Humberto Suazo facts for kids
Suazo playing for Monterrey in 2008
|
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Humberto Andrés Suazo Pontivo | ||
| Date of birth | 10 May 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | San Antonio, Chile | ||
| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
San Luis de Quillota | ||
| Number | 26 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1987–1995 | Club Torino | ||
| 1996–2001 | Universidad Católica | ||
| 2000 | → Ñublense (loan) | ||
| 2001 | → Magallanes (loan) | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2002 | San Antonio Unido | 30 | (23) |
| 2003 | San Luis de Quillota | 40 | (39) |
| 2004–2005 | Audax Italiano | 62 | (40) |
| 2006–2007 | Colo-Colo | 54 | (52) |
| 2007–2015 | Monterrey | 219 | (102) |
| 2010 | → Real Zaragoza (loan) | 17 | (6) |
| 2015 | Colo-Colo | 17 | (3) |
| 2017–2019 | San Antonio Unido | 22 | (10) |
| 2020 | Deportes Santa Cruz | 3 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | Deportes La Serena | 41 | (11) |
| 2021 | Raya2 | 10 | (1) |
| 2022–2023 | Deportes La Serena | 27 | (2) |
| 2023– | San Luis de Quillota | 48 | (23) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2005–2013 | Chile | 60 | (21) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:01, 8 August 2023 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 1 August 2021 |
|||
Humberto Andrés Suazo Pontivo (born on May 10, 1981) is a Chilean professional footballer. He is often called Chupete, which means Lollipop in English. Humberto plays as a striker for the club San Luis de Quillota.
Humberto Suazo is famous for scoring many goals. He had great success with teams like Colo-Colo in Chile and Monterrey in Mexico. At Colo-Colo, he won three league titles in a row. He was even named the best goal scorer in the world in 2006 by IFFHS.
At Monterrey, Suazo became one of the best strikers in the league. He scored more goals than anyone else in the club's history for a time. With Monterrey, he won two league titles and three CONCACAF Champions League trophies. People knew him for being in the right place at the right time to score. He could also score with either foot.
Contents
Early Life and Youth Football
At just six years old, Humberto Suazo started playing football. His father took him to play for a team called Club Torino in their hometown of San Antonio, Chile. His father had also played for the same team.
In 1995, Suazo tried out for Universidad Católica, a big club. He joined their youth team in 1996. However, Humberto found it hard to stay focused. He often left practice to go back home to San Antonio. He later said he didn't make the most of that chance.
Starting His Professional Career
First Steps in Football
In 2000, Universidad Católica loaned Suazo to Ñublense, a team in Chile's second division. He played his first professional game against Magallanes. In that game, he scored his first goal as a pro. Later that year, he broke his leg, which kept him from playing for seven months. This injury also meant he missed the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship.
After leaving Universidad Católica in 2001, Suazo played for Magallanes. In 2002, he joined his hometown team, San Antonio Unido. The next year, 2003, was a big one for him. Playing for San Luis Quillota in the Chilean third division, he scored an amazing 40 goals in one season!
Playing for Audax Italiano
For the next two seasons, Suazo played for Audax Italiano. In early 2004, he had another serious injury that kept him out for a long time. But he still managed to score 40 goals for Audax before moving to Colo-Colo.
Success with Colo-Colo
Suazo joined Colo-Colo just before the Copa Libertadores 2006 tournament. Even though Colo-Colo didn't go far in that tournament, Suazo showed his talent. He scored three goals in one game against Chivas.
In the 2006 Apertura tournament in Chile, Suazo was the top scorer with 14 goals. His goals helped Colo-Colo win their 24th national championship.
Reaching the Copa Sudamericana Final
Colo-Colo also made it to the finals of the Copa Sudamericana 2006. Suazo was a star, scoring 10 goals in 12 games. He even scored three goals against Gimnasia LP. His amazing play made many teams interested in him. But Colo-Colo bought the rest of his contract from Audax for $1 million, keeping him until June 2007.
In the 2006 Clausura tournament final, Colo-Colo played against Suazo's old team, Audax. Colo-Colo won both games, and Suazo scored three goals in the final matches.
In the 2007 Apertura tournament, Suazo was again the top goal scorer. He scored the winning goal in the final match against Palestino. This goal helped Colo-Colo win their 26th tournament, making Suazo a legend for the club.
Moving to Monterrey
After much talk about where he would go next, Suazo was sold to the Mexican club Monterrey for $5 million. This was one of the highest fees ever paid for a Chilean player from Chile.
First Season Challenges
Suazo's first season at Monterrey wasn't what people expected. He only scored three goals in twelve games. He also had some disagreements with his teammates and coaches. There were rumors he might be sold to an Argentine club, but the deal didn't happen. In January, Humberto admitted his performance and attitude weren't good. He promised to work harder and change things.
Becoming a Top Scorer in Mexico
On April 6, Suazo scored four goals in one game against Veracruz. This was a huge achievement for a Monterrey player. In his second season, he became the top goal scorer in the Mexican tournament with 13 goals. He scored three more goals in the playoffs, but Monterrey didn't reach the final.
In the Apertura 2009 final, Suazo was a key player. In the first game, he helped Monterrey come back from being down 3-1 to win 4-3, scoring two goals himself. In the second game, he set up a goal for his teammate and then scored one himself in injury time. Monterrey won the championship against Cruz Azul with a total score of 6-4.
Short Time with Real Zaragoza
In January 2010, Suazo left Monterrey to play for the Spanish club Real Zaragoza. He joined them on a loan deal. He played his first game for Zaragoza in a 0-0 draw. Zaragoza had the option to buy him for 10 million euros, but they decided not to.
Returning to Monterrey
Suazo made a surprise return to Monterrey for the Apertura 2010 season. He played even better than before, scoring 10 goals. He helped Monterrey win their fourth league title in December 2010.
Winning CONCACAF Champions League Titles
Monterrey also won the 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League against Real Salt Lake. This meant they would play in the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup. Suazo continued his success by winning the CONCACAF Champions League again in 2012, beating Santos Laguna.
Monterrey finished third in the 2012 FIFA Club World Cup. Suazo, along with teammates like Aldo de Nigris and Jose Basanta, led the team to a third straight CONCACAF title in 2013. He scored a goal in the final against Santos Laguna.
Monterrey had a tough season in 2014. Suazo's last game for Monterrey was in the Apertura 2014 semi-finals, where they lost. He finished his time with Monterrey with 121 goals in 252 games and six official titles.
Later Career and Retirement
In 2015, Suazo went back to play for Colo-Colo. He announced his retirement from football on January 14, 2016. However, in 2017, he decided to play again. He joined his old club San Antonio Unido, which was in the Segunda División. He left the club in early 2018 but returned in July 2019.
In August 2021, Suazo returned to Mexico to play for Raya2. This team is the official reserve team for Monterrey. He played ten games and scored one goal before leaving the team in December 2021.
Humberto Suazo is still a player for San Luis de Quillota. He also finished his training to become a football manager in December 2024.
Playing for His Country: Chile
Suazo was also a very important player for the Chile national team. In 2006, he scored 17 goals in national and international matches. This made him the "World's Top Goal Scorer Award" winner for that year. He scored goals against teams like New Zealand and Sweden.
In January 2007, he officially received his award as the world's top goal scorer of 2006. He also won the Silver Football award for being the world's second-best first league top scorer.
Suazo played for Chile in the Copa América 2007. He scored three goals in that tournament, including two against Ecuador. He was the top scorer in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification games for South America, with 10 goals.
Career Statistics
Club Appearances and Goals
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Colo-Colo | Apertura 2006 | 21 | 19 | 2 | 3 | – | 23 | 22 | |||
| Clausura 2006 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 10 | – | 28 | 25 | ||||
| Apertura 2007 | 17 | 18 | 7 | 5 | – | 24 | 23 | ||||
| Total | 54 | 52 | 21 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 70 | |||
| Monterrey | 2007–08 | 31 | 19 | – | 2 | 1 | 33 | 20 | |||
| 2008–09 | 32 | 14 | – | – | 32 | 14 | |||||
| 2009–10 | 22 | 11 | – | – | 22 | 11 | |||||
| Total | 85 | 44 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 87 | 45 | |||
| Real Zaragoza | 2009–10 | 17 | 6 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 17 | 6 | ||
| Monterrey | 2010–11 | 35 | 21 | 8 | 4 | - | - | 43 | 25 | ||
| 2011–12 | 31 | 13 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 41 | 21 | |||
| 2012–13 | 32 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 15 | |||
| 2013–14 | 19 | 12 | – | 2 | 1 | 21 | 13 | ||||
| 2014–15 | 17 | 2 | – | – | 17 | 2 | |||||
| Total | 134 | 58 | 26 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 163 | 76 | |||
| Career total | 290 | 160 | 47 | 34 | 5 | 3 | 342 | 197 | |||
International Appearances and Goals
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chile | 2005 | 3 | 0 |
| 2006 | 5 | 4 | |
| 2007 | 14 | 4 | |
| 2008 | 10 | 3 | |
| 2009 | 9 | 6 | |
| 2010 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2011 | 9 | 3 | |
| 2012 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 60 | 21 | |
- Scores and results list Chile's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Suazo goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 March 2006 | Estadio El Teniente, Rancagua, Chile |  New Zealand |
1–1 | 4–1 | Friendly |
| 2 | 30 May 2006 | Stade Jean-Bouloumie, Vittel, France |  Ivory Coast |
1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 3 | 2 June 2006 | Rasunda Stadion, Stockholm, Sweden |  Sweden |
1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 4 | 16 August 2006 | Estadio Nacional de Chile, Santiago, Chile |  Colombia |
1–0 | 1–2 | Friendly |
| 5 | 27 June 2007 | Polideportivo Cachamay, Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela |  Ecuador |
1–1 | 3–2 | 2007 Copa América |
| 6 | 2–2 | |||||
| 7 | 7 July 2007 | Estadio Olímpico Luis Ramos, Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela |  Brazil |
1–5 | 1–6 | 2007 Copa América |
| 8 | 17 October 2007 | Estadio Nacional de Chile, Santiago, Chile |  Peru |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 9 | 18 June 2008 | Estadio Olímpico Luis Ramos, Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela |  Venezuela |
1–1 | 3–2 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 10 | 3–2 | |||||
| 11 | 10 September 2008 | Estadio Nacional de Chile, Santiago, Chile | Colombia |
2–0 | 4–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 12 | 29 March 2009 | Estadio Monumental "U", Lima, Peru | Peru |
2–0 | 3–1 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 13 | 6 June 2009 | Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asuncion, Paraguay |  Paraguay |
2–0 | 2–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 14 | 9 September 2009 | Estádio de Pituaçu, Salvador, Brazil | Brazil |
1–2 | 2–4 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 15 | 2–2 | |||||
| 16 | 10 October 2009 | Estadio Atanasio Girardot, Medellin, Colombia | Colombia |
2–1 | 4–2 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 17 | 14 October 2009 | Estadio Monumental David Arellano, Santiago, Chile | Ecuador |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 18 | 30 May 2010 | Estadio Municipal de Concepción, Concepción, Chile |  Israel |
1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 19 | 19 June 2011 | Estadio Monumental David Arellano, Santiago, Chile |  Estonia |
3– 0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 20 | 17 July 2011 | Estadio del Bicentenario, San Juan, Argentina | Venezuela |
1–1 | 1–2 | 2011 Copa América |
| 21 | 11 October 2011 | Estadio Monumental David Arellano, Santiago, Chile | Peru |
4–2 | 4–2 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Awards and Achievements
Team Awards
San Luis de Quillota
- Tercera División A de Chile: 2003
Colo-Colo
- Primera División de Chile: 2006-A, 2006-C, 2007-A, 2015-A
- Copa Sudamericana runner-up: 2006
Monterrey
- Mexican Primera División: Apertura 2009, Apertura 2010
- CONCACAF Champions League: 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13
Individual Awards
- Tercera División A de Chile top scorer: 2003
- Torneo Apertura de Chile Golden Boot: 2006, 2007
- IFFHS World's Top Goal Scorer: 2006
- Mexican Primera División Torneo Clausura top scorer: 2008
- Copa Sudamericana top scorer: 2006
- 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL) top scorer
- Primera División de México Apertura 2009 Liguilla: top scorer (tied with teammate Aldo de Nigris)
- Primera División de México Apertura 2009: Balon de Oro for Best Player of the Tournament
- Apertura 2010: Balon de Oro for Best Player of the Tournament
- Apertura 2010: Best Striker of the Tournament
- 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League top scorer
See also
In Spanish: Humberto Suazo para niños
