José_Pedro_Fuenzalida

José Pedro Fuenzalida

José Pedro Fuenzalida

Chilean footballer (born 1985)

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Fuenzalida and the second or maternal family name is Gana.

José Pedro Fuenzalida Gana (Latin American Spanish: [xoˈse ˈpeðɾo fwensaˈliða]; born 22 February 1985) is a Chilean former professional footballer who played as a right winger.

Quick Facts Personal information, Full name ...

Club career

A product of the Universidad Católica youth set-up, Fuenzalida was promoted to the first-adult team in 2004, at the age of 19. He debuted in a 4–0 defeat with Unión Española at San Carlos de Apoquindo for a league game, during a moment considered one of the club's biggest sports crises.[2] Similarly, Fuenzalida collated his football career with his studies in business administration at the University of the Andes,[3] which he abandoned after a short time.[3]

During the winter of 2007, Fuenzalida aged twenty-two decided to take a break as footballer to study commercial engineering at Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.[4]

After six month studying, he returned to professional football[5] and joined rivals Colo-Colo on a four-year deal. Fuenzalida debuted on 13 January 2008 against Universidad de Concepción[6] and scored his first goal in a 2–1 home win over Deportes Antofagasta.[7] In June, he joined O'Higgins on loan after an unsuccessful tournament where only scored one goal in seven games.[8]

In December 2009, it was reported that Fuenzalida finished his loan spell at O'Higgins and would return to Colo-Colo to face the next season. Seasons later, he helped the team to win the 2014 Torneo Apertura, being a key player in the title obtention which was his first honour playing for the club.

On 29 July 2014, Fuenzalida reached a one-and-half year with Argentine powerhouse Boca Juniors.[9]

Following an unsuccessful spell at Boca, he returned to Universidad Católica in 2016, signing for Las Condes-based club as a free agent.[10] He helped the team to win Torneo Clausura.

Fuenzalida left Universidad Católica at the end of the 2022 season, not confirming his retirement.[11] However, in April 2023, his wife confirmed he retired from the activity football.[12]

International career

Fuenzalida has played in the U-20 and U-23 levels of the Chile national team in the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup and the 2008 Toulon Tournament, respectively.

Usually called up by Marcelo Bielsa for the 2010 World Cup qualification, he was chosen by Jorge Sampaoli in Chile’s list of 23 for 2014 FIFA World Cup. In 2015, after being disaffected of the 30-man provisional list for the Copa América,[13] he was re-considered by Sampaoli in the definitive list following the withdrawal of the injured Carlos Carmona.[14]

Personal life

Following his retirement, Fuenzalida and his family emigrated to Los Angeles, California, and he began to study English.[12]

Career statistics

Club

As of 30 June 2022[15]
More information Club, Season ...
  1. Appearance(s) in the Copa Sudamericana
  2. Appearance(s) in the Copa Libertadores
  3. Five appearances in the Copa Libertadores, two in the Copa Sudamericana
  4. Five appearances in the Copa Libertadores, one in the Copa Sudamericana
  5. Appearance(s) in the Supercopa de Chile
  6. Six appearances in the Copa Libertadores, two in the Copa Sudamericana
  7. Five appearances in the Copa Libertadores, six in the Copa Sudamericana
  8. Five appearances in Copa Libertadores, one in Copa Sudamericana

International

More information National team, Year ...
Scores and results list Chile's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Fuenzalida goal.
More information No., Date ...

Honours

Universidad Católica

Colo-Colo

Boca Juniors

Chile

Individual

References

  1. [1]
    26. José Pedro Fuenzalida - Club Atlético Boca Juniors sitio oficial
  2. [2]
    "Unión Española le pegó en el suelo a Universidad Católica". Radio Cooperativa. 10 April 2004. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  3. [3]
    González Lucay, Carlos (23 June 2014). "Estos son los ilustrados de la Roja". La Tercera. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  4. [4]
    "José Pedro Fuenzalida anuncia su retiro momentáneo del fútbol". Emol.com. Emol. 18 June 2007. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  5. [5]
    "José Pedro Fuenzalida regresa definitivamente al fútbol". Radio Cooperativa. 28 December 2007. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  6. [6]
    "Marcador Virtual: Colo-Colo v Universidad de Concepción". Radio Cooperativa. 13 February 2007. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  7. [7]
    "Colo Colo impuso su jerarquía frente a un frágil Antofagasta". Radio Cooperativa. 23 March 2008. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  8. [8]
    "O'Higgins confirma llegada de Fuenzalida y Caroca". La Tercera. 16 June 2008. Archived from the original on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  9. [9]
    "Boca Juniors confirma el fichaje de Fuenzalida". Fichajes.net. 29 July 2014. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  10. [10]
    "José Pedro Fuenzalida: Quiero ganar títulos y volver a ser un jugador importante para la UC". Radio Cooperativa. 31 January 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
  11. [11]
    Bustos, Daniel (2 November 2022). "Chapa Fuenzalida, en su despedida de la UC: "Dejo de vestir esta camiseta dentro de la cancha, pero soy cruzado para siempre"" (in Spanish). La Tercera. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  12. [12]
    Salas, Cristian (24 April 2023). ""Miami no fue opción": 'Chapa' Fuenzalida se retiró del fútbol y se fue de Chile". Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  13. [13]
    "Sampaoli confirms final Chile squad for Copa America". goal.com. 1 June 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  14. [14]
    "Fuenzalida replaces injured Carmona in Chile's Copa América squad". ca2015.com. 7 June 2015. Archived from the original on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  15. [15]
    "J. Fuenzalida". Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  16. [16]
    José Pedro Fuenzalida at Soccerway. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  17. [17]
    "José Pedro Fuenzalida". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
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