Giovanni Hernández

Giovanni Hernández
	Hernández playing forJuniorin 2010
Personal information
Full name	Giovanni Hernández Soto
Date of birth	17 June 1976(age 48)
Place of birth	Cali,Colombia
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
1986–1993	Boca Juniors de Cali
Senior career*
Years	Team
1993–1995	Once Caldas
1995–1996	América de Cali
1996–1999	Independiente Medellín
2000–2003	Deportivo Cali
2003–2006	Colón de Santa Fe
2007–2008	Colo-Colo
2008–2012	Junior
2013–2014	Independiente Medellín
2014	Uniautónoma
Total
International career‡
1995–2009	Colombia
Managerial career
2015	Uniautónoma
2016	Real Cartagena
2016	Junior
2018–2023	Atlético
Medal record
Men'sfootball
RepresentingColombia
Copa América
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 29 January 2015; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 November 2010

Giovanni Andrés Hernández Soto(Spanish pronunciation:[ɟʝoˈβanjeɾˈnandesˈsoto];born 17 June 1976), is a Colombianfootball managerand former player. He is the current manager ofAtlético F.C.in the ColombianCategoría Primera B,and formerly managedUniautónoma,Real CartagenaandJunior.

Before his career as a coach, he played as amidfielderand was famous for his technical skills and ability to create chances as aplaymaker,as well as his penchant for setting-up goals fromfree kicks.^{[citation needed]}

Club career

Early career

Giovanni Hernández made his professional debut at the age of 17 withOnce Caldasin 1993.^[1]In 1995, he played forAmérica de Caliand he scored 5 goals during this season. He continued playing for the club during the1996 Copa Libertadoreswhere he scored 2 goals. He played forIndependiente Medellínduring 1998. At the end of that year, he was signed byDeportivo Cali.

Deportivo Cali

He played for Deportivo Cali in the1999 Copa Libertadoresas a substitute, but after a few goals he became a starter for the 2001 season, where he scored 13 goals.

Colón

In the second half of 2003, Hernández was sold to Argentine clubColón de Santa Fe.In his debut match on 12 August, he scored a free kick goal and made an assist, in a 3-1 victory againstVelez Sarsfieldas part of the first stage of the2003 Copa Sudamericana.^[2]^[3]He quickly became one of the favorites in the Argentine league reaching a total of 12 goals that season.^{[citation needed]}

Colo-Colo

On 15 January 2007, Hernandez joined Chilean clubColo-Coloon a one-year contract with a transfer fee of $800,000.^[4]^[5]He was brought in to replace the2006 South American Player of the Year,Matías Fernández,and was handed the prestigious #10 jersey. He was a vital part of the team that would eventually win the2007 Apertura championship,being the second top scoring of the team with 7 goals. Colo-Colo also won the2007 Clausura,with Hernandez being part of the squad, and scoring 6 goals.

At the end of the year, Colo-Colo's president wanted him to stay at the club, but Hernandez told the press, "I asked for a Coca-Cola, but I got water with gas" meaning that he had certain terms that he asked for, but the club could not meet them.^[6]

Junior

After receiving offers fromBarcelonaof Ecuador andNecaxaof Mexico,^[7]^[6]^[8]in January 2008, the midfielder went back to Colombia to play forJunior de Barranquilla,signing a three-year contract and becoming the most expensive transfer made by the team at that time.^[9]When Hernandez arrived, Junior were close to being relegated, because the team had very poor 2006 and 2007 seasons. Junior also had a poor 2008 Apertura season, failing to qualify for the playoffs, but in the 2008 Finalizacion, with the help of Hernandez and other new signings, Junior reached the playoffs and avoided relegation as well.

In the 2009 Apertura, he scored 5 goals to help Junior reach the finals, where they lost toOnce Caldas.He had a great 2009 Clausura season, scoring nine goals in 15 games, including a streak of five consecutive games scoring.^[10]His goals helped Junior make the playoffs, but he failed to score any in the playoffs and Junior eventually missed out on the finals. Junior won the2010 Apertura,which was his first title with the club.^[11]In December 2010,Universitarioof thePeruvian Primera Divisiónmade an offer for him, but Hernandez declined, expressing his desire to stay in Barranquilla.^[12]After declining the offer, he signed a two-year contract extension.^[13]

In the 2011 Clausura, Junior qualified for the playoffs, and facedMillonariosin the semi-finals. Junior lost the first leg 3-0,^[14]but in the second leg Junior came back and won 3-0, with Hernandez scoring the goal to tie the series.^[15]He later scored his penalty in the shootout, which Junior won to qualify to the final.^[16]In the finals, Junior won the first leg 3-2. In the second leg on 21 December, Once Caldas won 2-1 and tied the series, sending the game into penalties. He assistedCarlos Bacca's goal and scored his penalty in the shootout to win his second title with Junior.^[17]^[18]

In December 2012, Hernandez told Junior's president that he wished to stay at the club and renovate his contract for two more years. However, the club only gave him the option to renovate his contract for one year, and he left the club that month.^[19]

Independiente Medellin

On 20 December 2012, he returned toIndependiente Medellín,the club he played for from 1996 to 1999.^[20]

In September 2013, he had an argument with managerPedro Sarmientoafter being subbed off early in a loss againstBoyaca Chicoand not being included in the squad in the following match againstAtlético Nacional.However, everything was settled quickly and he resumed training within a few days.^[21]At the end of the2014 Apertura,Hernandez left the club.

Uniautonoma

In June 2014, Hernandez joinedUniautónomafor the2014 Finalizacion tournament.^[22]

International career

Hernández was called up to theColombia national teamfor the2001 Copa América,which they won. Colombia did not qualify for the2002 FIFA World Cupbut did qualify for the2003 Confederations Cupwhere he was called up again. Giovanni scored 3 goals in 5 games and he was considered one of the best players of the tournament. He played in the2003 CONCACAF Gold Cupwith a lacklustre performance, not scoring a single goal.

After a three-year absence from theColombia national team,Giovanni was recalled for the match againstMexicoon 22 August 2007.^[23]

Personal life

In September 2010, it was reported that Hernandez failed to pay approximately 865,000 pesos ($215,000) to the Argentine government while he was playing for Colon in 2005.^[24]

Career statistics

International goals

**Giovanni Hernández: International goals**
No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	23 July 2001	Estadio Centenario,Armenia, Colombia	Peru	2–0	3–0	Copa America 2001
2	20 June 2003	Stade de Gerland,Lyon, France	New Zealand	3–1	3–1	Confederations Cup
3	22 June 2003	Stade Geoffroy-Guichard,Saint-Etienne, France	Japan	0–1	0–1	Confederations Cup
4	28 June 2003	Stade Geoffroy-Guichard,Saint-Etienne, France	Turkey	1–1	1–2	Confederations Cup
5	30 April 2008	Estadio Alfonso López,Bucaramanga, Colombia	Venezuela	3–2	5–2	Exhibition game