Claudio Bravo (footballer)

Claudio Bravo

Personal information
Full name	Claudio Andrés Bravo Muñoz
Date of birth	13 April 1983 (1983-04-13) (age 28)
Place of birth	Viluco, Chile
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Club information
Current club	Real Sociedad
Number	1
Youth career
	Colo-Colo
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2002–2006	Colo-Colo	133	(0)
2006–	Real Sociedad	135	(1)
National team‡
2004–	Chile	58	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 November 2011. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 25 June 2010

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Bravo and the second or maternal family name is Muñoz.

Claudio Andrés Bravo Muñoz (born 13 April 1983 in Viluco, Maipo Province) is a Chilean footballer who plays for Real Sociedad in Spain, as a goalkeeper. He is also a Chilean international.

Club career

Colo-Colo

Bravo's father recognized his son's emerging talent and took him to Colo-Colo's youth academy, and he eventually made his professional debut in 2002. There, he was given the nickname Condor Chico, after former club goalkeeper Roberto Rojas.

After an injury to Eduardo Lobos, manager Jaime Pizarro gave Bravo his first chance, which would be however short-lived, as he too was injured, which prompted the subsequent signing of Jonny Walker.

Bravo recovered from injury in mid-2003 and with Lobos still injured, he took over the starting role, which he would never lose again, with his competitor eventually being sold. In the 2003 Apertura and Clausura tournaments, Colo-Colo made the final in both seasons, falling to Cobreloa both times. In 2006, Bravo won his first title with Colo-Colo, in the Apertura. In the final, against arch-rival C.F. Universidad de Chile, he made an acrobatic save to give Colo-Colo the title in penalties.

Real Sociedad

For 2006–07, Bravo signed a five-year contract with Real Sociedad in Spain,^[1] in a reported €1.2 million deal.^[2] He and Asier Riesgo formed the youngest pair of goalkeepers in that La Liga season. The Chilean started on the bench, but eventually gained the battle for first-choice (29 matches to nine), as the Basque side was relegated (despite this, Bravo finished in fifth place for the Ricardo Zamora Trophy that season, with a goal-against average of 1.00). His league debut came on 22 October 2006, in a 0–0 draw at RCD Mallorca.

The following season, Riesgo reclaimed his spot as first-choice. For 2008–09, after a loan to the former, to Recreativo de Huelva, Bravo was again the starter, but Real remained in level two.

On February 14, 2010, Bravo scored the first goal of his career, from a direct free kick against Gimnàstic de Tarragona, the game's only in a home triumph.^[3] However, shortly after, he suffered a severe knee injury during Real Sociedad's 0–2 loss at Córdoba CF, which rendered him unavailable for the remainder of the season.^[4] He still featured in 25 matches to help his team finish champions and return to the top division, after three years.

International career

Bravo represented Chile at U-17, U-20 and U-23 levels. He made his debut with the main side on July 11, 2004 against Paraguay, in the 2004 Copa América, and retained his place for the rest of the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Bravo was again called for duty in the 2007 Copa América, held in Venezuela, where he started all four games. He became national side captain after Marcelo Salas announced his international retirement.

In the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Bravo started in all four matches for Chile (remaining as captain), conceding five goals in an eventual round of 16 exit (0–3 loss against Brazil).^[5]

Honors

Club

Colo-Colo

• Chilean League: Apertura 2006

Real Sociedad

• Spanish Second Division: 2009–10

References

1. ^ Comunicado oficial: Principio de acuerdo con Bravo (Official announcement: Deal with Bravo); Real Sociedad official website (Spanish)
2. ^ La Real ficha al portero Claudio Bravo (Real signs goalkeeper Claudio Bravo); Donostia San Sebastián, 21 June 2006 (Spanish)
3. ^ Gol de falta del portero Bravo - Real sociedad vs Nastic! (Free kick goal from keeper Bravo - Real sociedad vs Nastic!); at YouTube
4. ^ Bravo: "Estoy triste por no poder ayudar al equipo" (Bravo: "I'm sad for not being able to help the team"); Marca, 30 March 2010 (Spanish)
5. ^ Claudio Bravo (footballer) – FIFA competition record

External links

• Real Sociedad official profile (Spanish)
• BDFutbol profile
• Claudio Bravo (footballer) at National-Football-Teams.com
• 2010 FIFA World Cup profile
• Transfermarkt profile

Persondata
Name	Bravo, Claudio
Alternative names
Short description	Chilean footballer
Date of birth	13 April 1983
Place of birth	Buin, Chile
Date of death
Place of death