View source for Fernando Clavijo

{{Short description|Uruguayan-American soccer player and coach (1956–2019)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name     = Fernando Clavijo
| fullname = Fernando Caetano Clavijo Cedrés
| image = File:Fernando Clavijo Headshot.png
| birth_date = {{birth date|1956|1|23}}
| birth_place = [[Maldonado, Uruguay|Maldonado]], Uruguay
| death_date = {{death date and age|2019|2|8|1956|1|23}}
| death_place = [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida]], U.S.
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=10}}
| position = [[Midfielder]] / [[defender (association football)|Defender]]
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
|  years1 =  1972–1979
| years2 =  1979–1981
| years3 =  1981–1983
| years4 =  1983–1984
| years5 =  1984–1988
| years6 =  1988–1989
| years7 =  1989–1992
|  clubs1 =   [[Atenas de San Carlos|Atenas]]
| clubs2 =  [[New York Apollo|New York Apollo/United]]
| clubs3 =  [[New York Arrows]] (''indoor'')
| clubs4 =  [[San Jose Earthquakes (1974–88)|Golden Bay Earthquakes]]
| clubs5 =  [[San Diego Sockers (1978–96)|San Diego Sockers]] (''indoor'')
| clubs6 =  [[Los Angeles Lazers]] (''indoor'')
| clubs7 =  [[St. Louis Storm]] (''indoor'')
| caps1 =
| caps2 =   66
| caps3 =   65
| caps4 =   40
| caps5 =  187
| caps6 =   46
| caps7 =  136
| goals1 =
| goals2 =  5
| goals3 =  11
| goals4 =  1
| goals5 =  49
| goals6 =  10
| goals7 =  41
|  nationalyears1 =   1990–1994
| nationalyears2 =  1992
|  nationalteam1 =   [[United States men's national soccer team|United States]]
| nationalteam2 =  [[United States national futsal team|United States futsal]]
| nationalcaps1 =  61
| nationalcaps2 =  8
| nationalgoals1 =   0
| nationalgoals2 =   2
|  manageryears1 =   1991
| manageryears2 =  1995–1997
| manageryears3 =  1998–1999
| manageryears4 =  1998
| manageryears5 =  1998
| manageryears6 =  1998
| manageryears7 =  1999
| manageryears8 =  2000–2002
| manageryears9 =  2003–2005
| manageryears10 =  2005–2008
| manageryears11 =  2009
|  managerclubs1 =  [[St. Louis Storm]]
| managerclubs2 =  [[Seattle SeaDogs]]
| managerclubs3 =  [[Florida ThunderCats]]
| managerclubs4 =  [[Nigeria national football team|Nigeria]] ''(assistant)''
| managerclubs5 =  [[Generation Adidas|Project 40]] ''(assistant)''
| managerclubs6 =  [[United States national futsal team|U.S. Futsal]]
| managerclubs7 =  [[MetroStars]] ''(assistant)''
| managerclubs8 =  [[New England Revolution]]
| managerclubs9 =  [[Haiti national football team|Haiti]]
| managerclubs10 =  [[Colorado Rapids]]
| managerclubs11 =  [[Fort Lauderdale Strikers (2006–2016)|Miami FC]]
| medaltemplates = 
{{Medal|Country|{{USA}}}}
{{Medal|W|[[CONCACAF Gold Cup]]|[[1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup|1991]]}}
{{Medal|RU|[[CONCACAF Gold Cup]]|[[1993 CONCACAF Gold Cup|1993]]}}
{{MedalSport|Men's [[Association football|Soccer]]}}
}}

'''Fernando Caetano Clavijo Cedrés''' (January 23, 1956 – February 8, 2019) was a Uruguayan-American [[association football|soccer]] [[defender (football)|defender]] and former head coach of the [[New England Revolution]] and [[Colorado Rapids]] of [[Major League Soccer]].  He played three seasons in the [[American Soccer League (1933–83)|American Soccer League]], two in the [[North American Soccer League (1968–84)|North American Soccer League]] and ten in the [[Major Soccer League|Major Indoor Soccer League]]. He earned 61 [[cap (sports)|caps]] with the [[United States men's national soccer team]] and eight with the U.S. national [[futsal]] team. He later coached both indoor and outdoor teams as well as at the national team level with Nigeria and Haiti.  He was a member of the [[National Soccer Hall of Fame]] and is a 2014 inductee into the Indoor Soccer Hall of Fame.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.indoorsoccerhall.com/|title=Indoor Soccer Hall of Fame {{!}} The Turf and Boards|date=July 26, 2017|work=The Turf and Boards|access-date=June 1, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="Fernando Clavijo – USMNT">{{cite web |title=Fernando Clavijo – USMNT |url=https://ussoccerplayers.com/player/clavijo-fernando |website=US Soccer Players |date=April 2, 2008 |access-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref>

==Club career==
===Outdoor===
Clavijo began his professional playing career at the age of 16 with Uruguayan club [[Atenas de San Carlos]].  He spent his six seasons with Atenas at forward.  In 1979, Clavijo, at the age of 22, left Uruguay and with his wife moved to the [[United States]] taking a job at a [[New Jersey]] restaurant. At this time, he started playing amateur soccer at an amateur club when some saw him playing and suggested him to try out for a professional club. After a successful trial, Clavijo signed with [[New York Apollo]] of the [[American Soccer League (1933–83)|American Soccer League]] (ASL).  The Apollo changed its name to the New York United between the 1979 and 1980 season.  Clavijo then spent two seasons with the United.  In 1983, he moved to the [[San Jose Earthquakes (1974–88)|San Jose Earthquakes]] of the [[North American Soccer League (1968–84)|North American Soccer League]] (NASL). In 1984, he was an NASL All-Star with the Earthquakes.<ref name="World Cup Veteran Defender Fernando Clavijo Passes Away At Age 63">{{cite web |title=World Cup Veteran Defender Fernando Clavijo Passes Away At Age 63 |url=https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2019/02/09/19/00/20190209-news-mnt-usa-world-cup-veteran-fernando-clavijo-passes-away |website=USSF |access-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Fernando Clavijo: World Cup veteran, Soccer Hall of Famer dies at 63">{{cite web |last1=Kafai |first1=Arman |title=Fernando Clavijo: World Cup veteran, Soccer Hall of Famer dies at 63 |url=https://www.prosoccerusa.com/mls/fc-dallas/fernando-clavijo-world-cup-veteran-soccer-hall-of-famer-dies-at-63/ |website=Pro Soccer USA |access-date=February 10, 2019 |archive-date=April 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428050744/https://www.prosoccerusa.com/mls/fc-dallas/fernando-clavijo-world-cup-veteran-soccer-hall-of-famer-dies-at-63/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Fernando Clavijo (1956-2019): Forty years of contributions as a player, coach and executive">{{cite web |last1=Kennedy |first1=Paul |title=Fernando Clavijo (1956-2019): Forty years of contributions as a player, coach and executive |url=https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/81263/fernando-clavijo-1956-2019-forty-years-of-contr.html?verified=1 |website=Soccer America |date=February 9, 2019 |access-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref>

===Indoor===
Clavijo began his indoor soccer career, which rapidly eclipsed his outdoor career, in 1981 with the [[New York Arrows]] of [[Major Soccer League|Major Indoor Soccer League]].  The move indoors also brought a change from forward to defender.  In 1984, he moved to the [[San Diego Sockers (1978–96)|San Diego Sockers]] where he contributed to the Sockers winning three championships in his four years with the team.<ref name="Fernando Clavijo (1956-2019): Forty years of contributions as a player, coach and executive" /><ref name="Fernando Clavijo: World Cup veteran, Soccer Hall of Famer dies at 63" /><ref name="World Cup Veteran Defender Fernando Clavijo Passes Away At Age 63" />

==International career==
===Outdoor===
In 1987, Clavijo became an American citizen. On November 21, 1990, he debuted for the [[United States men's national soccer team|United States]] in a friendly match against the [[Soviet Union national football team|Soviet Union]] in [[Port of Spain]], [[Trinidad and Tobago]]. He then became a key player for the American team, being part of the team that won the [[1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup]] and that represented the United States in their home soil at the [[1994 FIFA World Cup]]. Despite being 38 years old at the time (the oldest player on the American squad), Clavijo started three of the four matches the United States played in the tournament. Playing mostly as a [[left-back]], he was on the field in the 2-1 historic victory against [[Colombia national football team|Colombia]] and in the 1–0 defeat against [[Brazil national football team|Brazil]] in the [[1994 FIFA World Cup knockout stage|Round of 16]]. After the World Cup, Clavijo retired from professional soccer having represented the United States on 61 occasions in only five years of international career.<ref name="World Cup Veteran Defender Fernando Clavijo Passes Away At Age 63" />

===Futsal===
In 1992, he had earned eight [[cap (sports)|caps]], scoring two goals, for the [[United States national futsal team]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ussoccer.com/common/stContent.jsp_88-TFAR.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927201506/http://www.ussoccer.com/common/stContent.jsp_88-TFAR.html|archive-date=September 27, 2007|title=The Official Site of U.S. Soccer - Futsal|date=September 27, 2007|access-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref><ref name="World Cup Veteran Defender Fernando Clavijo Passes Away At Age 63" /><ref name="Fernando Clavijo (1956-2019): Forty years of contributions as a player, coach and executive" /> He was part of the team that finished second at the [[1992 FIFA Futsal World Championship]].<ref name="World Cup Veteran Defender Fernando Clavijo Passes Away At Age 63" /> In 1998, he also served as the head coach of the [[United States national futsal team]].<ref name="From Player to Coach: Fernando Clavijo's Indoor Soccer Experiences">{{cite web |last1=Litterer |first1=David |title=From Player to Coach: Fernando Clavijo's Indoor Soccer Experiences |url=http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/clavijo.html |website=GoalIndoor magazine |access-date=February 10, 2019 |archive-date=August 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180802182141/http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/clavijo.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Coaching==
Clavijo's coaching career began in 1991 with the [[St. Louis Storm]] where he was player-coach.  In 1994, he became the head coach of the [[Seattle SeaDogs]] of the [[Continental Indoor Soccer League]] (CISL).  In 1997, he was the CISL Coach of the Year. He then moved to the [[Florida ThunderCats]] of the [[National Professional Soccer League (1984–2001)|National Professional Soccer League]].  He then assisted ex-U.S. coach [[Bora Milutinović|Bora Milutinovic]] with the [[Nigeria national football team|Nigerian national team]] at the [[1998 FIFA World Cup]]. He followed Bora to Major League Soccer as well, assisting him with the [[MetroStars]] in 1999, the worst season for any team in league history at the time. He left the club after the year, assuming head coaching duties with the [[New England Revolution]] in December 1999.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mlss-revolution-name-coach/ |title=MLS's Revolution Name Coach |website=www.cbsnews.com |date=November 29, 1999 |access-date=February 9, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Fernando Clavijo – USMNT" /><ref name="MLS community mourns the loss of Fernando Clavijo">{{cite web |last1=Butler |first1=Dylan |title=MLS community mourns the loss of Fernando Clavijo |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/02/09/mls-community-mourns-loss-fernando-clavijo |website=MLS |access-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Former US defender Fernando Clavijo dies at 63">{{cite web |title=Former US defender Fernando Clavijo dies at 63 |url=https://www.centredaily.com/sports/article226051040.html |website=Central Daily |access-date=February 10, 2019 |archive-date=February 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190213045625/https://www.centredaily.com/sports/article226051040.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Clavijo brought the [[New England Revolution|Revolution]] to their second-ever playoff berth his first year in charge. Under his management the franchise finished the [[2000 MLS season|2000 season]] with a .500 record, the best record in the franchise's history at that time.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.revolutionsoccer.net/history/2000 |title=2000 |website=www.revolutionsoccer.net |access-date=February 9, 2019 |archive-date=February 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210152558/https://www.revolutionsoccer.net/history/2000 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In his second season in charge the [[New England Revolution|Revolution]] finished mid-table, but advanced to the [[Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup|2001 U.S. Open Cup Final]], losing away to the [[LA Galaxy|Los Angeles Galaxy]] (in Fullerton, CA.) by 1–2 in extra time.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.revolutionsoccer.net/history/2001 |title=2001 |website=www.revolutionsoccer.net |access-date=February 9, 2019 |archive-date=April 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427090105/https://www.revolutionsoccer.net/history/2001 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Clavijo was fired midway through the 2002 season.<ref name="Fernando Clavijo, National Soccer Hall of Fame member, dies at 63">{{cite web |title=Fernando Clavijo, National Soccer Hall of Fame member, dies at 63 |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-states/story/3771291/national-soccer-hall-of-fame-member-fernando-clavijo-dies-at-age-63 |website=ESPN |date=February 9, 2019 |access-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref>

On October 16, 2003, Clavijo became the head coach of the [[Haiti national football team|Haitian national team]].  He led them through [[2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)|World Cup Qualifying]], resigning his position after Haiti lost to [[Jamaica national football team|Jamaica]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/haiti/misctopic/sports/soccer-new-coach-2003.htm |title=Haiti: Soccer in Haiti-- New Head Coach - 2003 -- Fernando Clavijo |website=www.webster.edu |access-date=January 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060909052701/http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/haiti/misctopic/sports/soccer-new-coach-2003.htm |archive-date=September 9, 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref> On December 22, 2004, the [[Colorado Rapids]] hired Clavijo as the team's head coach. Clavijo was inducted into the U.S. [[National Soccer Hall of Fame]] in 2005.<ref name="FC Dallas makes hall of famer Fernando Clavijo technical director">{{cite web |title=FC Dallas makes hall of famer Fernando Clavijo technical director |url=https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/soccer/soccerheadlines/2012/03/07/fc-dallas-makes-hall-of-famer-fernando-clavijo-technical-director |website=Sports Day |date=March 7, 2012 |access-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref><ref name="World Cup Veteran Defender Fernando Clavijo Passes Away At Age 63" /> Coach Clavijo resigned from the Colorado Rapids on August 20, 2008, after a record in all competitions of 43 wins – 55 losses – 26 draws. Clavijo served as Technical Director for MLS club [[FC Dallas]] from 2012 to 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fcdallas.com/post/2012/03/07/fernando-clavijo-named-technical-director |title=Fernando Clavijo named technical director |website=www.fcdallas.com |date=March 7, 2012 |access-date = February 9, 2019}}</ref><ref name="How FC Dallas and their homegrown model could revolutionize US soccer">{{cite news |last1=Carpenter |first1=Les |title=How FC Dallas and their homegrown model could revolutionize US soccer |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/nov/19/fc-dallas-mls-homegrown-players-academy |website=The Guardian |date=November 19, 2015 |access-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref>

==Personal life==

Clavijo died on February 8, 2019, in [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida]], after five years with diagnosed [[multiple myeloma]].<ref>{{cite news |date=February 9, 2019 |title=Fernando Clavijo, National Soccer Hall of Fame member, dies at 63 |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-states/story/3771291/national-soccer-hall-of-fame-member-fernando-clavijo-dies-at-age-63 |publisher=ESPN |access-date=February 9, 2019}}</ref>

==Playing stats==

===MISL stats===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year<ref name="Fernando Caetano Clavijo Cedrés">{{cite web |title=Fernando Caetano Clavijo Cedrés |url=https://www.indoorsoccerhall.com/fernando-clavijo |website=INDOOR SOCCER HALL OF FAME |access-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Fernando Clavijo">{{cite web |title=Fernando Clavijo |url=https://www.nasljerseys.com/Players/C/Clavijo.Fernando.htm |website=nasljerseys.com |access-date=February 10, 2019}}</ref>
!Team
!GP
!G
!A
!PTS
!PIM
|-
|1981/82
|[[New York Arrows|New York]]
|22
|2
|2
|4
|8
|-
|1982/83
|New York
|43
|9
|11
|20
|12
|-
|1984/85
|[[San Diego Sockers (1978–96)|San Diego]]
|39
|5
|4
|9
|6
|-
|1985/86
|San Diego
|47
|17
|9
|26
|13
|-
|1986/87
|San Diego
|50
|16
|12
|28
|12
|-
|1987/88
|San Diego
|51
|11
|16
|27
|27
|-
|1988/89
|[[Los Angeles Lazers|Los Angeles]]
|46
|10
|17
|29
|29
|-
|1989/90
|[[St. Louis Storm|St. Louis]]
|52
|17
|18
|35
|10
|-
|1990/91
|St. Louis
|47
|15
|23
|38
|18
|-
|1991/92
|St. Louis
|37
|9
|19
|28
|4
|-
|TOTAL
|MISL
|434
|111
|131
|242
|139
|}

===NASL===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year<ref name="Fernando Clavijo" />
!Team
!GP
!G
!A
!PTS
|-
|1983
|[[San Jose Earthquakes (1974–88)|Golden Bay]]
|21
|0
|1
|1
|-
|1984
|Golden Bay
|19
|1
|1
|3
|-
||TOTAL
|NASL
|40
|1
|2
|4
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.nasljerseys.com/Players/C/Clavijo.Fernando.htm Fernando Clavijo NASL/MISL stats]

{{1983–84 NASL Indoor All-Stars}}
{{1984 NASL All-Stars}}
{{National Soccer Hall of Fame members}}
{{Navboxes
|title= United States squads
|bg= #002868
|fg= white
|bordercolor= #BF0A30
|list1=
{{United States squad 1991 North American Nations Cup}}
{{United States Squad 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
{{United States Squad 1992 King Fahd Cup}}
{{United States Squad 1993 Copa América}}
{{United States Squad 1993 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
{{United States Squad 1994 World Cup}}
}}
{{New England Revolution managers}}
{{Colorado Rapids managers}}
{{Haiti national football team managers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clavijo, Fernando}}
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:2019 deaths]]
[[Category:Footballers from Maldonado, Uruguay]]
[[Category:Uruguayan men's footballers]]
[[Category:American men's soccer players]]
[[Category:United States men's international soccer players]]
[[Category:Uruguayan emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States]]
[[Category:American Soccer League (1933–1983) players]]
[[Category:Atenas de San Carlos players]]
[[Category:New York Apollo players]]
[[Category:New York United players]]
[[Category:North American Soccer League (1968–1984) players]]
[[Category:North American Soccer League (1968–1984) indoor players]]
[[Category:San Jose Earthquakes (1974–1988) players]]
[[Category:Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–1992) players]]
[[Category:New York Arrows players]]
[[Category:San Diego Sockers (1978–1996) indoor players]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Lazers players]]
[[Category:St. Louis Storm players]]
[[Category:American men's futsal players]]
[[Category:American soccer coaches]]
[[Category:New England Revolution head coaches]]
[[Category:Colorado Rapids head coaches]]
[[Category:Haiti national football team managers]]
[[Category:Expatriate football managers in Haiti]]
[[Category:National Soccer Hall of Fame members]]
[[Category:1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup players]]
[[Category:1992 King Fahd Cup players]]
[[Category:1993 Copa América players]]
[[Category:1993 CONCACAF Gold Cup players]]
[[Category:1994 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:CONCACAF Gold Cup–winning players]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer head coaches]]
[[Category:New York Red Bulls non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Men's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:Men's association football defenders]]
[[Category:Deaths from multiple myeloma in the United States]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in Florida]]
[[Category:American expatriate soccer coaches]]
[[Category:Uruguayan expatriate football managers]]
[[Category:Uruguayan expatriate sportspeople in Haiti]]
[[Category:American expatriate sportspeople in Haiti]]
[[Category:St. Louis Storm]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century Uruguayan sportsmen]]