- He has been coaching Venezuela since 2023 and will lead them in his first CONMEBOL Copa América™.
- He has been doing well in the World Cup qualifiers, with the team currently in a qualifying position.
Fernando Batista was born in Buenos Aires on August 20, 1970, and is one of the seven Argentine coaches participating in the oldest national team tournament in the world this year.
In his playing career, "Bocha" was a defender and played for Argentinos Juniors, San Lorenzo, Godoy Cruz, and All Boys, all in his home country. With San Lorenzo, he won the 1995 Clausura championship. Additionally, he played in the 1989 U-20 World Cup.
After retiring from playing, Batista focused on youth development. He worked at Argentinos Juniors, with the Armenia national team, and with the Argentina national team. He was in charge of the Argentina U-23 team at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
He joined the Venezuelan national team in 2021 as an assistant to José Néstor Pekerman. At the beginning of 2023, after José's departure, "Bocha" took over as head coach of the Vinotinto.
The South American qualifiers have Venezuela in fourth place, in a position to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, which would be Vinotinto's first appearance in a World Cup.
In a recent interview with FIFA, Batista outlined his expectations for the CONMEBOL Copa América™:
“Today I don't set a specific objective; I must be realistic and not say that my goal is to become champions. But we have to see where we stand. Often in these tournaments, you find the team during the competition. As a national team, we have to keep improving, and regardless of the group stage opponents, we must continue to think that our main rival is ourselves.”
Batista will lead a Venezuela team that debuts against Ecuador on June 22 at Levi's Stadium. Mexico and Jamaica complete Group B.
