Ysrael Zúñiga

Infobox Football biography
playername = Ysrael Zúñiga


fullname = Herlyn Ysrael Zuñiga Yañez
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1976|8|27
cityofbirth = Lima
countryofbirth = Peru
height = height|m=1.83
position = Striker
currentclub = Bursaspor
clubnumber = 99
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1998-1999 2000-2002 2002-2003 2004 2005 2005-2006 2007
2008
clubs = Melgar FBC Coventry City Estudiantes Universitario Universidad Arequipa Sporting Cristal Melgar FBC
Bursaspor
caps(goals) = 25 (19)
28 (3)
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5(1)
nationalyears = 1999-
nationalteam = Peru
nationalcaps(goals) = 19 (3)
pcupdate =
ntupdate =

Ysrael Zúñiga (born August 27, 1976) was a Peruvian footballer who notably played for Melgar FBC as a striker.

Zúñiga initially trained as a dental technician before deciding to become a professional footballer at the relatively late age of 22. He gained some international notoriety after scoring a league-record equalling 32 goals for Melgar in his first season in the Primera División Peruana in 1999. His goalscoring success prompted English Premier League club Coventry City to purchase him for £750,000 in February 2000. However, he was unable to find any form in England; scoring four goals in 30 appearances spread over two and a half years with Coventry before he was released in the summer of 2002.

After leaving Coventry he joined Argentinian club Estudiantes, but again struggled to recapture his scoring form. Zúñiga returned to his homeland following the conclusion of his spell in Argentina to join Sporting Cristal, a club he spent time at as a teenager before leaving the game to study to be a dental worker.

He won 19 caps and scored 3 goals for the Peru national football team.

He was recalled against Ecuador on June 2007.

External links

*soccerbase|19245
* [http://www.national-football-teams.com/php/spieler.php?id=5477 national-football-teams.com]