Peru

Famous People from Peru: Famous Peruvian Footballers/Soccer Players

The following Peruvian athletes dedicated themselves in promoting and inspiring people about football, one of the most well-loved sports in the world.

Claudio Pizarro
Claudio Miguel Pizarro Bosio is a Peruvian football forward. Pizarro plays for Werder Bremen of the German Bundesliga. He also plays for the Peru national team, for which he has 56 caps. On 23 October 2010, Claudio Pizarro surpassed the 133 goals record previously reached by Giovane Elber, making him the top foreign scorer in German football history, when he scored with his team, Werder Bremen against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Nolberto Solano
Nolberto Albino Solano Todco, commonly known as “Nobby” or “Ñol”, is a Peruvian football player, who currently plays for Championship side Hull City. He has spent much of his career in the English Premier League. He is a popular figure in his native Peru, where he is seen as one of the most famous Peruvians, appearing on a postage stamp, telephone cards and having his wedding televised live. His talents in football range from accurate crosses to accomplished dead-ball skills and he has traditionally played either on the right wing or as a right back during his career. He is the first choice player to take corner and direct free kicks. Solano is the first Peruvian to play in the Premier League and the FA Cup Final. He is also an accomplished trumpet player and has set up his own Salsa band, The Geordie Latinos. He has described himself as an “adopted Geordie.”

Jefferson Farfán
Jefferson Agustín Farfán Guadalupe, also known as “La Foquita”, is a Peruvian football player, playing for Schalke 04 in the German Bundesliga. Farfán is currently an important player for the Peru national team. Since making his debut for the side in February 2003, he has already gained more than 30 caps. He has also contributed vital goals for PSV both domestically as well as in the UEFA Champions League which saw PSV enjoying a fine run to the semi-finals in the 2004-05 season. Jefferson Farfán ended the South American 2006 World Cup qualifiers as the second top scorer, with seven goals.

Hugo “Cholo” Sotil
Hugo Alejandro Sotil Yerén is a Peruvian former professional football player.
Nicknamed El Cholo, he played as a striker or midfielder. Together with Teofilo Cubillas and Héctor Chumpitaz, he was one of Peru’s most recognized football players of the 1970s. He also was a popular player in Peru, and a biopic on his life was released in that decade. Sotil was part of the Peruvian squad that won the Copa América 1975. He also played for Peru at the 1970 and 1978 FIFA World Cups. Sotil won the 1973-74 La Liga title with FC Barcelona, with Johan Cruyff as a teammate.