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Elias Figueroa

Elías Figueroa
Don Elías Figueroa.jpg
Personal information
Full name Elías Ricardo Figueroa Brander
Date of birth (1946-10-25) 25 October 1946 (age 70)
Place of birth Valparaíso, Chile
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position Sweeper / Central Defender
Youth career
1962–1964 Santiago Wanderers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1964–1966 Santiago Wanderers 54 (0)
1964 Unión La Calera (loan) 30 (0)
1967–1972 Peñarol 214 (6)
1972–1976 Internacional 336 (26)
1977–1980 Palestino 118 (6)
1981 Fort Lauderdale Strikers 22 (0)
1981–1982 Colo-Colo 17 (0)
Total 791 (38)
National team
1966–1982 Chile 47 (2)
Teams managed
1994–1996 Palestino
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Elías Ricardo Figueroa Brander (born October 25, 1946 in Valparaíso) is a Chilean former football player. He is widely regarded by several pundits as his Chile's greatest footballer of all time, as well as one of the greatest defenders of all time.

Figueroa played for several clubs during his long career, notably his hometown club Santiago Wanderers, Brazilian club Internacional and Uruguayan club Peñarol. He also represented Chile 47 times, appearing in three FIFA World Cups, in 1966, 1974, and 1982.

Figueroa was noted for his elegant style of play, his composure in the centre of defense and his ability to cut out opposition attacks and immediately launch counterattacks from the back with his passing. He was also praised throughout his career for being a gentleman on and off the pitch. He was twice awarded the Bola de Ouro, the Brazilian Player of the year award whilst playing for Internacional in 1972 and 1976. He was also awarded the South American Footballer of the Year three times in a row by Venezuelan newspaper El Mundo in 1974, 1975 and 1976. He was named Best Player in Uruguay in 1967 and 1968, and Best Player in Chile in 1977 and 1978. After retiring, he was named one of the world's 125 best living soccer players by Pelé in 2004, and was also voted 8th best South American and 37th best player in the world of the 20th Century by the IFFHS in 1999.

In March 2011 he revealed that he was considering entering the FIFA Presidential election.


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