José Luis Álvarez (footballer)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | José Luis Álvarez Núñez | ||
| Date of birth | 8 December 1960 | ||
| Place of birth | La Serena, Chile | ||
| Date of death | 2 March 2026 (aged 65) | ||
| Place of death | Doñihue, Chile | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Deportes La Serena | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1978–1980 | Deportes La Serena | ||
| 1981–1983 | Colo-Colo | 49 | (8) |
| 1984 | O'Higgins | 9 | (2) |
| 1984 | Fluminense | 33 | (7) |
| 1985–1986 | Unión La Calera | 0 | (0) |
| 1986 | Magallanes | ||
| 1987 | Deportes La Serena | ||
| 1988 | Deportes Arica | ||
| 1989 | Cobreandino | ||
| 1990 | Sporting Cristal | ||
| 1991 | Jorge Wilstermann | ||
| 1992 | Deportes Melipilla | ||
| 1992 | Municipal Talagante | ||
| International career | |||
| 1979 | Chile U20 | ||
| 1981 | Chile | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
José Luis Álvarez Núñez (8 December 1960 – 2 March 2026) was a Chilean professional footballer who played as a forward for clubs in Chile, Brazil, Peru and Bolivia.
Club career
A product of Deportes La Serena youth system, he was promoted to the first team by the coach Alfonso Sepúlveda[1] and played alongside Sergio Ahumada, his football idol.[2] Then he moved to Colo-Colo in 1981 where he scored 18 goals in official matches.[3]
In Chile, he also played for O'Higgins, Unión La Calera, Magallanes, Deportes Arica, Cobreandino, Deportes Melipilla and Municipal Talagante.[4]
Abroad, he played for Fluminense in Brazil, Sporting Cristal in Peru and Jorge Wilstermann in Bolivia.[4]
International career
Álvarez represented Chile at under-20 level in the 1979 South American Championship.[5]
At senior level, he made an appearance for the Chile national team in a friendly match of the 1981 Copa Juan Pinto Durán versus Uruguay on 29 April,[1] making an assist to his teammate Manuel Rojas.[6]
Post-retirement
Following his retirement, Álvarez studied and worked as a bank clerk.[2] Later, he served as security chief for Colo-Colo.[7]
Álvarez worked as coach for amateur clubs and football academies such as the Colo-Colo Academies based in Doñihue.[8][9]
Álvarez was part of "Colo-Colo de Todos los Tiempos" (Colo-Colo from All Time), a team made up by historical players of Colo-Colo that plays friendly matches around the country.[10]
Personal life and death
Born in La Serena, Chile, his parents were José Álvarez and María Adriana Núñez.[1]
He was well known by his nickname Pelé Álvarez because he used to make feints like the Brazilian historical player.[4]
Álvarez died from complications of liver cancer on 2 March 2026, at the age of 65, in Doñihue, Chile.[11][12]
Honours
Colo-Colo
Fluminense
References
- ^ a b c "José Luis Álvarez". Partidos de La Roja (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 September 2022.
- ^ a b Reportaje a José Luis Álvarez on YouTube (in Spanish)
- ^ "Historia de Colo-Colo - Goleadores de Colo-Colo". historiadecolocolo.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 September 2022.
- ^ a b c "José Luis Álvarez: "Pelé" a la chilena" (in Spanish). La Cuarta. 30 May 2005. Archived from the original on 30 July 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
- ^ Aceituno, Freddy; Álvarez, Ricardo (November 2016). JUEGOS DE CHICOS PROBLEMAS DE GRANDES (PDF) (in Spanish). Santiago: University of Chile. pp. 78, 80. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
- ^ Reyes, Luis (28 March 2018). "5 jugadores que 'se borraron' de la Roja tras un debut soñado" (in Spanish). AS Chile. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
- ^ "Claudio Borghi recordó a "Pelé" Álvarez con particular anécdota: Trabajaron juntos en Colo Colo". Chilevisión (in Spanish). 3 March 2026. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
- ^ González Amado, Pablo (15 April 2010). "O "Pelé" mais grande de Doñihue" (in Spanish). La Cuarta. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
- ^ "Colo Colo reclutó 6 talentos infantiles y juveniles en Doñihue". elurbanorural.cl (in Spanish). 16 December 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
- ^ "ANECDOTARIO: FILOSOFÍA FUTBOLERA DEL "CHUPETE" HORMAZÁBAL" (in Spanish). ANFP. 8 April 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
- ^ "Muere José "Pelé" Álvarez, exdelantero de Colo Colo: fue cuatro veces campeón con los albos". Biobiochile. 2 March 2026. Retrieved 2 March 2026.
- ^ Gutiérrez, Miguel (2 March 2026). "Luto: Muere el histórico y excampeón con Colo Colo en los 80, José Luis "Pelé" Álvarez". Dale Albo (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 March 2026.
External links
- José Luis Álvarez at PartidosdeLaRoja.com (in Spanish)
- José Luis Álvarez at SoloFutbol.cl (in Spanish)
- José Luis Álvarez at WorldFootball.net