FIFA World Cup 2010
Chile
 ChileChilean Football Federation Best Results
World Cup Third place, 1962 Copa América Second place, 1955, 1956,1979, 1987 Olympic medal Bronze 2000 |
After 12 years of absence from the World Cups, Chile returns to the most important soccer tournament in the world for the South Africa 2010 edition. The Chilean football team had failed to return to a world cup since its participation in the 1998 France World Cup. Now, after a major reorganization on the team, Chile qualified in second place of CONMEBOL, after a successful knockout stage.
The Chilean expectations are very high for this tournament. During the qualifying stage, the national team brought the victory taste back to its country. This stage seemed to be very comfortable for the Chileans, contrary to the previous two World Cup qualifying stages, in which Chile ended in the bottom of its area table.
While soccer fans still remember with nostalgia the famous Za-Sa duo between Ivan Zamorano and Marcelo Salas that shined in France 12 years ago, this year other players will be the ones in charge of leaving a footprint in the Chilean history.
Qualifying Stage
Since the very beginning of the CONMEBOL's World Cup Qualifying, Chile fought very hard to get one of the four automatic qualifications of their zone against the best teams in South America.
Despite starting with a defeat against Argentina, Chile had the best qualifying stage of their history. After big wins, including a 4-0 at home and a 4-2 against Colombia and a 2-0 and 3-1 against Peru, the Chilean team qualified one game prior the end of the stage, in the second place of the area, just a point behind the favorite, Brazil.
Chile's excellent offensive strategy on any court was the key aspect for the team leaded by the Argentine Marcelo Bielsa during the qualifying stage. Chile was ranked the second team with the most effective attack of the qualifying stage, scoring a total of 32 goals. Chile was also the most successful team, with 10 victories, and had the top scorer of the competition, Humberto
Players
The Chilean team's main advantage is its dangerous offensive. The key figures in the team are the strikers Matias Fernandez, Alexis Sanchez and Humberto Suazo. This impressive trio that in 2006 led Colo-Colo to a national championship is willing to give everything for its country in South Africa.
Head Coach
The Argentine Marcelo Bielsa was well-recognized as a player in the seventies and eighties, but it was not until the nineties that he began to collect its greatest triumphs as a coach. His first experience as a coach of a national team was with Argentina from 1998 to 2004.
In his country, Bielsa has been both criticized and praised. Despite of winning the Olympic gold medal for the “Albiceleste” in 2004, the fans have not yet forgiven him for the failure of Argentina in the World Cup 2002, where the team was eliminated in the group stage. Now in charge of the Chilean national team since 2007, Bielsa hopes to continue the good streak the team had in the qualifying stage and that way redeem himself from the 2002 disappointment.