FC Dallas goalkeeper Raul Fernandez will team up with the Impact’s Marco Di Vaio and Patrice Bernier at the 2013 MLS All-Star Game, but first he has to play against them this Saturday.
Fernandez earned the fan vote at his position earlier this month, getting his first All-Star nod as part of the Fan XI.
The 27-year-old goalkeeper ranks near the top of all categories in MLS, with 71 saves (2nd in MLS) through 18 games. He is just two clean sheets shy of the league lead in shutouts and has a 1.44 goal against average.
Signed by FC Dallas on January 10, 2013, Fernandez’s quick transition to MLS has him in the running for the MLS Newcomer of the Year award and his acrobatic saves have made him a fan favourite in Dallas, earning him the nickname “Superman.”
His ability to fly across the goal line has produced two MLSsoccer.com Save of the Week honours so far in 2013 for weeks 13and 19.
But what makes the great goalkeeper a stand out person is his dedication to his national team. A native of Lima, Peru, Fernandez has earned 23 caps since March 26, 2008. However, prior to joining Dallas, “Superman” had played just two games with his former club OGC Nice, in France’s Ligue 1.
Still having not reached his peak in goalkeeper years, Fernandez gave up his dream to play in Europe and chose to take his skills to MLS in order to play more consistently, and thusly, be in better form for the Peruvian national team.
Peru’s hope of reaching the World Cup lies with the keeper, as an important game is set for September against Uruguay, but ironically enough, Fernandez only started playing in goal around 13 years old simply because he would play futbol with his older brother and his friends in the street. As he was so much younger and smaller, they threw him in nets.
Now, Fernandez is the one throwing himself around in goal, willing to do anything to stop the ball from rolling over the goal line.
On Saturday, the Impact will look to ground Fernandez’s high flying ways on its way to victory over FC Dallas.
