Mauricio Isla

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Isla.

Mauricio Isla

Personal information
Full name	Mauricio Aníbal Isla Isla[1][2]
Date of birth	12 June 1988 (1988-06-12) (age 23)
Place of birth	Buin, Chile
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position	Right Wingback Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Udinese
Number	3
Youth career
1998–2007	Universidad Católica
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2007–	Udinese	111	(4)
National team‡
2007–	Chile	30	(2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 11 December 2010. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 25 June 2010

Mauricio Aníbal Isla Isla (born 12 June 1988) is a Chilean footballer who plays for Italian Serie A team Udinese and for the Chilean national team. He can play in numerous positions, including right, centre, and left back as well as a winger or centre midfielder. Also, he can play as an inside forward.

Club career

Early Years

Isla started in the youth ranks of Universidad Católica in 1999 as a forward. However his lack of height caused him to switch positions to defender, since Católica didn't have quality youth defenders, where he exceled. In 2007 he was called up to the first team.

Udinese

Isla had a notable performance during the summer of 2007 in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada and was thereafter signed by Udinese of the Serie A in Italy on a 5 year contract. Alike Roberto Carlos and Cafu of the 2002 World Cup winning Brazil, Isla fits the description of a traditional South American full back when asked to fulfill a rather defensive role in the wings. He can both defend and attack with much ease and has been known to turn innocent possession based games into quick paced impressive counterattacks with much ease. His technique is well accompanied by a surprising pace and stamina. Isla made his professional debut on December 19, 2007 versus Palermo in the Coppa Italia. On March 8, 2008, Isla played his first game as a starter in Serie A for Udinese against Palermo, which ended in a 1–1 draw. For Udinese, Isla has admitted he has had to adapt his style by being more conservative with his approach to the game. In the games he started for the Udine club he has played as a right and left back while also playing a few games a wing and centre midfield. He is also a very effective left back on Fifa 12.

After the departure of Simone Pepe, Isla often fixed as right wing-back in 3–5–2 formation in 2010–11 Serie A, also due to the long term injury of Dušan Basta. In 2011–12 season he became the right midfielder in 4–1–4–1 or 4–4–1–1 formation against Arsenal in 2011–12 UEFA Champions League playoffs round, after numbers of departure.

International career

Sub-20 Career

Isla took part with Chile in the 2007 South American Youth Championship, where Chile qualified for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. During the U-20 World Cup Isla was noticed worldwide for his skill with the ball and versatility. Isla was an integral part of the team which would go on the win third place. In the quarterfinal game versus Nigeria, Chile was ravaged by injury. In the single game Isla played defender, midfield, and forward. The game went into overtime after a scoreless draw after regulation. In the overtime the team was extremely fatigued but gutted out four goals in the extra time. Two of the goals came from Isla, one from the penalty spot. After each goal Isla ran over to the Chilean telecast camera (which was marked by a Chilean flag) and dedicated his goals to his grandmother and aunt, who was pregnant. This tournament and his performance in it led Isla to be transferred to Seria A team Udinese before his professional debut in the Chilean league, a very rare occurrence.

Senior

New Chilean coach Marcelo Bielsa called Isla up for his first full Chile senior squad international cap in September 2007 in a friendly against Switzerland, the hosts of Euro 2008, verse his club-mate Gökhan Inler. He started as a centre midfielder. His good performances made him get another call-up in the next friendly against Israel, where he came on as a second half substitute. He played his first 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification in March 2009. He played the game as starter verse Peru. Isla made a further start against Uruguay where, in a scoreless draw, he was sent off after 33 minutes following two quick yellow card bookings. He was a starter in all of Chile's four 2010 World Cup games.

Career statistics

Club

As of 3 November 2009

Club performance			League		Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Italy			League		Coppa Italia		Europe		Total
2007–08	Udinese	Serie A	10	0	4	0	-	-	14	0
2008–09			32	0	1	0	10	0	43	0
2009–10			30	1	3	0	-	-	33	1
2010–11			34	2	1	1	2	0	35	3
Career total			106	3	9	1	12	0	127	4

International

National team Club Season Apps Goals  Chile Udinese 2007–08 2 0 2008–09 5 0 2009–10 9 0 2010-11 1 1 Total 17 1 International goals Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 7 September 2010 Lobanovsky Dynamo Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine  Ukraine 2–1 2–1 International Friendly Honors International Chile FIFA U-20 World Cup: Third place: 2007 References ^ [1] ^ [2] External links Mauricio Isla at National-Football-Teams.com Mauricio Isla – FIFA competition record Profile at La Gazzetta dello Sport (Italian) Persondata Name Isla, Mauricio Alternative names Short description Date of birth 12 June 1988 Place of birth Buin, Chile Date of death Place of death