Teófilo Cubillas facts for kids
Cubillas with the Peru national football team
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Teófilo Juan Cubillas Arizaga | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 8 March 1949 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Lima, Lima Province, Peru | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| Alianza Lima | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 1966–1972 | Alianza Lima | 175 | (117) | |||||||||||||
| 1973 | Basel | 10 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| 1974–1977 | Porto | 85 | (48) | |||||||||||||
| 1977–1978 | Alianza Lima | 47 | (35) | |||||||||||||
| 1979–1983 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 139 | (65) | |||||||||||||
| 1983 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers (indoor) | 9 | (9) | |||||||||||||
| 1984 | Alianza Lima | 4 | (4) | |||||||||||||
| 1984–1985 | South Florida Sun | 7 | (5) | |||||||||||||
| 1987–1988 | Alianza Lima | 13 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| 1988 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 12 | (7) | |||||||||||||
| 1989 | Miami Sharks | 8 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 506 | (297) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1968–1982 | Peru | 81 | (28) | |||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1988 | Alianza Lima | |||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||
Teófilo Juan Cubillas Arizaga (born March 8, 1949) is a famous Peruvian former footballer. He played as an attacking midfielder, a player who helps both attack and defense. Many people think he is the greatest Peruvian player ever and one of the best in South American history.
He was nicknamed El Nene (which means The Kid) because he started playing for Alianza Lima at a young age. Cubillas was a key player for the Peru national team. He helped them win the 1975 Copa América. He also led Peru to the quarter-finals of the 1970 FIFA World Cup and the 1978 World Cup.
Cubillas was known for his amazing skills, powerful shots, and fantastic free kicks. The legendary footballer Pelé even called Cubillas his successor! In 2004, Pelé included Cubillas in the FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest living footballers. Cubillas is one of only three players to score five or more goals in two different World Cups.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting at Alianza Lima
Cubillas began his football journey with Alianza Lima when he was just 16 years old in 1966. He quickly became a star, being the top scorer in the Peruvian Primera División in both 1966 and 1970.
He made his official debut at 17. In his first season, he scored 19 goals, showing his talent right away. In 1971, Cubillas teamed up with another great player, Hugo Sotil, forming what was called the "Golden Pair." They played friendly matches together, even beating famous teams like Benfica and Bayern Munich. In 1972, Cubillas was the top scorer in the 1972 Copa Libertadores and was named the South American Footballer of the Year.
Playing in Europe: Basel and Porto
In 1973, Cubillas moved to Europe to play for FC Basel in Switzerland. He only stayed for six months but scored 8 goals in 21 games, including two goals in the 1973–74 European Cup.
Later in 1973, Cubillas transferred to Porto in Portugal. This was a very successful time for him. He wore the number 10 shirt and became a true idol for the fans. He scored 66 goals in 110 games and helped Porto win the Taça de Portugal (Portuguese Cup). Many consider him the best foreign player to have ever played for Porto.
Returning to Alianza Lima
After his great time in Portugal, Cubillas returned to Alianza Lima in 1977. He joined other talented players like Hugo Sotil, César Cueto, and José Velásquez. This team is remembered as one of the best Alianza Lima teams ever.
They won the 1977 Torneo Descentralizado (Peruvian league championship) with Cubillas scoring two goals in the final match. He helped Alianza win the national championship again in 1978.
Playing in the United States
In 1979, Cubillas moved to the United States to play for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in the NASL. He played there for five seasons, scoring 59 goals. He even scored three goals in just seven minutes in one game!
After a tragic plane crash in December 1987 that affected Alianza Lima, Cubillas returned to play for his old club for free. He also managed the team for a short time in 1988. He later played for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers again and the Miami Sharks before retiring from professional football at age 40 in 1989.
International Career
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Cubillas was called up to the Peru national team when he was only 18 years old. He made his official debut in 1968 in a World Cup qualifier against Argentina. Peru earned a 2-2 draw in that important match, which helped them qualify for the World Cup and eliminated Argentina. Cubillas played in three World Cups (1970, 1978, 1982) and one Copa América.
1970 World Cup Success
At the 1970 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, Cubillas was a standout player. He scored in all four of Peru's matches, helping them reach the quarter-finals. He scored against Bulgaria, twice against Morocco, and once against West Germany. He also scored against the eventual champions, Brazil, in the quarter-final match. He finished as the third-highest goal scorer in the tournament.
After the World Cup, Pelé famously said, "Don't worry, I already have a successor and it is Teófilo Cubillas." Cubillas won the FIFA World Cup Young Player Award for his amazing performance.
Winning the 1975 Copa América
Peru did not qualify for the 1974 World Cup, but a year later, Cubillas helped Peru win its second Copa América title in 1975. Peru faced tough teams like Chile, Bolivia, and Brazil. Cubillas scored a beautiful goal against Brazil in a historic 3-1 victory.
In the final, Peru played against Colombia. After two matches, the teams were tied, so they played a deciding match. Cubillas played in this final match, where his teammate Hugo Sotil scored the winning goal, making Peru champions of South America. Cubillas was named the Best Player of the tournament.
1978 World Cup Brilliance
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Cubillas shined again at the 1978 FIFA World Cup in Argentina. He helped Peru win their group, scoring two goals against Scotland and a hat-trick (three goals) against Iran. His free kick goal against Scotland, hit with the outside of his boot, is still considered one of the best goals in World Cup history.
Peru's midfield, including Cubillas, José Velásquez, and César Cueto, was praised as the best in the first part of the tournament. Although Peru struggled in the later stages, Cubillas played in all six matches. He won the Silver Boot as the tournament's second top scorer and was included in the World Cup's ideal team.
1982 World Cup and Retirement
Cubillas also played for Peru in the 1982 FIFA World Cup. He played in all three group games but did not score. After Peru was eliminated in the first round, Cubillas retired from the national team at the age of 33. He finished his international career with 28 goals in 81 appearances, making him one of Peru's all-time top scorers.
Honours and Awards
Porto
- Taça de Portugal: 1976–77
Alianza Lima
- Peruvian Primera División: 1977, 1978
Fort Lauderdale Sun
- United Soccer League: 1984, 1985
Peru
- Copa América: 1975
Individual Awards
- Peruvian Primera División top scorer: 1966, 1970
- FIFA World Cup Best Young Player: 1970
- FIFA World Cup Bronze Boot: 1970
- Copa Libertadores top scorer: 1972
- South American Footballer of the Year: 1972
- Copa America Best Player: 1975
- FIFA World Cup Silver Boot: 1978
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1978
- FIFA 100: 2004 (Selected by Pelé as one of the greatest living footballers)
See also
In Spanish: Teófilo Cubillas para niños
