PROFILE
A tall and steady centre back with plenty of top-flight experience in South America, Fernando Martín Bonjour joined Whitecaps FC on Jan. 6, 2012. A native of Carhué, Argentina, Bonjour comes to Major League Soccer after playing several seasons in neighbouring Uruguay and having spells in his native Argentina, Peru, and Poland.
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
2012: Bonjour made his MLS debut for Whitecaps FC during a 2-0 home win over Canadian arch-rivals and league expansion club Montreal Impact on Mar. 10. The Argentine centre back registered his first MLS point when he assisted on Darren Mattocks’ first MLS goal during Whitecaps FC’s 1-1 draw at Portland Timbers on May 26. His first goal in MLS was superbly taken by the South American, as Whitecaps FC drew 1-1 at home to New York Red Bulls on June 20. Bonjour then appeared as a second-half substitute in Whitecaps FC’s first-ever match in the MLS Cup Playoffs on Nov. 1, as Vancouver fell 2-1 at defending champions LA Galaxy.
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER RESERVE LEAGUE
2012: The centre back made his MLS Reserve League debut on Oct. 12, as Whitecaps FC reserves fell to a 6-0 defeat at LA Galaxy reserves.
URUGUAYAN PRIMERA DIVISIÓN
2011-12: Bonjour brought his spell in the Uruguayan Primera División to an end after making five appearances in the Apertura (opening championship) portion of the campaign with Rampla Juniors Fútbol Club. His final match for the Montevideo club came during a 1-0 away win over Centro Atlético Fénix on Dec. 3, 2011. Rampla Juniors finished 12th in the 16-club Apertura standings in 2011. 2010-11: The centre back’s season was split between two Montevideo-based sides, starting with parent club Rampla Juniors during the club’s 2010 Apertura campaign. Bonjour started all of his 14 appearances for Los Rojiverdes, with the defender scoring goals in a 1-1 home draw versus Racing Club de Montevideo on Nov. 2010, and during a 3-3 away draw versus Danubio Fútbol Club on Nov. 28, 2010. Rampla Juniors finished 14th in the Apertura standings in 2010. For the Clausura (closing championship) portion of the campaign, Bonjour joined rivals Liverpool Fútbol Club de Montevideo on loan. His debut came away to his parent club, as Liverpool drew 1-1 at Rampla Juniors on Feb. 6, 2011. The centre back started all 10 Clausura appearances for Liverpool, with his only goal being a late match winner in Liverpool’s 2-1 victory at Central Español Fútbol Club on Mar. 20, 2011. Liverpool finished ninth in the Clausura standings in 2011. Bonjour also started in the second leg of Liverpool’s Preliminary Round clash in the 2011 Copa Libertadores de América, as the Uruguayan club fell 3-1 away to Brazil’s Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense on Feb. 2, 2011. Liverpool missed out on the group stage of the prestigious South American club championship that year. 2009-10: In what was Bonjour’s lone full season with Rampla Juniors, the centre back scored two goals in 25 total appearances. This included 14 starts during the Montevideo club’s Apertura campaign, with his only goal coming in a 4-1 home win over Club Atlético Atenas on Nov. 21, 2009. Rampla Juniors finished sixth in the Apertura standings in 2009. The defender then made a further 11 appearances for Rampla Juniors in the Clausura campaign, scoring his only goal during a 1-1 away draw with Club Sportivo Cerrito on Apr. 17, 2010. Rampla Juniors finished eighth in the Clausura standings in 2010. 2008-09: Following a spell in Peru with Club Deportivo Universidad César Vallejo, Bonjour returned to the Uruguayan Primera División when he joined Rampla Juniors for the Clausura campaign. The defender made eight appearances that year, with his only goal coming in a 3-2 away defeat to Montevideo Wanderers Fútbol Club on Apr. 18, 2009. Rampla Juniors finished bottom in the 15-club Clausura standings in 2009. 2006-07: Following a brief loan spell in Poland with Lech Poznań, Bonjour returned to Uruguay and parent side Club Atlético Rentistas for the Clausura campaign. The centre back made a total of 14 appearances with the Montevideo-based outfit, with his only goal coming in a 3-2 home defeat to Uruguayan giants Club Atlético Peñarol on Mar. 14, 2007. Rentistas finished 13th in the Clausura standings in 2007. 2005-06: After starting his career in his native Argentina, Bonjour moved to neighbouring Uruguay when he joined Rentistas in the country’s capital of Montevideo. The defender made a total of 20 appearances for Rentistas that season, as Los Bichos Colorados finished ninth (Apertura) and sixth (Clausura) in both league standings. He scored a goal in each portion of the campaign, having found the back of the net during a 2-2 home draw versus Montevideo Wanderers (Apertura) on Dec. 4, 2005, and in a 4-1 home win over Club Sportivo Miramar Misiones (Clausura) on Apr. 16, 2006.
PERUVIAN PRIMERA DIVISIÓN
2008: After completing his first spell in Uruguay, Bonjour moved to Peru when he joined Club Deportivo Universidad César Vallejo. The defender made a total of 19 appearances for the Trujillo-based outfit that season, as Universidad César Vallejo finished seventh in both the Apertura and Clausura campaigns that year.
POLISH EKSTRAKLASA
2006-07: Bonjour had a brief spell in Europe when he joined Kolejowy Klub Sportowy Lech Poznań on loan from Uruguay’s Club Atlético Rentistas. During his time with the Polish top-flight outfit, the defender scored for The Railwaymen in a 3-0 away win over Morski Klub Sportowy Pogoń Szczecin in Group B of the Puchar Ekstraklasy (Polish League Cup) on Nov. 21, 2006. The defender returned to Rentistas in Jan. 2007.
ARGENTINA
2004-05: As a Club Olimpo player, Bonjour spent time on loan with hometown Racing Club de Carhué, who play in the ‘Liga Regional de Coronel Suárez’ in the southwest Argentine province of Buenos Aires. 2003-04: The defender started his career in the Argentine Primera División with Club Olimpo, who are based in the Buenos Aires provincial city of Bahía Blanca. His lone appearance for El Aurinegro came in a 1-0 home defeat to Quilmes Atlético Club during the Apertura portion of the campaign on Oct. 12, 2003.
YOUTH/AMATEUR
Bonjour played his youth soccer with hometown Racing Club de Carhué in Argentina. He then joined Club Olimpo as a youngster, where he made his debut as a professional in the Argentine Primera División.
PERSONAL
The centre back was born and raised in the town of Carhué, which is based in the southwest Argentine province of Buenos Aires.