Elías Figueroa

1964 Union la Calera (CHL) (loan) 30 matches

1964/66 Santiago Wanderers (CHL) 54 matches

1967/72 Peñarol (URU) 214 matches, 6 goals

1972/76 Internacional (BRE) 336 matches, 26 goals

1977/80 Palestino (CHL) 118 matches, 6 goals

1981 Fort Lauderdale Strikers (USA) 22 matches

1982 Colo-Colo (CHL) 17 matches

With the National Team :

47 caps, 3 goals

(Friendly matches: 17 caps, 1 goal)

(World Cup qualifiers: 7 caps, 2 goals)

(World Cup: 9 caps)

(Copa America: 11 caps)

(Copa Bernardo O'Higgins: 3 caps)

1st cap: February 23, 1966 against the USSR (0-2)

Last cap: June 24, 1982 against Algeria (2-3)

unofficial: 1 cap

Elías Ricardo Figueroa Brander

Born October 25, 1946 in Valpareiso (CHL)

Chilean, central defender/libero, 1m85

Nicknames: Don Elias, Gran Mariscal, El Coloso, Mister Lujo

Elías Figueroa was born on October 25, 1946 in Valpareiso, Chile. The young Chilean was not destined to become a big name in football. As a child, he suffered from asthma and other health problems. But passionate, he played football in the clubs of the Villa Alemana neighborhood where he caught the attention of the Santiago Wanderers club.

After suffering from asthma and other health problems in his childhood, Elías Figueroa moved with his family to Quilpué, then to Villa Alemana. From a young age, he made a difference with the ball at his feet playing in the neighborhood clubs, where he caught the attention of the Santiago Wanderers.

Playing in the club's youth categories, he participated in Brazil's training sessions during the 1962 World Cup held in Chile. There, he met Pelé. In 1964, when he was 17, he made his professional debut, on loan, in the Unión La Calera club. He played his first match on April 26, 1964.

But it was 2 years later that Figueroa's career would evolve enormously. A starter at Santiago Wanderers, he finished 3rd in the championship and was recruited by one of the biggest South American clubs of the time: Peñarol.

In the Uruguayan club, he would set a historic record, as a starter, his club did not concede a single goal for 987 minutes! And the club won 2 Uruguayan championships in 1967 and 1968. Still little known, Figueroa, who was only 22, continued to progress.

During the 1969 season, Elías Figueroa will win one of his most precious trophies of his career: the Intercontinental Champions Super Cup against Santos. Where a certain Pelé plays. Peñarol, strong in its iron defense, will have won the match 1-0 against the Brazilians.

Elías Figueroa will have a perfect match, named man of the match, he amazes the spectators with his calm, his leadership and his defensive solidity. He will gradually establish himself as the best defender in Latin America and even the world.

Figueroa also reached the final of the Copa Libertadores 1970, in the group stage, the club only concedes 4 goals, and during the semi-finals, Peñarol always impresses with its defensive solidity, only 1 goal conceded. Unfortunately, the Uruguayan club lost the final 1-0 against Estudiantes.

In 1972, after 5 years in Uruguay, the player was forced out due to financial problems at the club. He was therefore transferred to Internacional de Porto Alegre. In his first season, he established himself as the best defender in the country, and finished Bola De Ouro, a title he would win again in 1976.

With Figueroa, the club won 2 Brazilian championships in 1975 and 1976, as well as 6 Rio Grande do Sul championships. Figueroa is the best defender in the world but also... the best player in Latin America, he was voted best player on the continent 3 times in a row in 1974, 1975 and 1976.

In what was the first championship won by Internacional, Elías was decisive... he scored a legendary goal on December 15, 1975 against Cruzeiro, a goal that gave his club the title. As an anecdote, this goal is called "the illuminated goal", because the place from where Figueroa touched the ball with his head to score was in the shadow, then suddenly a ray of light went to that place.

Elías Figueroa, who was starting to miss his native country, returned there in 1977 after 4 years in Brazil. It was in the Palestino club that he continued to write his legend. An ultra-decisive defender, in his first year back home, he scored the winning goal in the Chilean Cup final. With Figueroa, the club went 46 games without defeat, a club record!

The following year, he continued his momentum by winning the Chilean championship, scoring a key goal against Colo Colo. With Figueroa, the club reached the semi-final of the Copa Libertadores, the best result in the club's history! In each of his teams, the Chilean defender seemed to make his teammates stronger, a real leadership talent!

After 3 years in Palestino, the player decided to join Fort Lauderdale Strikers, after a great season, he was voted Chilean player of the year. A rich year where he rubbed shoulders with legends such as Johan Cruyff, Gerd Muller and Franz Beckenbauer. The latter would say "I am the Elías Figueroa of Europe".

But while everyone was waiting for the player to retire in the USA, national television would join forces with Colo Colo to bring the national legend back to the country, after 17 matches, he finally retired at the age of 36. He would have said his farewells in the national stadium, in front of more than 70,000 fans gathered for the occasion.

As for the national team, the player made his debut on February 23, 1966 against the USSR, a 2-0 defeat in a friendly that would in no way stop the story of the future legend who was then only 19 years old. He also participated in the 1966 World Cup, in the shoes of one of the youngest players in the tournament.

Although Chile never made it out of the World Cup group stages with Figueroa, the player was iconic, also playing in the 1974 and 1982 editions. He was also named in the 1974 World Cup team of the tournament, where he impressed with his technical quality, his aerial power and his defensive qualities.

Another highlight of Figueroa's career with Chile was that he reached the final of the 1979 Copa America, but unfortunately lost the final to Paraguay. After 47 games played for his country, he retired from international football in 1982.

Another crazy fact is that Brazil, when the player was playing for Internacional, made an incredible offer to the player. They offered him a blank check to fill out with the money he wanted in order to accept playing with the Brazilian national team in the World Cup. The Chilean declined the offer, too attached to his country.

- Voted best Chilean footballer of the century in 2006

- Voted best South American player of the year in 1974, 1975 and 1976

- Bola De Ouro in 1972 and 1976

- Bola de Prata in 1972, 1974, 1975 and 1976

- Voted Chilean footballer of the year in 1981

- Voted footballer of the year in Chile in 1977 and 1978

- Voted best player in the Brazilian championship in 1976

- Voted sportsman of the year in Chile in 1981

- Named to the 1974 World Cup tournament team of the year

- Named to the FIFA 100

- Named to the South American Dream Team in 2008

- Named to the historic team Copa America

- Named to the South American Team of the 20th Century

- Named to the Peñarol All-Time Team in 2002

- Voted the best Chilean footballer in history by journalists in Chile in 1999

- Voted the best player in the history of Santiago Wanderers in 2012

- Voted the best foreign player of the 20th century to have played in Brazil in 2001

- Named Knight of Rio Branco of the Order of the Brazilian Federal Republic in 2000

- Honorary Award from CONMEBOL in 2009

- Member of the Walk of Fame at the Maracana Stadium in 2000

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