José Luis Chilavert

José Luis Félix Chilavert González ({{#invoke:IPA|main}}; born 27 July 1965) is a Paraguayan former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Sportivo Luqueño, Guaraní, San Lorenzo de Almagro, Real Zaragoza, Vélez Sarsfield, RC Strasbourg, Peñarol and the Paraguay national team.

Chilavert won 12 club titles, including the 1994 Copa Libertadores and the 1994 Intercontinental Cup, while playing for Vélez Sarsfield, and is a three-time IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper award winner. A fast and agile shot-stopper, known for his leadership, strong personality, and goalkeeping ability, he was regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world in his prime;<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="98 FWC All-star team">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> outside of his goalkeeping position, Chilavert was also known for his outfield skills and ability as a free kick specialist,<ref name="98 FWC All-star team"/><ref name="theguardian.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and often took penalties.<ref>"They said it: Jose Luis Chilavert". FIFA.com. 24 September 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2013.</ref> He scored 67 goals in his professional career, many of them crucial, including eight in international matches. Four of his international goals were scored during Paraguay's qualification for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Chilavert is the second-highest goalscoring goalkeeper of all time, surpassed only by Brazilian keeper Rogerio Ceni, and is one of only three goalkeepers to score a hat-trick.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Chilavert was also known for his eccentricity and his fiery temper, which brought him his fair share of controversies; most notorious among them was his being sent off in 1997 for brawling with Colombian striker Faustino Asprilla.<ref>"Top 10 Most Eccentric World Cup Goalkeepers" Template:Webarchive. Goal.com. 26 January 2010.</ref> He was nicknamed "El Buldog" ("The Bulldog")<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and often wore a cartoon bulldog on his goalkeeper jersey.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Chilavert appeared for the Paraguay national team 74 times from 1989 to 2003, scoring eight goals and representing the team at five major tournaments. Chilavert appeared for Paraguay at two FIFA World Cup tournaments (1998 and 2002), where he served as captain on both occasions, and appeared in three Copa América tournaments (1991, 1993, and 1997). Chilavert was also included in the 1998 FIFA World Cup Team of the Tournament.

Chilavert ran for president of Paraguay in the 2023 general election under the Party of the Youth,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> getting less than 1% of the popular vote.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Early years

Chilavert grew up in Luque, Gran Asunción,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> in a poor family, and walked barefoot until the age of seven.<ref name="fifa.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His parents were Catalino Chilavert, a state bureaucrat, and Nicolasa González. At the age of five, he had three siblings and two responsibilities: to milk cows and sell the milk in Ñu Guazú, a rural suburb of Luque.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> One of his siblings, Rolando Chilavert, was also a football player.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Club career

Chilavert made his footballing debut with Sportivo Luqueño, where he was trained by Modesto Sandoval. In 1989, he played for the Paraguay national team for the first time.Template:Citation needed

He later moved to Spain, where he played for Real Zaragoza. In 1988, whilst Chilavert played for Real Zaragoza, he stated that "the fans used to freak out" when he would come out with the ball at his feet and "scream at me to get back in goal. I've never stopped to think about what others are saying. I just rely on my abilities. Later on, I started to practice penalties and free kicks until they gave me the job for real".<ref name="fifa.com"/> Chilavert admitted to staying behind after training to practice 80 to 120 free kicks, which in his opinion was how he got better.<ref name="theguardian.com"/><ref name="fifa.com"/>

After his time at Real Zaragoza, he moved to Argentina, where he played with Vélez Sársfield, helping them win the Primera División four times, as well as the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup, both in 1994. In 1999, he became the first goalkeeper known to score a hat-trick in the history of professional football, while playing for Vélez against Ferro Carril Oeste, scoring all three goals through penalties.<ref name="three">"Chilavert at the treble" Template:Webarchive. The Guardian. 30 November 1999. Retrieved 13 March 2013.</ref> He also scored a free kick from behind the half-way line against River Plate.<ref name="fifa">"José Luis Chilavert: I will try to score in Germany". FIFA. 21 January 2003. Retrieved 13 March 2013.</ref>

In the 2001 Coupe de France Final, Chilavert scored the winning penalty in the shootout victory over Amiens.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

International career

Chilavert was voted World Goalkeeper of the Year by the IFFHS in 1995, 1997, and 1998.Template:Citation needed He was sent off alongside Faustino Asprilla in the qualifiers, in which Asprilla had to convince a hitman to not murder Chilavert afterwards.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Chilavert participated in the 1998 World Cup, where he became the first goalkeeper ever to take a direct free kick in the World Cup finals, almost scoring against Bulgaria.<ref>"BULGARIA 0, PARAGUAY 0". CNN Sports Illustrated. 12 June 1998. Retrieved 13 March 2013. </ref> With two clean sheets in the first round, he helped take Paraguay to the round of sixteen, where the team lost to France on a golden goal scored by Laurent Blanc.<ref>"France sinks Paraguay with golden goal". CNN Sports Illustrated. 23 September 1998. Retrieved 13 March 2013. </ref> Chilavert had made boasts about being the Cup's best goalkeeper before the tournament,<ref name="cnn/si"/>Template:Dead link and after the tournament, FIFA indeed named Chilavert on the tournament All-Star Squad for his performances, alongside French goalkeeper Fabien Barthez.<ref>"FIFA's All-Star Team" Template:Webarchive. The Washington Post (Associated Press) 10 July 1998.</ref><ref>"Blatter praises Owen, Chilavert" Template:Webarchive. CNN Sports Illustrated. 11 July 1998. Retrieved 13 March 2013.</ref>

Chilavert refused to take part in the 1999 Copa América, angering the Paraguayan government, as he claimed funding should be used for education.<ref>Paraguay Player Profiles Template:Webarchive. CNN Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 13 March 2013.</ref>

FIFA gave Chilavert a four-game suspension (later reduced to three) for spitting on Brazil's Roberto Carlos at the conclusion of a 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification game. As a result, he watched Paraguay's first game of the 2002 World Cup against South Africa from the stands.<ref name="cnn/si">"Flamboyant Chilavert still Paraguay's biggest star" Template:Webarchive. CNN Sports Illustrated. 25 April 2002.</ref> Chilavert accused Roberto Carlos of racism and of making obscene gestures during the match.<ref name="fifa"/> Chilavert later claimed that Roberto Carlos came up to him after the match and said "Indian, we have won 2–0, you are a disaster".<ref name="guardian">"Chilavert accuses Roberto Carlos of racism" Template:Webarchive. The Guardian. 23 August 2001. Retrieved 13 March 2013.</ref> He also justified his action by saying he had been provoked by the Brazilians, who had called him the weakest link of Paraguay before the match, and also claimed the match was like a war and that Brazil should return land to Paraguay lost in the War of the Triple Alliance in the 19th century.<ref name="guardian"/>

Before the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Paraguay manager Cesare Maldini had faced criticism in Paraguay, but Chilavert defended Maldini for his experience.<ref>"Chilavert backs Maldini" . BBC Sport. 26 April 2002. Retrieved 13 March 2013.</ref> He also expressed great confidence in the ability of the Paraguayan team and downplayed his role on the team.<ref>"Chilavert: It's not all about me" . BBC Sport. 11 April 2002. Retrieved 13 March 2013.</ref> During the World Cup, Chilavert made an error against Spain on Morientes' 2–1 goal as Paraguay lost 3–1. Chilavert almost redeemed himself later with a good free kick attempt, but the shot was saved by Casillas.<ref>"Spain 3-1 Paraguay; Spain reach last 16" . BBC Sport. 7 June 2002. Retrieved 13 March 2013.</ref> Before the match, Chilavert had vowed to score against Spain if Paraguay got a free kick "within range".<ref>"Chilavert vows to score against Spain" . BBC Sport. 14 May 2002. Retrieved 13 March 2013.</ref> Before the last match in the group stage, Paraguay had to beat Slovenia and Spain had to beat South Africa, with a combined margin of three goals, for Paraguay to go through to the last 16. The match started badly for Paraguay, with Carlos Paredes sent off in the 21st minute, and continued with Milenko Ačimovič taking the lead for the Slovenians right before half-time after Chilavert failed to grip the ball and allowed it to slip between his legs into the goal. But Paraguay – inspired by substitutes Nelson Cuevas and Jorge Campos – recovered to defeat Slovenia 3–1, scoring three times in the last 25 minutes, and when Spain also defeated South Africa 3–2, that victory meant that Paraguay was through to the next round, where they would play Germany.<ref>"Slovenia 1–3 Paraguay; Paraguay snatch vital win" . BBC Sport. 12 June 2002. Retrieved 13 March 2013.</ref><ref>"Chilavert proud of Paraguay" . BBC Sport. 12 June 2002. Retrieved 13 March 2013.</ref> In their second-round match against Germany, despite several saves from Chilavert, Paraguay lost 1–0, courtesy of a late Oliver Neuville goal.<ref name="fifa"/><ref>"Germany 1-0 Paraguay; Germany edge out Paraguay" . BBC Sport. 15 June 2002. Retrieved 13 March 2013.</ref>

In total, Chilavert earned 74 international caps for Paraguay and achieved a goalkeeper record of eight international goals.Template:Citation needed He retired from international football in 2003.<ref>"José Luis Chilavert: Football misses me". FIFA. 24 November 2005. Retrieved 13 March 2013.</ref>

Retirement and post-career

File:Chilavert 2014.jpg

Chilavert in 2014, during an interview aired by La TV Pública of Argentina

Chilavert announced his retirement from football in December 2003, but decided to come out of retirement to return to Vélez. Chilavert had just won the Uruguayan league with Peñarol when he initially retired. He finally retired permanently in 2004, playing his last match, a farewell testimonial, on 11 November of that year – fittingly, he scored a goal.<ref>"Chilavert scores in emotional farewell". Eurosport.com (Reuters). 15 November 2004.</ref>

In 2005, Chilavert received a suspended six-month prison sentence in France for the use of false documents related to the compensation for the end of his contract with Strasbourg.<ref>"Chilavert gets suspended jail term" Template:Webarchive. ESPN Soccernet (Reuters). 9 July 2005.</ref>

Chilavert was a commentator for American television network Univision during the 2006 FIFA World Cup and 2010 FIFA World Cup, alongside Jorge Pérez-Navarro.Template:Citation needed Chilavert vowed that if he had gone to the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, he would have tried again to become the first goalkeeper to score a goal.<ref name="fifa.com"/>

Personal life and personality

Chilavert is married to Marcela, an English language teacher he met in Buenos Aires while playing for San Lorenzo de Almagro. In 1998, they had a daughter named Anahí.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Controversies

Chilavert has allegedly thrown punches at Faustino Asprilla and Diego Maradona.<ref name="news.bbc.co.uk">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was suspended for four matches for his altercation with the former that occurred during a World Cup qualifier in 1997.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

He once received a suspended prison sentence for attacking a physiotherapist.<ref name="theguardian.com"/>

Chilavert was a guest commentator for Univision during the Copa América Centenario but was removed from the broadcasts after CONMEBOL President Alejandro Dominguez told the network to remove Chilavert. Chilavert had criticized Dominguez and called him corrupt on the air during Paraguay's Group A match against Colombia.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2018, Chilavert called for the expulsion of the British ambassador to Paraguay Matthew Hedges after the latter made controversial statements about the conviction of 12 farmers in a case relating to the violent deaths of six police officers and 11 rural workers in 2012. During the altercation, Chilavert made anglophobic and homophobic comments, the latter referencing Hedges's homosexuality, calling him 'anormal'.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Leadership and morality

Chilavert defended Cesare Maldini from press criticism when Maldini was appointed as Paraguay's coach for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Chilavert stated that "About 90% of sports journalists in Paraguay are incompetent" and welcomed criticism following Paraguay's performance in Korea and Japan if they were to perform poorly.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

During his career, Chilavert was touted as Paraguay's future president.<ref name="news.bbc.co.uk"/> Chilavert was labelled "a revolutionary the kind of which South America has not seen since the days of Che Guevara."<ref name="news.bbc.co.uk"/>

Chilavert refused to participate at the 1999 Copa América on home soil, complaining about the incompetence of the local directors. Despite being officially honoured by the government, he said that his country should invest money in education rather than football.<ref name="thenational.ae">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="wsc.co.uk">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Chilavert also routinely dismissed his country's politicians as corrupt, incompetent and responsible for keeping many Paraguayans in poverty. He claimed that when his playing days were over, he would stand for president and enforce his own brand of law and order.<ref name="wsc.co.uk"/>

During 2008 and 2009, the former goalkeeper demonstrated his support for Paraguayan Olympic thrower Edgar Baumann against corruption in Paraguayan sport when the athlete had been robbed of his right to compete at the 2000 Sydney Olympics due to a scandal from the Paraguayan Olympic Committee. Chilavert supported Baumann during the lawsuit which had been filed against the Olympic Committee with Chilavert stated that the then president of the Olympic Committee, Ramón Zubizarreta, should be expulsed for hurting athletes and not giving them benefits.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2009, Chilavert, along with Claudio Escauriza, Tomás Orué and lawyer Alejandro Rubin, attended a Press Conference at Asunción Shopping Centre Shopping del Sol, in support of Edgar Baumann, who had received a favourable ruling from the Paraguay Supreme Court in a case against the Paraguay Olympic Committee president Ramón Zubizarreta for robbing him the right of competing at the 2000 Summer Olympics and also taking his sums of money that he earned from his scholarship.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition<ref>Template:NFT</ref>Template:Citation needed<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Club	Season	League			Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Sportivo Luqueño	1982	Paraguayan Primera División	30	0	–		–		–		30	0
	1983		37	4	–		–		–		37	4
	1984		0	0	–		3	0	–		3	0
	Total		67	4	0	0	3	0	0	0	70	4
Guaraní	1984	Paraguayan Primera División	19	1	–		–		–		19	1
San Lorenzo	1985	Argentine Primera División	10	0	–		–		–		10	0
	1985–86		38	0	–		–		–		38	0
	1986–87		31	0	–		–		–		31	0
	1987–88		43	0	–		–		–		43	0
	Total		122	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	122	0
Real Zaragoza	1988–89	La Liga	37	0	2	0	–		–		39	0
	1989–90		34	1	4	0	4	0	–		42	1
	1990–91		8	0	1	0	–		–		9	0
	Total		79	1	7	0	4	0	0	0	90	1
Vélez Sarsfield	1991–92	Argentine Primera División	18	0	–		–		4Template:Efn	0	22	0
	1992–93		30	1	–		0	0	–		30	1
	1993–94		23	0	–		13	0	–		36	0
	1994–95		34	1	–		4	0	2Template:Efn	0	40	1
	1995–96		34	4	–		2	0	2Template:Efn	0	38	4
	1996–97		24	6	–		16	4	1Template:Efn	1	41	11
	1997–98		35	10	–		6	2	–		41	12
	1998–99		26	4	–		17	2	–		43	6
	1999–2000		34	8	–		2	0	–		36	8
	2000–01		8	2	–		6	3	–		14	5
	Total		266	36	0	0	66	11	9	1	341	48
Strasbourg	2000–01	Division 1	17	0	5	1	–		0	0	22	1
	2001–02	Division 2	33	0	4	0	2	0	5Template:Efn	0	44	0
	2002–03	Division 1	0	0	0	0	–		0	0	0	0
	Total		50	0	9	1	2	0	5	0	66	1
Peñarol	2003	Uruguayan Primera División	14	4	–		0	0	1Template:Efn	0	15	4
Vélez Sarsfield	2003–04	Argentine Primera División	0	0	–		6	0	–		6	0
Career total			617	46	16	1	81	11	15	1	729	59

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year<ref>"José Luis Félix Chilavert – International Appearances" Template:Webarchive. RSSSF. Retrieved 4 March 2013.</ref>

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Paraguay	1989	2	1
	1990	0	0
	1991	6	0
	1992	0	0
	1993	10	1
	1994	0	0
	1995	0	0
	1996	7	1
	1997	9	1
	1998	10	0
	1999	3	0
	2000	13	2
	2001	7	2
	2002	5	0
	2003	2	0
Total		74	8

Scores and results list Paraguay's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Chilavert goal.

List of international goals scored by José Luis Chilavert

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	27 August 1989	Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay	Template:Fb	2–1	2–1	1990 World Cup qualifier
2	15 August 1993	Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay	Template:Fb	2–0	2–1	1994 World Cup qualifier
3	1 September 1996	Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina	Template:Fb	1–1	1–1	1998 World Cup qualifier
4	17 June 1997	Estadio Félix Capriles, Cochabamba, Bolivia	Template:Fb	1–0	1–1	1997 Copa América
5	7 October 2000	Estadio El Campín, Bogotá, Colombia	Template:Fb	2–0	2–0	2002 World Cup qualifier
6	15 November 2000	Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay	Template:Fb	5–1	5–1	2002 World Cup qualifier
7	5 September 2001	Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay	Template:Fb	3–1	5–1	2002 World Cup qualifier
8	7 October 2001	Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay	Template:Fb	1–0	2–2	2002 World Cup qualifier

Honours

Guarani

• Primera División: 1984

Vélez Sársfield

• Primera División: 1993 Clausura, 1995 Apertura, 1996 Clausura, 1998 Clausura
• Copa Libertadores: 1994
• Intercontinental Cup: 1994
• Copa Interamericana: 1994 (played in 1996)
• Supercopa Sudamericana: 1996
• Recopa Sudamericana: 1997

Strasbourg

• Coupe de France: 2000–01

Peňarol

• Primera División: 2003

Individual

• Equipo Ideal de América: 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
• IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper: 1995,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> 1997,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 1998<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Footballer of the Year of Argentina: 1996
• South American Footballer of the Year: 1996
• FIFA World Cup: All-star team 1998
• FIFA XI: 2001<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• World Soccer: The 100 Greatest Footballers of All Time
• IFFHS Legends<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Copa América Historical Dream Team: 2011

External links

• Template:FIFA player
• IFFHS' World's Best Goalkeeper of the Year at RSSSF
• The World's most successful goalscoring Goalkeepers of all time at IFFHS