Fernando Muslera played for Lazio from 2007 to 2011.
Muslera was born in Buenos Aires, on June 16, 1986. He is Uruguayan.
He started his footballing for Montevideo Wanderers youth sector in 2001. Between 2004 and 20007 he joined the first team squad and played 44 games for the "Bohemios". He then played 4 games for Nacional Montevideo before starting his European adventure.
Lazio were looking for a keeper as Angelo Peruzzi had retired. The choice fell on highly rated Argentinian Juan Pablo Carrizo but due to bureaucratic problems he would have to stay with River Plate another year. The Romans then turned to Muslera who arrived in Rome in the exchange of 3 million Euros.
In Rome Muslera's first manager in 2007 was Delio Rossi. He made his debut in Lazio -Empoli on September 15, 2007. In his fifth match he made a series of howlers in a 1-5 home defeat against Milan and was dropped in favour of veteran Marco Ballotta. He played on and off getting 9 league games and 4 in Coppa Italia. Lazio finished 12th.
In the 2008-09 season, again under Rossi, he played slightly more often despite the arrival of Carrizo. The Argentine, welcomed like the new messiah, was not as reliable as hoped and Muslera made 15 league appearances and 6 in Coppa Italia. Muslera played the winning derby in April but it was in the Cup Final against Sampdoria that he lived his finest hour saving two penalties in the shoot out helping Lazio lift the trophy.
The following season Lazio had a new manager, Davide Ballardini. The season started well and Lazio won the Supercoppa 2-1 against the seemingly invincible Inter of Mourinho. Muslera had a brilliant game making some superb and crucial saves. Lazio’s season then went downhill. Ballardini was sacked and replaced by Edy Reja on February 10. Muslera however had a good season playing 36 league games, 2 in Coppa Italia, 4 in EL plus the historic Supercoppa in Beijing. Lazio came 12th in the league.
In 2010-11 Edy Reja stayed on and Lazio had a decent season coming 5th. Muslera played 36 league games but these would be his last for Lazio. The Biancocelesti had signed Federico Marchetti from Cagliari and Muslera was sold to Galatasaray in the deal to bring Albanian defender Lorik Cana to Lazio.
Muslera has been with "Cimbom" in Turkey ever since. He has played 437 games (355 in league, 19 in cup, 56 in Europe and 7 Supercups. He has won plenty; 5 league titles, 4 Turkish Cups and 5 Supercups. In 2012 he scored a goal from a penalty in a 4-0 win against Manisaspor. Last year he suffered a serious leg injury but he is now back and going strong. He is a club hero at "Gala".
At international level he has earned 133 caps for Uruguay. He is their most capped goalkeeper in history and 4th player in total. He has played in three World Cups; 2010, 2014, 2018. In 2010, in South Africa, Uruguay reached the semi-final only missing out on the final after a 3-2 defeat by Holland. In the epic quarter final against Ghana he saved two penalties in the shoot out. In 2018 his mistake contributed to the defeat by France in the quarterfinals. He has played in 5 Copa Americas, winning one in 2011.
Muslera is 1.91 for 74 kilos. He is a very agile keeper with good reflexes. He is capable of amazing saves but is also prone to unexpected mistakes, with age however these have become less frequent.
At Lazio he arrived very young. He was immediately thrown into the deep end as an alternative to Carrizo. He showed his age and inexperience with a series of mistakes but improved with time. For his youth and physical appearance he was affectionately nicknamed "Castorino" (Little Beaver). He was never considered completely reliable but made some incredible saves and won two trophies as absolute protagonist. He played 113 games for the Biancocelesti. All Laziali have a soft spot for "Castorino" and think of him in connection to the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa of 2009.
On a personal note I was in Norway when the Supercoppa was being played in Beijing. In mid- afternoon a message came through to the fjords on my old Nokia phone, it was from my late father, it read Lazio 2 Inter 1! Muslera brilliant!
Lazio career
Season | Total appearances | Serie A | Coppa Italia | Europa League | Super Coppa |
2007-08 | 13 | 9 | 4 | - | - |
2008-09 | 21 | 15 | 6 | - | - |
2009-10 | 43 | 36 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
2010-11 | 36 | - | - | - | - |
Total | 113 | 96 | 12 | 4 | 1 |
Sources