Enzo Fernandez reveals the secret behind his name

You won’t have thought there was anything odd about Enzo Fernandez being called Enzo because it’s an Italian name, and a huge proportion of Argentine’s are descended from Italian immigrants.

But as the midfielder revealed in an interview on the Chelsea website today, his is a little more specific than that.

Fernandez explained that his father – a huge River Plate fan – had named him after Enzo Francescoli, the team’s star at the time.

Fans who remember football in the 90s will have a clear image of Francescoli in their mind – an elegant playmaker who epitomised the more languid game as it was then.

After a brilliant youth in Uruguay and then Argentina – playing at River Plate where Fernandez’ father will have seen him – the number 10 did a sweet European tour, playing in Paris, Marseille, Sardinia and then Turin before returning to Argentina.

If our Enzo can end up half as good as him, we’re in luck.