Chile and Peru football rivalry

Peru and Chile have a rivalry that dates back from the War of the Pacific. Previously, the two nations had been on friendly terms sharing mutual alliances during the South American wars of independence and in the Chincha Islands War. Territorial, maritime, and cultural disputes have fueled tensions since the ending of the War of the Pacific. These historical feuds and lingering bitterness have led to a large football rivalry between both nations.

History

The rivalry originating since the ending of the war evolved into sports competition, especially football since that is the favorite sport of both nations. The Chile vs. Peru games generally tend to be very competitive and at times rough. The two teams display highly contested battles that make for entertaining matches within the CONMEBOL region.

Recent Matches

Overall Statistics

La Blanquirroja: Peru National Football Team

"More information at: Peru national football team"

The Peru national football team is controlled by the Federación Peruana de Fútbol (FPF) and represents Peru in international football competitions. The team competes with nine other teams in the CONMEBOL conference within FIFA, and has qualified to four FIFA World Cups and two Olympic tournaments. With a total of nine international titles, the Peruvian teams are often said to play with much technique and elegance, making them one of the finest exponents of South American football. cite web | title=Peruvian football federation| work=conmebol.com | url=http://www.conmebol.com/federaciones_pais_index.jsp?pais=per&slangab=E | accessdate=2008-08-09]

Peru has had great moments in the history of football ever since its start in the 1930s. During this era they participated in the first FIFA World Cup, the controversial 1936 Summer Olympics, and won their first Copa América in 1939. Later, between 1970 and 1982, a Golden Generation of Peruvian footballers once more brought Peru into the view of the world.cite web | title=Peru| work=FIFA.com | url=http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/southamerica/teams/team=43929/index.html | accessdate=2007-10-20] Throughout its history Peru has held the honor of having a series of excellent footballers, the most famous being Teofilo Cubillas whom, with his distinct attacking flair and skill, has often been regarded as the most famous exponent of Peru's golden football years in the 1970s. During this time, the team then qualified for three out of four FIFA World Cups and won the Copa América in 1975.

Historically, Peru's fiercest rival is the football team of Chile.cite web | title=High Alert for Chile-Peru Qualifier| work=thestar.com.my | url=http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.asp?file=/2007/10/17/sports/19188779&sec=sports| accessdate=2008-08-09] Nonetheless, the competitive zone in which the team is located has often led to various other football rivalries, such as those with Ecuador and Mexico.

Currently, the Peruvian team is usually rated around the 50th spot in FIFA rankings. Recent efforts to reach the World Cup have been unsuccessful six times in a row. Even so, various Peruvian players have been successful, among them, Jefferson Farfan, Nolberto Solano, Claudio Pizarro, Juan Manuel Vargas, and Jose Paolo Guerrero. Recently, a series of disastrous results and internal problems have led the team to a downfall in the rankings.

La Roja: Chile National Football Team

"More information at: Chile national football team"

The Chile national football team represents Chile in all major international football competitions. The team is controlled by the Federación de Fútbol de Chile and was established in 1895. They have appeared in seven World Cup tournaments.

Chile was one the teams invited and that accepted to compete in the first World Cup in 1930. They started off well beating Mexico and France without conceding a goal. A 3-1 loss to Argentina in their final game left them in second place in their group, eliminating them from the tournament. In the 1950 World Cup, Chile was eliminated in the first round but defeated the United States 5-2.

Their best World Cup result was a third place finish in 1962, when Chile was the host nation. Chile lost 4-2 to eventual champions Brazil in a semifinals match, but beat Yugoslavia 1-0 in the third place match.

Chile was one of the founding members of CONMEBOL which included Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and participated in the first Copa America tournament in 1916. While in Copa America play, Chile has reached four finals but has lost in each appearance.

In Olympic tournament play, Chile's best result was the Bronze medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, with striker Ivan Zamorano the competition's top scorer.

Chile has attained medals in both the U-17 World Cup held in Japan and the U-20 World Cup in 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup
Canada.

Notable past Chilean players include Guillermo Subiabre, Sergio Livingstone, Leonel Sánchez, Carlos Campos, Elías Figueroa, Carlos Caszely, Patricio Yáñez, and Ivan Zamorano.

Football Controversy: Chalaca or Chilena?

"More information at: Bicycle kick"

Chilean Claim: La chilena

The Spanish Chilean Ramón Unzaga Asla is attributed as the person to first make the move in an international football match. Born in Bilbao, Spain, who in his teens emigrated to Chile with his parents, created the kick that would be at first allegedly known as "Chorera" during a 1914 club football match in "El Morro" stadium of Talcahuano. Unzaga, though not scoring, received wider recognition after playing for Chile in the South American Championship (Copa America) of 1916 (hosted by Argentina) and 1920 (hosted by his adoptive country Chile). According to this account, the move was noticed and named "la chilena" by a group of Argentine journalists when the move was repeated on various occasions during the tournament held in Argentina and when Chile hosted in 1920. [ es icon http://www.euskonews.com/0332zbk/kosmo33201.html] [http://books.google.com/books?id=uT3NSjGtomwC&pg=PA64&lpg=PA64&dq=unzaga+chilena&source=web&ots=TdVFunJZHB&sig=PCAs7PCeHFg65t4PeqLKwER7WTM&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=9&ct=result#PPA64,M1] [http://199.125.90.75/futbol/autonoticias/columnistas/2006/11/29/DetalleNoticia82855.asp]

Uruguayan author Eduardo Galeano writes in his book a commentary on the history and politics of football titled "El fútbol a sol y sombra" (Football in Sun and Shadow) that the move was invented by Ramón Unzaga while playing in the Chilean port of Talcahuano. Galeano includes that years later Spanish journalists labeled the move "la chilena" when in 1927, Chilean club team Colo-Colo conducted a European tour and Chilean player David Arellano exhibited "la chilena" in various friendlies with club teams from Spain; such as in the cities of Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid and Valladolid. [es icon http://revista.guachacas.cl/Epi_chilenita.html] [http://mensual.prensa.com/mensual/contenido/2005/04/01/hoy/portada/177583.html] [http://books.google.com/books?id=LGpArsi70DgC&pg=PA51&lpg=PA51&dq=ramon+unzaga&source=web&ots=wUonoOw-ae&sig=O_YKAaI5kQtu7zngqUIb4woBa-4&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=9&ct=result]

In late 2006 Federación de Fútbol de Chile president and FIFA delegate Harold Mayne-Nicholls completely denied the existence of the "chalaca" and added that it was invented in Talcahuano in 1914. [es iconcite web|url=http://archivo.eluniverso.com/2006/12/02/0001/15/08110C60AF5340DC9AD059E567A5A389.aspx|title=Chilena o chalaca?|accessdate=2008-08-19|work=archivo.eluniverso.com]

International sports media in Spanish such as ESPN Deportes regard the move as a "chilena", in reference to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa logo and in other news articles. [es iconhttp://espndeportes.espn.go.com/news/story?id=458251] [http://espndeportes.espn.go.com/news/story?id=195233] [http://espndeportes.espn.go.com/news/story?id=505878] Univision the Spanish-language television network in the United States names the move a "chilena" after a goal was made but disallowed after it was declared offside. [http://www.univision.com/content/content.jhtml?cid=1248100] Early 2006 had Major League Soccer's (MLS) official website in the Spanish language releasing the results of an online poll that awarded the best goal of the decade as a "chilena" in that leagues competition. [http://www.mlsnet.com/content/printer_friendly_es/y2006/m03/d07/c53353.html] In late 2007, El País daily newspaper from Spain headlines that Julio Baptista had scored a goal in the form of a "chilena" and with the article including that it was reminiscent of one scored by Hugo Sanchez while playing for Real Madrid. [http://www.elpais.com/articulo/deportes/Baptista/aprovecha/chilena/reivindicar/puesto/once/elpepudep/20070928elpepudep_15/Tes] FIFA's official website uses the term "chilena" in a June 16, 2008 Spanish language publication when describing a goal that is made during a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying match. [http://es.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=804600.html#chile+toma+altura+bolivia] CONMEBOL's official website also makes reference to a goal that was scored in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying match naming it a chilena. [http://www.conmebol.com/articulos_ver.jsp?id=62235&slangab=S] The Associated Press an American news agency lists the move as a "chilena" in a 2008 news article. [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sp/spt/5956587.html] Fox Sports en Latinoamérica an owner to the rights of Copa Santander Libertadores and Copa Nissan Sudamericana describes the "chilena" being used during a Copa del Rey match in the Spanish La Liga. [http://msn.foxsports.com/fsi/fslasc/story/futbol?contentId=7847058]

Peruvian Claim: La Chalaca

"See also for more information: Football in Peru"

The Tiro de Chalaca (Spanish for "Chalacan Strike"), commonly shortened to chalaca, is the name given in Peru (and other Latin American nations) to the bicycle kick as the move is thought to have been invented in the last half of the 19th century in the Peruvian port of Callao, [cite web |url=http://www.findinternettv.com/Video,item,3956344969.aspx|title=Callao-Peru|accessdate=2007-08-12 |work=findinternettv.com ] which at one point was considered a main port of commerce in the Pacific Ocean [cite web |url=http://gosouthamerica.about.com/od/callao/Callao_Peru.htm|title=Callao, Peru|accessdate=2008-09-27 |work=findinternettv.com ] prior to the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914. [cite web|url=http://www.pancanal.com/eng/history/history/index.html |title=A History of the Panama Canal: French and American Construction Efforts|publisher=Panama Canal Authority |accessdate=2007-09-03; Chapter 3, " [http://www.pancanal.com/eng/history/history/early.html Some Early Canal Plans] "] [cite web |url=http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Callao|title=Callao|accessdate=2009-09-27 |work=1911encyclopedia.org] According to the work entitled "La Difusion del Futbol en Lima", during the last decade of the 19th century, records show that sailors in Peru were known to practice sports such as association football, and played against teams made up of Englishmen, Peruvians, or a mix between Englishmen and Peruvians;es icon cite web |url=http://sisbib.unmsm.edu.pe/BibVirtual/Tesis/Human/Alvarez_E_T/Cap2.htm|title=La difusión del fútbol en Lima.|accessdate=2008-08-12 |work=sisbib.unmsm.edu.pe] also, the work "Sport in Latin America and the Caribbean", by Joseph Arbena and David Gerald LaFrance, states that English sailors taught the people in Callao about the sport of football.cite web |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=IzRTVU2NS5wC&pg=PA12&lpg=PA12&dq=Lima+Cricket+++%26+sailors&source=web&ots=Xz7iINgw8W&sig=egr2_eU0ROXOGh9dzy8KVzCxQKo&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA12,M1|title=Sport in Latin America and the Caribbean|accessdate=2008-09-01 |work=books.google.com] The growth of football in the port of Callao became so prominent that even the oldest multi-sport club of Peru, the Lima Cricket and Football Club, got involved in the sports business of the port.cite web |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=IzRTVU2NS5wC&pg=PA12&lpg=PA12&dq=Lima+Cricket+++%26+sailors&source=web&ots=Xz7iINgw8W&sig=egr2_eU0ROXOGh9dzy8KVzCxQKo&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA12,M1|title=Sport in Latin America and the Caribbean|accessdate=2008-09-01 |work=books.google.com] People who support the idea that during these early days of football in Peru the bicycle kick was created, including football star Teofilo Cubillas,es iconcite web |url=http://www.goleador.org/dhtml/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=39|title=La Chalaca es Peruana|accessdate=2008-09-21 |work=goleador.com] hold the belief that the bicycle kick was indeed invented in the Peruvian port city of Callao and attribute the move to a Peruvian player from the port. [es iconcite web |url=http://www.canaltrans.com/deportes/futbol1/historias/040.html|title=Historia del Futbol: La bicicleta - Un invento chileno o chalaco|accessdate=2008-09-21 |work=www.canaltrans.com] [es iconcite web |url=http://peru21.pe/impresa/noticia/parir-chalacamorir-silbato/2006-12-05/8413|title=Parir de chalaca, morir de silbato|accessdate=2008-09-21 |work=Peru21.pe] Among these supporters, Jorge Barraza, a journalist from Argentina and chief editor of CONMEBOL's magazine, is perhaps one of the current most prominent speakers in favor of the claim that the bicycle kick was invented in Callao. [es icon Futbolperuano.com [http://199.125.90.75/futbol/autonoticias/columnistas/2006/11/29/DetalleNoticia82855.asp] , Retrieved August 23, 2007]

Barraza explained, in an article published by El Comercio, that according to his investigation, ancient testimonies and oral traditions tell that during a football match among British sailors they invited "Chalacos" (people from Callao) of African origin to come and play the game with them in order to fill the necessary 22 players for the sport. The investigation of Jorge Barraza concluded that during one of the games a Chalaco made the bicycle kick that surprised several among the crowd (which was filled with European and Chilean sailors) and led to the creation of the "chalaca." [es icon Futbolperuano.com [http://199.125.90.75/futbol/autonoticias/columnistas/2006/11/29/DetalleNoticia82855.asp] , Retrieved August 23, 2007] Also, he reached the conclusion that Chileans and Peruvians had also played several games due to the trips from the Chilean port of Valparaiso to the Peruvian port of Callao. He adds that Chileans themselves at first called the move "chalaca" and that "Peruvians are the only ones who never called it 'chilena' because they had already seen the move and given a name to it." [es icon elcomercio.com [http://www.elcomercio.com.pe/EdicionImpresa/Html/2006-11-28/ImEcDeporte0623035.html] , Retrieved September 1, 2007] During 2008, Colombian newspaper El Pais interviewed Jorge Barraza and he confirmed his stance by confirming he found part of his information from an old book and added that the move was "copied" by Chileans and that the name "chilena" was not created by Chileans but rather that it was given to Chile by people from Argentina. [es icon cite web|url=http://www.elpais.com.co/paisonline/deportes2003/notas/Abril272008/d1.html|title=El fútbol de Barraza|accessdate=2008-08-21|work=www.elpais.com.co] Although Barraza provides no exact date for the games between Peruvians and Englishmen, according to William H. Beezley, Linda Curcio-Nagy, and Linda Ann Curcio, in their book entitled "Latin America Popular Culture", the oldest recorded football match between Peruvians and Englishmen so far found occured in the late 19th century, in June 24, 1894;cite web |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=6p5VXUCipAwC&pg=PA160&lpg=PA160&dq=Lima+Cricket&source=web&ots=TvU7XFIhro&sig=M_wOeHzVsRMh4AX1kCgFy272Q44&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=8&ct=result|title=Latin American Popular Culture|accessdate=2008-08-30 |work=books.google.com ] while Jorge Basadre, a historian, found the records of a football match organized by Englishmen for a game between Chalacos and Limeans played in August 7, 1892.es icon cite web |url=http://sisbib.unmsm.edu.pe/BibVirtual/Tesis/Human/Alvarez_E_T/Cap2.htm|title=La difusión del fútbol en Lima.|accessdate=2008-08-12 |work=sisbib.unmsm.edu.pe]

Nonetheless, aside from all this, Peru's historic bicycle kick figure is often noted to be the Alianza Lima (former Sport Alianza) player Alejandro Villanueva. Villanueva made international appearances such as in 1933 when Alianza Lima made a tour in Chile and, with fellow Peruvian such as Teodoro Fernandez, delighted the audiences with their skill and defeated a series of important Chilean clubs of that time such as Club Deportivo Magallanes, Santiago Wanderers, Audax Italiano, and Colo-Colo. [es icon cite web|url=http://www.clubalianzalima.com/pages/hist1921.asp|title=Historia Blanquiazul: 1921-1960|accessdate=2008-08-12|work=clubalianzalima.com] [es icon cite web|url=http://peru.com/futbol/seleccion/historia/futbolistas/tfernandez.asp|title=Teodoro 'Lolo' Fernandez|accessdate=2008-08-12|work=futbolperuano.com] In Peru, Alejandro Villanueva is often remembered as one of the finest exponents of that nation's association football and as the player that amazed the crowds with his bicycle kicks which the people of Lima at first thought was his invention when he executed it in 1928, called it "tiro caracol" and, later, upon learning of its roots in Callao, once again called "chalaca". [es iconcite web|url=http://www.peruan-ita.org/personaggi/dario/villanueva.htm|title=Alejandro Villanueva|accessdate=2008-08-19|work=www.peruan-ita.org] For this, although several other Peruvian football figures have also made bicycle kicks, Villanueva remains a famous sports figure in Peru.

International recognition

The legacy of the "chalaca"' lives on to this day as various nations aside from Peru, especially those where Peruvian clubs held their international tours priorly mentioned, have called and still call the move "chalaca". Also, international recognition has began to be awarded to the Callao claim of origin such as El Pais Newspaper from Spain and important figures of the association football world. Teofilo Cubillas, an association football star of the 1970s, has asked the Peruvian government to seek international recognition for Callao and its invention of the bicycle kick. [es iconcite web|url=http://www.la-razon.com/versiones/20061211_005752/nota_274_366373.htm|title=Dos paises pelean la autoridad de la chilena|accessdate=2008-08-20|work=www.la-razon.com] Meanwhile, Manuel Burga, president of the Peruvian Football Federation, stated that he would promote a campaign in order to show that the bicycle kick is an acrobatic move that has its origins in Peru. [es iconcite web|url=http://archivo.eluniverso.com/2006/12/02/0001/15/08110C60AF5340DC9AD059E567A5A389.aspx|title=Chilena o chalaca?|accessdate=2008-08-19|work=archivo.eluniverso.com] In Colombia and in Ecuador, a nation that also holds a historically important port (Guayaquil), the term "chalaca" is also used to refer to the bicycle kick.es iconcite web|url=http://www.diariolavoz.net/seccion.asp?pid=18&sid=1755&notid=205625&fecha=12/01/2006|title=El origen de la chilena|accessdate=2008-08-19|work=www.diariolavoz.net] During an interview done to Colombian goalkeeper Rene Higuita (the player that invented another popular football move known as the Scorpion Kick) referers to the bicycle kick as "chalaca". [es iconcite web|url=http://www.ole.clarin.com/notas/2008/07/25/futbolinternacional/01722336.html|title=El arquero deberia ser el verdadero 10 de los equipos|accessdate=2008-08-19|work=www.ole.clarin.com] Furthermore, Colombian newspaper El Pais, a leading newspaper company of Colombia, makes constant reference to the term "chalaca" in their sports articles. [es icon cite web|url=http://www.elpais.com.co/historico/jul182005/DEP/copa.html|title=Vibrante empate entre Alcázares y San Marcos|accessdate=2008-08-21|work=www.elpais.com.co] [es icon cite web|url=http://www.elpais.com.co/historico/may132005/DEP/C613N3.html|title=Renacieron las ganas|accessdate=2008-08-22|work=www.elpais.com.co] [es icon cite web|url=http://www.elpais.com.co/historico/feb072005/DEP/jugada4.html|title=Una columna que mostró fortaleza|accessdate=2008-08-22|work=www.elpais.com.co] [es icon cite web|url=http://www.elpais.com.co/historico/mar092005/DEP/deporte1.html|title=Seis minutos para olvidar|accessdate=2008-08-22|work=www.elpais.com.co] CONMEBOL, in their official website, made citation to a move by Hugo Rodallega as a "media "chalaca"." [es icon cite web|url=http://www.conmebol.com/articulos_ver.jsp?id=57556&slangab=S|title=Colombia campeón del Sudamericano Sub-20 por segunda vez|accessdate=2008-08-22|work=Conmebol.com] Bolivia's "El Deber" mentions the "chalaca" in an article done about the Copa Libertadores 2004. [es icon cite web|url=http://www.eldeber.com.bo/anteriores/20040324/deportes_12.html|title=The Strongest se aferra a la Copa|accessdate=2008-08-22|work=Eldeber.com] In North America, Panama's website "Futbol Extremo" (winner of the Arroba de Oro and named as the "best sports website") [es icon cite web|url=http://www.futbolextremo.com/?cate=22&id=7851&id_liga_p=88|title=Futbolextremo.com Ganador del Arroba de Oro versión 2006 en la categoría de Deporte|accessdate=2008-08-22|work=Futbolextremo.com] used the term "media "chalaca" to refer to a goal made by Mauricio Molina. [es icon cite web|url=http://www.futbolextremo.com/?cate=1&id_liga_p=8&id=810017|title=Blas nuevamente fue la figura del Cucuta en victoria contra el DIM|accessdate=2008-08-22|work=Futbolextremo.com] In Europe, the British guardian.co.uk made a reference to the "chalaca" as a Spanish-language way to refer to the overhead (or bicycle) kick. [cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2006/mar/08/theknowledge.sport|title=Sprechen sie Fußball?|accessdate=2008-08-20|work=www.guardian.co.uk]

References

External links

* [http://www.anfp.cl/ The official Chilean Football Association web site]
* [http://www.fpf.com.pe/ Peru FA]