José Pedro Fuenzalida facts for kids
Fuenzalida with Universidad Católica in 2019
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | José Pedro Fuenzalida Gana | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 22 February 1985 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Las Condes, Chile | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | ||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1996–2003 | Universidad Católica | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 2004–2007 | Universidad Católica | 96 | (9) | |||||||||||||
| 2008–2014 | Colo-Colo | 155 | (21) | |||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | → O'Higgins (loan) | 51 | (14) | |||||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | Boca Juniors | 25 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2016–2022 | Universidad Católica | 169 | (38) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 496 | (82) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Chile U20 | 8 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| 2008 | Chile U23 | 4 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 2008–2020 | Chile | 55 | (5) | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||
José Pedro Fuenzalida Gana is a famous former footballer from Chile. He was born on February 22, 1985. He mostly played as a right winger, which means he played on the right side of the field. He was known for helping both in attack and defense. Fuenzalida played for several big clubs in Chile and Argentina. He also played for the Chilean national team and won important tournaments.
Contents
Fuenzalida's Club Career
Starting at Universidad Católica
José Pedro Fuenzalida started his football journey at Universidad Católica. He joined their youth team and moved up to the main team in 2004 when he was 19. His first game was a tough 4–0 loss against Unión Española. At the same time, Fuenzalida also started studying business administration at the University of the Andes. However, he soon decided to focus only on football.
A Break and a New Club
In 2007, when Fuenzalida was 22, he decided to take a break from football. He wanted to study commercial engineering at Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. After six months of studying, he returned to professional football. He then joined Colo-Colo, which was a rival team to Universidad Católica.
Playing for Colo-Colo and O'Higgins
Fuenzalida signed a four-year deal with Colo-Colo. He played his first game for them on January 13, 2008. He scored his first goal for the team in a 2–1 win against Deportes Antofagasta. Later that year, he went to O'Higgins on a loan. This means he played for O'Higgins for a short time. He returned to Colo-Colo in December 2009. He helped Colo-Colo win the 2014 Torneo Apertura title. This was his first big win with the club.
Time in Argentina with Boca Juniors
On July 29, 2014, Fuenzalida moved to Argentina. He joined a very famous club called Boca Juniors. He played for them for about a year and a half.
Returning to Universidad Católica
After his time in Argentina, Fuenzalida came back to Universidad Católica in 2016. He joined as a free agent, meaning no money was paid for his transfer. He quickly helped the team win the Torneo Clausura title. He played for Universidad Católica until the end of the 2022 season.
Retirement from Football
Fuenzalida left Universidad Católica in 2022. He did not immediately say he was retiring. However, in April 2023, his wife confirmed that he had officially retired from playing football.
Fuenzalida's International Career
Playing for Chile's National Teams
José Pedro Fuenzalida also played for his country, Chile. He played for the Under-20 and Under-23 national teams. He was part of the team for the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He also played in the 2008 Toulon Tournament.
World Cup and Copa América
He was often called to play for the main Chile national team. He helped Chile try to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In 2014, he was chosen to be part of Chile's team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. In 2015, he was first left out of the team for the 2015 Copa América. But then, he was called back to join the final team after another player got injured. He played an important role in Chile's success.
Life After Football
After he retired from football, Fuenzalida and his family moved to Los Angeles, California, in the United States. He started studying English there.
Awards and Trophies
Club Trophies
- Universidad Católica
- Chilean Primera División (7): 2005–C, 2016–C, 2016–A, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
- Supercopa de Chile: 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021
- Colo-Colo
- Chilean Primera División: 2014–C
- Boca Juniors
- Primera División de Argentina: 2015
- Copa Argentina: 2014–15
International Trophies
- Chile
Individual Awards
- Chilean Primera División's El Gráfico Golden Ball: 2013
- SIFUP Best Right Back: 2013
See also
In Spanish: José Pedro Fuenzalida para niños
