Last update 3 November, 2022 by Alberto Llopis
When you talk about the best defenders in history, the name of Elias Figueroa always comes out on the charts. Not Brazilian, nor Argentina. Not even Colombian or Uruguayan, traditionally gentilicios of the best players no longer the New Continent, but throughout the world football.
The man we talked about in this article is Chile. To be exact, the best Chilean who has given football and for more details, the best central in the history of South America. For many, at the level of Franz Beckenbauer. The great Elias Figueroa, the colossus, the marshal, the man who for more than 18 years gave meaning to the Chilean defense and the seven teams which played.
Elias Figueroa, one of the best defenders in football history
A native of Valparaiso where he was born in 1946, Figueroa has to give and boring anecdotes. Like what participated in the World Cup in Spain 82 being grandfather (landmark that no one has repeated), like he never took a photo in a match with Diego Armando Maradona (a journalist once addressed Elias Figueroa and he said: "Elias, a picture with Maradona "what the Chilean central replied: "Tell him to come". The journalist goes where Diego and asked him: “Diego, a photo with Elijah ". To which the 10 Argentina replied: "Who is that? Tell her to come and tie my shoelaces "), or how he was chosen best center back in the world 1974, Yeah, the year when Franz Beckenbauer was proclaimed champion of the world.
Raised footballingly in the ranks of the Calera Union, just listen to some comments from his peers put the willies and tells what kind of player are talking: “It is the best center I saw in my life” Menotti said in his day, “If Figueroa had won a World Cup would be the best defender in history”, Pele also commented, “I'm the European Figueroa”, Franz Beckenbauer very words, “Figueroa and Beckenbauer have been the best center unique in history I”, Passarella said in one of the many praises the good of Figueroa.
A central defender ahead of his time
Technically gifted and forceful, safe and expeditious as few, Don Elias could get the ball as soon as the greatest of playing gamers as being a tough but noble defense threw a lock on his goal. It was in the Uruguayan Penarol where the great Chilean central mark a before and after. Architect of three leagues with the Charrúa team where the no less great were found Mazurkiewicz, Spencer and Joya, It was the Super Cup Champions 1969 its only major international trophy won with the final of the Libertadores Cup 1970.
All teams captain who played, would be, however, the Brazilian Porto Alegre International which would make him famous after rejecting an offer from Real Madrid and where he scored one of the goals for history, ‘The illuminated goal‘. Already a full international (did it in 47 meetings and three World), in that team he would win the award for best foreign player ever to set foot in the Brazilian league, in what would be a step four years before returning to Chile.
Although it would be your choice best player in America for three years which will catapult the football altars, those where 40 years later still he belongs under all receiving awards year after year.
And is that as he says "There is not an impossible, We are the result of what we think "and" everyone has the power to conquer their dreams and so everything is possible”. Don Elias Figueroa, simply, Mister Luxury.