Fernando Rubén Gago (Spanish pronunciation: [feɾˈnando ˈɣaɣo];[3] born 10 April 1986) is an Argentine football manager and former player.

During his 16-year club career, limited by multiple serious injuries, Gago played as a defensive midfielder and deep-lying playmaker for Boca Juniors, Real Madrid, Roma, Valencia and Vélez Sarsfield.

[4][5] A full international from 2007 to 2017, Gago represented Argentina at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and at the Copa América in 2007, 2011 and 2015, as well as winning a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics.

As a manager, he led Aldosivi and Racing Club in the Argentine Primera División, winning two super cup honours before being appointed as a head coach of Mexican side Guadalajara in December 2023.

[7] On 21 December 2006, Real Madrid confirmed the signing of Gago on a 61⁄2-year contract for a fee of €20 million, effective from the turn of the calendar year.

His signing came shortly after that of fellow Argentine youngster Gonzalo Higuaín from River Plate, and teenage Brazilian full-back Marcelo.

[13] On 7 December, he scored his only goal of his 121 Real Madrid games, equalising in a 4–3 loss to Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium;[14] on 31 January 2009 he was given his only red card for the club in a 2–0 win away to Numancia.

[20] Upon arriving in the Italian capital, he refuted suggestions that he was too similar to his new teammate Daniele De Rossi, by saying that the pair had differences that would work well together.

[25] On 19 July 2012, shortly after returning from loan to Real Madrid, Valencia purchased Gago for a reported fee in the region of €3.5 million, on a four-year deal.

[4] In his seven games, he managed one goal, concluding a 3–0 home win over Chile's Deportes Iquique in the second stage of the 2013 Copa Libertadores on 20 February.

[35] Boca Juniors reached the 2018 Copa Libertadores Finals against rivals River, and the second leg had to be played at Gago's former club ground in Madrid due to hooliganism.

[41] Gago was one of over 100 players used by Diego Maradona in 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification, but also one of the highest-profile absentees for the final tournament in South Africa.

[43] He made his World Cup debut in Argentina's 2–1 defeat of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Estádio do Maracanã, coming on as a half-time substitute for Hugo Campagnaro.

[44] He was named in the starting line-up for the team's second match, a 1–0 win over Iran in Belo Horizonte,[45] and remained a starter until being replaced by Lucas Biglia in the quarter-finals.

Upon arriving in Europe in 2006, Gago drew comparisons to compatriot and former Real Madrid man Fernando Redondo, due to his ability to build up play and break down the oppositions' attacks, thus enabling him to contribute both offensively and defensively.

[58] In the 2022 Supercopa Internacional, played the following 20 January in Abu Dhabi, Gago's team again beat Boca by the same score via a penalty from Gonzalo Piovi in the seventh minute of added time.