Héctor Chumpitaz

Career At the age of 19, Chumpitaz joined a second division team in Peru, the Unidad Vecinal. Chumpitaz became a first division player in 1964, when he was signed by Deportivo Municipal, a team where he stayed until 1965.

During 1966, Chumpitaz began playing for Universitario de Deportes, where he was part of the team that won five Peruvian league championships (1966, 1967, 1969, 1971 and 1974).

Chumpitaz captained the Universitario de Deportes side to a runner-up place in the Copa Libertadores 1972, losing 2–1 to Independiente of Argentina in the final.

In 1973, All-Star teams from the American and European continents played against each other in Barcelona, Spain. Football greats such as Johan Cruyff and Franz Beckenbauer participated in that game. Chumpitaz was selected captain of the American continent's team, thus earning the nickname "America's Captain". The game finished 4–4 and in Penalty kicks, America won 7–6.

The following year, Chumpitaz was signed for the first time by an international club, Club Atlas of Mexico.

In 1977, Chumpitaz went on to play for Sporting Cristal, a team he would play with until 1984. He won three Peruvian league championships (1979, 1980 and 1983) with the team.

Chumpitaz became the national soccer top scoring defender of Peruvian Primera División, with 65 goals in 456 matches.

International career On April 3, 1965, Chumpitaz played his debut game with the Peru national football team when Peru lost to Paraguay, 1–0, in Lima. On May 16, 1965, Chumpitaz played his debut World Cup qualifier game where Peru beat Venezuela, 1–0, in Lima. His debut international game came that same year as Peru and Venezuela held a rematch in Caracas, with Peru defeating the Venezuelans, 6–3.

Chumpitaz secured his first World Cup action when Peru national football team, winning 1–0 in Lima, and soon tied with Argentina, 2–2, on August 31, 1969, in Buenos Aires. Chumpitaz played his first World Cup game on June 2, 1970, when the Peru defeated Bulgaria, 3–2, in León, Mexico. Although Peru advanced to the quarterfinals of that World Cup, they were eliminated by Brazil on June 14 in Guadalajara, by a score of 4–2.

Chumpitaz played for Peru's national team in the Brazil Independence Cup, held between June 18 and 25, 1972, in Manaus, Brazil. He helped his team to the championship game with a 1–0 victory over Venezuela, but Peru lost in its group's final game to Yugoslavia, 2–1.

In 1975, Chumpitaz played for the national team that won the Copa America held in Colombia.

Chumpitaz returned to the World Cup in 1978, when Peru played for the FIFA's most heralded championship in Argentina. Peru played six games in that World Cup, winning two of them. Peru were eliminated after losing to hosts Argentina, 6–0. This would turn out to be Chumpitaz's last World Cup participation; he retired from the Peru national football team after the team qualified for the 1982 World Cup, held in Spain. Chumpitaz played a total of 105 games with the national team.

International goals Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1. June 18, 1969 Estadio Nacional, Lima, Peru 1–1 Draw Friendly 2. June 2, 1970 Estadio Nou Camp, León, Mexico 3–2 Win 1970 FIFA World Cup 3. October 10, 1979 Estadio Nacional, Lima, Peru 2–3 Lost Friendly

Honours

Universitario de Deportes Peruvian League Winner (5): 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1974 Runner-up (1): 1972 Copa Libertadores Runner-up (1): 1972

Sporting Cristal Peruvian League Winner (3): 1979, 1980, 1983 Runner-up (1): 1977

National team Copa América Winner (1): 1975

Individual awards 1969 Best Defender CONMEBOL 1971 Best Defender CONMEBOL 1973 All Stars CONMEBOL: Captain 2000 World Soccer's: The 100 Greatest Footballers of All Time 2004 South American – Player of the Century: Ranking Nº 35 2007 Midfield Dynamo's 10 Heroes of the Copa América 2007 Copa America All-Star team, all-time 2008 All Stars CONMEBOL in the last 50 years 2008 Defender all-time scoring: Ranking Nº 32 Copa América Historical Dream Team: 2011

Career statistics

Current life Despite retiring, Chumpitaz continued being a public figure, and, on December 3, 2004, he was found guilty and sentenced to four years of suspended sentence (probation), for allegedly accepting US$30,000 from presidential advisor and right-hand man Vladimiro Montesinos, supposedly after joining former minister Juan Carlos Hurtado Miller in latter's quest to become mayor of Lima in 1998, during Alberto Fujimori's presidency. After the appeals process, on April 8, 2005, the Supreme Court of Peru nullified the sentence against Chumpitaz.