Branco Ampuero

Erwin Branco Ampuero Vera (; born 19 July 1993), known as Branco Ampuero, is a Chilean professional footballer who plays for Chilean club Universidad Católica as a centre-back.

Club career He made his professional debut in 2010 with Deportes Puerto Montt. His exceptional aerial ability secured him a consistent starting role in the majority of matches for the "Albiverdes." Driven by his significant potential and strong performances at Puerto Montt, Branco took a major step forward in mid-2014 when he was signed by Deportes Antofagasta. During this period, he maintained remarkable consistency and further refined his technical skills, establishing himself as one of the squad's core strengths.

Universidad Católica On June 21, 2017, Universidad Católica officially announced the defender's arrival to the squad. Following the return of the season-long tournament format, he celebrated the 2018 Primera División title with the club.

Due to limited playing time with Universidad Católica, Ampuero was sent on loan to Deportes Antofagasta for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Upon his return to the club in 2021, Ampuero achieved further success, winning the 2020 Supercopa, the 2021 Supercopa, and the 2021 Primera División championship.

Following his consistent performances for the club, Ampuero has regularly renewed his contract with Universidad Católica. At the start of the 2026 season, he signed a contract extension, securing his stay at the club through 2027.

International career He was called up by Chile's head coach, Juan Antonio Pizzi, for the 2017 China Cup friendly tournament held in January. He did not feature in the semifinal match against Croatia on January 11, which ended in a 1–1 draw before "La Roja" secured a 4–1 victory in a penalty shootout.

Four days later, he appeared in the tournament final, entering the pitch in the 91st minute as a substitute for Leonardo Valencia. Wearing the number 4 jersey, he participated in the match against Iceland, which Chile won 1–0 with a goal by Ángelo Sagal. With this victory, he and his team were crowned 2017 China Cup champions.

Career statistics Club

International

Honours Deportes Puerto Montt Segunda División: 2018

Universidad Católica Primera División: 2018, 2021 Supercopa de Chile: 2020, 2021

Chile China Cup: 2017