Famous Soccer Players from Chile

Ranker Soccer
Updated May 2, 2024 51.7K views 134 items
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Vote up the best Chilean footballers of all time.

Who are the best football players from Chile? This list includes the greatest soccer players born in Chile or who played on the Chilean national football team. While the Chile men's national team has a long and storied history of producing top international talent, fans of La Roja have been waiting for The Red One to recapture international glory since their back-to-back Copa América championships in 2015 and 2016. So, who are the best footballers from Chile? Who is the best Chilean soccer player of all time?

Some of the best Chile soccer players include national legends like Alexis Sánchez, Arturo Vidal, Gary Medel, Eduardo Vargas, Mauricio Isla, and Claudio Bravo. There are also current Chile football stars from such as Francisco Sierralta, Guillermo Maripán, Paulo Díaz, and Erick Pulgar, who are making waves across the globe. 

Vote up the best soccer players from the Chile, and help decide who is the greatest Chilean footballer of all time!

Most divisive: Patricio Yáñez
Over 200 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of Famous Soccer Players from Chile
  • Alexis Sánchez
    1

    Alexis Sánchez

    Age: 36
    207 votes
    Alexis Alejandro Sánchez Sánchez (born 19 December 1988), also known mononymously as Alexis, is a Chilean professional footballer who plays as a forward for Ligue 1 club Marseille and the Chile national team. He is often lauded as the greatest Chilean player of all time.
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  • Arturo Vidal
    2

    Arturo Vidal

    Age: 36
    143 votes
    Arturo Erasmo Vidal Pardo (born 22 May 1987) is a Chilean professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Inter Milan and the Chile national team. His displays during his time at Juventus led him to be nicknamed Il Guerriero ("The Warrior"), Rey Arturo ("King Arthur") and La Piranha by the Italian press due to his hard-tackling and aggressive, tenacious style of play. Vidal has earned 113 caps for the Chile national team since his debut in 2007, playing in the 2011, 2015 amd 2019 Copa América tournaments, as well as the Copa América Centenario, the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups, and the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, helping his nation to Copa América victory in 2015 and 2016.
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  • Marcelo Salas
    3

    Marcelo Salas

    Age: 49
    100 votes
    José Marcelo Salas Melinao (American Spanish: [maɾˈselo ˈsalas]; born 24 December 1974), dubbed as El Matador (due to his goalscoring celebrations), El Fenómeno, and Shileno, is a retired Chilean footballer who played as a striker. He has played in Chile, Argentina and Italy, winning titles with each club with whom he has played, and was voted South American Footballer of the Year in 1997. A powerful and tenacious forward, with good technique, who was well-known for his deft touch with his left foot, as well as his aerial ability, Salas had a prolific goalscoring record throughout his career; with 37 goals in 70 international appearances between 1994 and 2007, he is the Chilean national team's second-highest goalscorer of all time, behind only Alexis Sánchez. He appeared for the Chilean national team at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, where he scored four goals in four matches, leading his nation to the second round of the competition. As well as that World Cup, Salas played for Chile at two Copa América tournaments, helping his nation to a fourth-place finish in the 1999 edition of the tournament.
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  • Iván Zamorano
    4

    Iván Zamorano

    Age: 57
    114 votes
    Iván Luis Zamorano Zamora (American Spanish: [iˈβan samoˈɾano]; born 18 January 1967) is a retired Chilean football striker. Along with Marcelo Salas and Elias Figueroa he is regarded as one of Chile's most recognized footballers. He was a member of the Chilean national team and played in the 1998 World Cup and four Copa América tournaments. He played for several clubs, notably Spanish clubs Sevilla and Real Madrid C.F. as well as Italian club Inter Milan. He won the 1994–95 La Liga title and was the season's top scorer with Real Madrid. He also won the UEFA Cup with Inter Milan. A powerful and prolific goal-scorer, he was particularly renowned for his strength and ability in the air, with many of his goals coming from headers.In 2004, Zamorano was selected among the FIFA 100, a list of the best living football players in the world compiled by Pelé. Zamorano was nicknamed Bam Bam and Iván el Terrible.
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  • Claudio Bravo
    5

    Claudio Bravo

    Age: 41
    79 votes
    Claudio Andrés Bravo Muñoz (born 13 April 1983) is a Chilean professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Spanish club Real Betis and captains the Chile national team. He started playing with Colo-Colo and moved to Real Sociedad in 2006, appearing in 237 official games with the latter club. Barcelona signed him for €12 million in 2014, and he won the treble and the Zamora Trophy in his first season. In the summer of 2016, he moved to Manchester City, where he won several titles. After four years in England, he returned to Spain, signing for Real Betis. Bravo is Chile's third-most capped player with 133 total appearances, behind only Alexis Sánchez and Gary Medel. He represented the nation in two World Cups, a FIFA Confederations Cup, and six Copa América tournaments. He captained his side to victory at the 2015 and 2016 editions of the latter competition.
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  • Jaime Pizarro
    6

    Jaime Pizarro

    Age: 60
    19 votes
    Jaime Augusto Pizarro Herrera (born 2 March 1964 in Santiago) is a retired football player who played 53 times for the Chile national team between 1987 and 1993. He currently serves as Sub-secretary of the National Institute of Sports of the government of Michelle Bachelet. At club level, he played as a midfielder, principally for the Chilean club Colo-Colo, the team where he was crowned champion both as a player and as a coach.
  • Estadio Elías Figueroa Brander
    7

    Estadio Elías Figueroa Brander

    52 votes
    Elías Ricardo Figueroa Brander (born 25 October 1946) is a Chilean former football player. Figueroa played as a defender for several clubs during his long career, notably his hometown club Santiago Wanderers, Brazilian club Internacional and Uruguayan club Peñarol. He also represented Chile 47 times, appearing in three FIFA World Cups, in 1966, 1974, and 1982.
  • George Robledo
    8

    George Robledo

    Dec. at 62 (1926-1989)
    18 votes
    Jorge "George" Robledo Oliver (14 April 1926 – 1 April 1989) was a Chilean professional footballer. He played as a striker, and is most notable for his time spent with Newcastle United. He was the first non-British-registered foreign player to become top scorer in England.
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  • Mauricio Isla
    9

    Mauricio Isla

    Age: 35
    24 votes
    Mauricio Aníbal Isla Isla (American Spanish: [mauˈɾisjo ˈizla]; born 12 June 1988) is a Chilean footballer who plays for Turkish Süper Lig club Fenerbahçe and the Chile national team.Isla started his career in the youth system of Universidad Católica, and later moved to Italian club Udinese in 2007, where he made his professional debut. His performances earned him a transfer to defending Serie A Champions Juventus where he won consecutive league titles during his first two seasons with the team. In 2014, he was sent on loan for a season to English side Queens Park Rangers, while he also spent the next season on loan with French club Marseille. Isla has earned 100 caps for Chile since his debut in 2007, and represented the nation in two FIFA World Cups (2010 and 2014) as well as the 2011 and 2015 Copa América tournaments, and the Copa América Centenario, winning the latter two tournaments.
  • Humberto Suazo
    10

    Humberto Suazo

    Age: 42
    50 votes
    Humberto Andrés Suazo Pontivo (Spanish pronunciation: [umˈbeɾto ˈswaso]; born 10 May 1981), nicknamed Chupete (in English, Pacifier), is a Chilean professional footballer who plays as a striker for San Antonio Unido. In 2006, he was awarded by IFFHS as the world's top goal scorer of the year. After winning the Apertura 2007 with Colo Colo, he moved to Liga MX club CF Monterrey, where he became the club's all-time top scorer as well as winning two Liga MX titles, three CONCACAF Champions League titles, and one InterLiga. He returned to Colo-Colo in 2015 after seven years with Monterrey. According to his 2010 FIFA World Cup profile, Suazo was known for his "keen positional sense and ability to finish with either foot".
  • Gary Medel
    11

    Gary Medel

    Age: 36
    54 votes
    Gary Alexis Medel Soto (born 3 August 1987) is a Chilean professional footballer who plays for Italian club Bologna and the Chile national team as a centre-back and a defensive midfielder. Medel has played club football with several teams in numerous countries, starting out with Chilean side Universidad Católica, and later playing for Argentine side Boca Juniors, Spanish side Sevilla, Premier League side Cardiff City, and Italian side Inter Milan, before moving to Beşiktaş in Turkey in 2017. He then moved back to Italy and joined Bologna in 2019.
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  • Matías Fernández
    12

    Matías Fernández

    Age: 37
    51 votes
    Matías Ariel Fernández Fernández (Spanish pronunciation: [maˈti.as aˈɾjel feɾˈnandes feɾˈnandes], born 15 May 1986) is a Chilean professional footballer who plays for Colombian club Atlético Junior as an attacking midfielder. He is known for his dribbling skills, also being a free-kick specialist. After starting out at Colo-Colo, he played several seasons with Villarreal, Sporting and Fiorentina, moving to Europe in 2006. Fernández was elected South American Footballer of the Year in 2006, and also appeared for the Chilean national team in the 2010 World Cup and three Copa América tournaments, winning the 2015 edition of the latter tournament.
  • Eduardo Vargas
    13

    Eduardo Vargas

    Age: 34
    56 votes
    Eduardo Jesús Vargas Rojas (Spanish pronunciation: [eˈðwaɾðo ˈβaɾɣas]; born 20 November 1989) is a Chilean footballer who plays as a forward for Liga MX club Tigres UANL and the Chile national team. Emerging as a top talent at Cobreloa, Vargas moved to Universidad de Chile where he won three titles, including the 2011 Copa Sudamericana, where he was named player of the tournament. In 2011, he was co-awarded the Chilean Footballer of the Year and also finished as runner-up for the South American Footballer of the Year. Following an £11.5 million move to Napoli, Vargas had subsequent loan spells at Grêmio, Valencia and Queens Park Rangers before moving to 1899 Hoffenheim in 2015. A full international since 2010, Vargas has earned over 80 caps for Chile, scoring 38 goals. He was part of their squad at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the 2015 Copa América, the Copa América Centenario, the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2019 Copa América. He would finish as top scorer in Chile's victories at the 2015 Copa América and Copa América Centenario.
  • Charles Aranguiz
    14

    Charles Aranguiz

    Age: 35
    57 votes
    Charles Mariano Aránguiz Sandoval (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈtʃaɾles aˈɾaŋɡis]; born 17 April 1989) is a Chilean professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for German club Bayer Leverkusen and the Chile national team. With his former club Universidad de Chile, Aránguiz was considered one of the best midfielders in the Chilean Primera División, with a good sense of tactics, impressive stamina and intelligent playmaking, marking and passing abilities. He can play as a defensive, center or even as a right wing midfielder. He is described by FIFA's official website as "a crafty, tigerish midfielder of the highest order, notable for his ability to win and distribute the ball, pick out passes and hit the back of the net".
  • Jorge Valdivia
    15

    Jorge Valdivia

    Age: 40
    24 votes
    Jorge Luis Valdivia Toro (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈxoɾxe ˈlwjs βalˈdjβja], born 19 October 1983) is a Chilean footballer who plays for Colo-Colo and Chile national team as a midfielder. Product of Colo-Colo youth ranks, Valdivia had an impressing loan spell at Universidad de Concepción during his debut season in 2003. Then after another two loan spells in Europe, he definitely joined Colo-Colo in 2005 winning one year later the Torneo Apertura title, before moving to Palmeiras. Since joining Brazilian club, he spent seven years playing for Verdão — interrupted by his spell at Al Ain — and has appeared in more than 100 games, winning one Paulistão in 2008, a Copa do Brasil in 2012 and a Série B title in 2013.A Chilean international since the age of 20, he was an integral member of the 2015 Copa América winning squad (the first ever achieved by his national team in its history), having previously appeared in two past editions (2007 and 2011) and in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups. During his years active, Valdivia has reached 7 goals in 78 caps. He is considered one of the greatest playmakers in the Chilean football history and has been praised by football legends like Pelé or Carlos Valderrama. His figure is very prominent at Palmeiras recent history, where he is mostly a divisive figure, but more often considered to be an idol. He also enjoys great fame at Al Ain. He is nicknamed "El Mago" due to his passing ability and skills.
  • Leonel Sanchez
    16

    Leonel Sanchez

    Age: 88
    36 votes
    Leonel Guillermo Sánchez Lineros (25 April 1936 – 2 April 2022) was a Chilean professional footballer who played as a striker on the left wing. He is recognized as one of the Best South American Footballers of the 20th Century and one of the great forwards in the history of the FIFA World Cup. He was goalscorer of the 1962 FIFA World Cup where Chile achieved a historic third place in the largest global event for national teams, was part of the ideal eleven of the World Cup and was awarded the Golden Boot and the Bronze Ball from FIFA. He was also included in the top 100 players of the history of the World Cups by FIFA. At the continental level he was part of the ideal eleven of the América Cup 1956, where together with the Chile national team he won a runner-up. In addition Conmebol included him among the best specialists of free kicks in the history of South America.
  • Ben Brereton
    17

    Ben Brereton

    41 votes
    Benjamin Anthony Brereton (born 18 April 1999) is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for EFL Championship club Blackburn Rovers and the Chile national team. Born in England, Brereton represented his birth country at the under-19 and under-20 levels, before being named in the Chile squad for the 2021 Copa América in Brazil, having qualified for the latter through his mother. When playing for Chile, he uses the name Benjamin Anthony Brereton Díaz as Spanish names use both the father's surname and mother's surname. He then announced in July 2021 he would use the name at club level as well.
  • Marcelo Ramírez
    18

    Marcelo Ramírez

    Age: 58
    16 votes
    Marcelo Antonio Ramírez Gormaz (born May 29, 1965) is a retired Chilean football goalkeeper. He who was capped 37 times for the Chilean national team between 1993 and 2001, and was an unused substitute player for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Ramírez is described as a late bloomer who was quick off the line and experienced success at saving penalty kicks.
  • Leonardo Velíz
    19

    Leonardo Velíz

    Age: 78
    12 votes
    Leonardo Iván Véliz Díaz (born September 3, 1945 in Santiago, Chile) is a former Chilean footballer who played for Everton, O'Higgins, Unión Española and Colo-Colo of Chile and in the Chile national football team in the FIFA World Cup Germany 1974.
  • David Pizarro
    20

    David Pizarro

    Age: 44
    25 votes
    David Marcelo Pizarro Cortés (born 11 September 1979) is a retired Chilean former professional footballer who played as a midfielder and his last team was Chilean Primera División club Universidad de Chile. He is usually deployed as a central midfielder, although he can also operate in a holding role in front of the back-line, in a more attacking position in the hole behind the strikers, or even as a deep-lying playmaker. An intelligent and technically gifted player, who possesses significant physical strength in spite of his diminutive stature, Pizarro is known in particular for his vision, range of passing, dribbling skills, and ability from set pieces. Pizarro began his career in Chile with Santiago Wanderers, and later also played for Universidad de Chile in his home country; he later had spells with several Italian clubs, and also briefly played on loan with English side Manchester City in 2012, before returning to Chile in 2015. During his stay in Italian football, he won one Serie A title (2005–06), three Coppa Italia titles and two Supercoppa Italiana titles, while playing for Inter Milan and Roma; he also played for Udinese and Fiorentina during his time in Italy. His Italian nickname is "Pek", diminutive of "pequeño", meaning "small" in Spanish, because of his short stature (1.68 metres). Pizarro played for the Chile national team, with which he won the Bronze medal at 2000 Summer Olympics, and played at two Copa América tournaments. He made his full debut in 1999, playing at that year's Copa América, and was part of the Chilean squad which won its first ever tournament in 2015. In November 2018, he announced his retirement from professional football. His last match was on December 2, 2018, as a captain of Universidad de Chile, against Curicó Unido.
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  • Pedro Reyes
    21

    Pedro Reyes

    Age: 51
    19 votes
    Pedro Antonio Reyes González (born 13 November 1972 in Antofagasta, Chile) is a former Chilean football defender. He was capped 55 times and scored four goals for the Chilean national team between 1994 and 2001, including four games at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. In that tournament, Chile played to a 2-2 tie with Italy. In the 2000 Summer Olympics, Reyes helped Chile capture the bronze in football.
  • Francisco Valdes
    22

    Francisco Valdes

    Dec. at 66 (1943-2009)
    12 votes
    Francisco Segundo Valdés Muñoz, (19 March 1943 - 10 August 2009), nicknamed Chamaco, was a Chilean footballer and manager. Recognized as one of Chile's most important midfielders, with 215 official goals, he is the top scorer in the history of Chilean league. He was also the uncle of Chilean footballer Sebastián "Chamagol" González.
  • Jorge Aravena
    23

    Jorge Aravena

    Age: 66
    8 votes
    Jorge Orlando Aravena Plaza (born 22 April 1958 in Santiago, Chile) is a retired Chilean footballer. A left-footed attacking midfielder or deep-lying forward, he played for several clubs in Latin America and Europe, including Club Deportivo Universidad Católica, Deportivo Cali and Puebla F.C.. Today, Aravena is considered a major figure in the history of these clubs. In addition, Aravena has managed several clubs in Chile and Latin America. Aravena also represented the Chile national football team. He earned 36 caps in the 1980s, scoring 22 goals.Throughout his career Jorge Aravena scored 285 goals, making him the fifth top scorer in the history of Chilean football and the highest scorer among midfielders.
  • Sergio Navarro
    24

    Sergio Navarro

    Age: 88
    11 votes
    Sergio Raúl Navarro Rodríguez (born February 20, 1936 in Santiago, Chile) is a Chilean former footballer.
  • Jean Beausejour
    25

    Jean Beausejour

    Age: 39
    14 votes
    Jean André Emanuel Beausejour Coliqueo (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈɟʝam boseˈʝuɾ]; born 1 June 1984) is a Chilean professional footballer who plays as a left-sided wing-back for Primera División club Universidad de Chile. He has played in Chile, Switzerland, Brazil, Belgium, Mexico and England, where he won the League Cup with Birmingham City and the FA Cup with Wigan Athletic. Beausejour made his debut for the Chilean national team in 2004 and his 100th appearance for his country in 2018. He was a member of the Copa América-winning squads in 2015 and 2016, and is the only Chilean to score in two consecutive World Cups (2010 and 2014).
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  • Sergio Livingstone
    26

    Sergio Livingstone

    Dec. at 92 (1920-2012)
    15 votes
    Serjio Roberto Livingstone Pohlhammer (26 March 1920 – 11 September 2012), later simply known as Sergio Livingstone, was a Chilean goalkeeper, who later became a well regarded journalist. He was nicknamed "El Sapo" for his typical posture in the goal mouth. From 1938–59 he played primarily for CD Universidad Católica in Santiago. With Chile he took part in seven Copa América and one FIFA World Cup.
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  • Mark González
    27

    Mark González

    Age: 39
    11 votes
    Mark Dennis González Hoffmann (born 10 July 1984) is a Chilean footballer who plays for Chilean club Magallanes as a midfielder. He has also played top flight football in Russia, Spain and England. He was described by José Mari Bakero, the sporting director of Real Sociedad, one of his former clubs, as "fast and explosive, the classic left winger but with technical discipline", while he has claimed himself that his speed is his greatest asset.He made his international debut in 2003, and was selected from Chile for three Copa América tournaments and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
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  • Jaime Ramírez
    28

    Jaime Ramírez

    Dec. at 71 (1931-2003)
    11 votes
    Jaime Ramírez (died 26 February 2003) was a Chilean footballer.
  • Patricio Yáñez
    29

    Patricio Yáñez

    Age: 63
    11 votes
    Patricio Nazario "Pato" Yáñez Candia (born January 20, 1961 in Quilpué) is a retired football player from Chile, who obtained 43 caps for his national team, scoring five goals. He made his debut on June 13, 1979 in a friendly against Ecuador, replacing Jorge Neumann, and had his last match on November 16, 1994 against Argentina. He played for his native country in the 1982 FIFA World Cup.
  • Marcelo Vega
    30

    Marcelo Vega

    Age: 52
    9 votes
    Francisco Marcelo Vega Cepeda (born 12 August 1971) is a retired Chilean football midfielder. He was capped 30 times and scored 1 goal for the Chilean national team between 1991 and 1998. At the 1998 FIFA World Cup he played 45 minutes in the round of 16 match versus Brazil.