Quick Facts
PiscesBiography
José Pedro Fuenzalida Gana ([xoˈse ˈpeðɾo fwensaˈliða]; born 22 February 1985) is a Chilean footballer who currently plays as forward for Universidad Católica of Chile and the Chilean national team.
Club career
A product of the Universidad Católica youth set-up, Fuenzalida was promoted to the first-adult team in 2004, at the age of 19. He debuted in a 4–0 defeat with Unión Española at San Carlos de Apoquindo for a league game, during a moment considered as one of the club's biggest sports crises.
During the winter of 2007, Fuenzalida aged twenty-two decided to take a break as footballer to study commercial engineering at Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.
After six month studying, he returned to professional football and joined rivals Colo-Colo on a four-year deal. Fuenzalida debuted on 13 January 2008 againstUniversidad de Concepción and scored his first goal in a 2–1 home win over Deportes Antofagasta. In June, he joined O'Higgins on loan after an unsuccessful tournament where only scored one goal in seven games.
In December 2009, it was reported that Fuenzalida finished his loan spell at O'Higgins and would return to Colo-Colo to face the next season. Seasons later, he helped the team to win the 2014 Torneo Apertura, being a key player in the title obtention which was his first honour playing for the club.
On 29 July 2014, Fuenzalida reached a one-and-half year with Argentine powerhouse Boca Juniors.
Following an unsuccessful spell at Boca, he returned to Universidad Católica in 2016, signing for Las Condes-based club as a free agent. He helped the team to win Torneo Clausura.
International career
Fuenzalida has played in the U-20 and U-23 levels of the Chilean national team in the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup and the 2008 Toulon Tournament respectively.
Usually called up by Marcelo Bielsa for the 2010 World Cup qualification, he was chosen by Jorge Sampaoli in Chile’s list of 23 for 2014 FIFA World Cup. In 2015, after being disaffected of the 30-man provisional list for the Copa América, he was re-considered by Sampaoli in the definitive list following the withdrawal of the injured Carlos Carmona.
International goals
- Scores and results list Chile's goal tally first.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 19 January 2013 | Estadio Municipal de Concepción, Concepción, Chile |  Haiti | 3–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 2. | 6 June 2016 | Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, United States |  Argentina | 1–2 | 1–2 | Copa América Centenario |
| 3. | 22 June 2016 | Soldier Field, Chicago, United States |  Colombia | 2–0 | 2–0 | Copa América Centenario |
| 4. | 6 June 2019 | Estadio La Portada, La Serena, Chile | Haiti | 2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 5. | 21 June 2019 | Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador, Brazil |  Ecuador | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2019 Copa América |
Honours
Club
Universidad Católica
- Primera División de Chile: 2005–C, 2016–C, 2016–A, 2018, 2019
- Supercopa de Chile: 2016, 2019
Colo-Colo
- Primera División de Chile: 2014–C
Boca Juniors
- Primera División de Argentina: 2015
- Copa Argentina: 2014–15
International
- Copa América: 2015, 2016
Individual
- Primera División's El Gráfico Golden Ball: 2013
- SIFUP Best Right Back: 2013