar |url=https://www.marbella24horas.es/futbol/fernando-velasco-deja-el-ejido-y-firma-por-el-europa-de-gibraltar-25680 |access-date=4 February 2023 |publisher=Marbella 24 Horas |date=17 June 2019 |language=Spanish}}

=Later career=

Velasco retired as footballer in 2020, and started his own player agency.{{Cite web|title=Hoy es un día muy importante para mi...|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CCYhDwcBPj3/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/fernando_velasco11/2348772599376705783 |archive-date=2021-12-26 |url-access=registration|access-date=5 April 2021|website=fernando_velasco11 Instagram}}{{cbignore}}

Ahead of the 2023-24 season, Velasco started coaching at the academy of Marbella FC.