Fernando Cavalleri (footballer)

Fernando Oscar Cavalleri Guerrero (8 September 1949 – 3 October 2017) was an Argentine naturalized Chilean football player and manager.

Playing career
Born in Rosario, Argentina, Cavalleri made his professional debut with Morning Star in his city of birth and then played for Gimnasia La Plata from 1965 to 1970, where he coincided with players such as Jorge Spedaletti, Hugo Gatti and Delio Onnis. In 1970 he emigrated to Chile to join Universidad de Chile, but he finally signed with Antofagasta Portuario in the Chilean Primera División.

After a stint in Bolivia with Jorge Wilstermann and Stormers Sporting Club, he returned to Antofagasta Portuario in 1973 and played in Chile until his retirement in 1984, becoming a historical player of Deportes Concepción.

Managerial career
Cavalleri began his career in his country of birth with Atlético Paraná and Quilmes. Then he returned to Chile where he worked until 2010, with a stint in Venezuela with Deportivo Italchacao in the 1998–99 season, winning the league title.

He also was the assistant of both Nelson Acosta in Unión Española (1993) and César Vaccia in the Chile national under-20 team (2002–03). He led Chile U20 in the 2003 South American Championship since Vaccia was in charge of Chile at under-17 level.

He stood out as manager of Deportes Concepción by coaching them in 313 matches in total and having won the 1994 Segunda División de Chile.

Personal life
Cavalleri naturalized Chilean by residence in 1980 and made his home in Chile.

In Argentina, he was nicknamed Petete, like a comics character, by their teams, but he was better known as Palito Cavalleri (Thin Stick) due to his thinness.

Cavalleri was the uncle of the professional footballer Matías Cavalleri.

Honours
Deportes Concepción
 * Chilean Segunda División: 1994

Deportivo Italchacao
 * Venezuelan Primera División: 1998–99