Alex Amílcar Erazo
Encyclopedia
Alexander Amílcar Erazo Meléndez (born July 28, 1980 in El Salvador
) is a Salvadoran football player who currently plays for Luis Ángel Firpo
in the Salvadoran Premier division.
and joined premier division side Alianza
three years later. In 2005 he moved to rivals Águila
where he became joined top goalscorer and won a championship medal when he scored twice in the final of the 2006 Clausura. He returned to Alianza in 2009 only to leave them for Luis Ángel Firpo
a year later.
. The national team at the time was coached by Juan Ramón Paredes
, and this game was used as a way to test players that had previously not played for the national team. It was not registered by FIFA as a full international friendly. Unfortunately, Erazo did not have a great game and only played 46 minutes until being subbed off for Ludwig Meraz. His official debut came on April 28 the following year, when he was part of a friendly match against Colombia
that was played at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
in Washington.
After a couple of years of being overlooked by national team management, Erazo was finally once again given a chance to prove himself under new head coach Carlos de los Cobos
on November 15, 2006 in a friendly against Bolivia
. In this game Erazo scored a brilliant goal, and impressed many with his great speed, athleticism and play off the ball. After this game, Erazo became somewhat of a key player for the national team and started every game.
In February 2007, El Salvador hosted the UNCAF Nations Cup
, and it was no surprise to anyone to see Erazo was selected in the team. Controversially, before the tournament even started, Erazo stated that he would score a minimum of five goals during the event. This was seen by many as a bad move considering that at the time, the national team had a lot of problems with scoring. But considering that El Salvador had two games against traditionally weaker teams like Nicaragua
and Belize
, it was not seen as impossible for Erazo to achieve what he intended. As the event began, Erazo was played from the offset in the starting 11, but as the games went on and he did not score, Carlos de los Cobos
began to look at other alternatives and Erazo began to get subbed early in the games. When the event ended, Erazo finished with zero goals, and although he showed various glimpses of great play, many fans and officials asked for Carlos de los Cobos
to look for other players in his position. As a result, Erazo has not played again with the national team since that last game in the UNCAF Nations Cup
against Guatemala
on February 18, 2007. Many feel that this is because he failed to live up to the hype that he put on himself, while many other believe that his ego had a negative effect on the team.
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
) is a Salvadoran football player who currently plays for Luis Ángel Firpo
C.D. Luis Angel Firpo
Club Deportivo Luis Ángel Firpo is an football club based in Usulután, El Salvador that plays in the Primera División de Fútbol Profesional. It has been one of the most successful clubs in El Salvador, having won 9 titles, firstly in 1989. Only FAS and Águila hold more league titles than Firpo,...
in the Salvadoran Premier division.
Club career
Nicknamed el Paleta, Erazo started his career at third division side Los Angeles from San Luis TalpaSan Luis Talpa
San Luis Talpa is a municipality in the La Paz department of El Salvador. It is close to Cuscatlan International Airport, which itself is about five miles from the capital, San Salvador....
and joined premier division side Alianza
Alianza F.C.
Alianza Fútbol Club, also known simply as Alianza, is a football club based in San Salvador, El Salvador. Alianza is one of the most popular and successful clubs in El Salvador...
three years later. In 2005 he moved to rivals Águila
C.D. Águila
Club Deportivo Águila is a Salvadoran football club based in San Miguel. They currently play in the Primera División de Fútbol Profesional, and are one of the most prestigious teams in the country along with long-time rivals Club Deportivo FAS...
where he became joined top goalscorer and won a championship medal when he scored twice in the final of the 2006 Clausura. He returned to Alianza in 2009 only to leave them for Luis Ángel Firpo
C.D. Luis Angel Firpo
Club Deportivo Luis Ángel Firpo is an football club based in Usulután, El Salvador that plays in the Primera División de Fútbol Profesional. It has been one of the most successful clubs in El Salvador, having won 9 titles, firstly in 1989. Only FAS and Águila hold more league titles than Firpo,...
a year later.
International career
Erazo made his debut with the Salvadoran national team on August 30, 2003 in a friendly match against MLS side D.C. UnitedD.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
. The national team at the time was coached by Juan Ramón Paredes
Juan Ramon Paredes
Juan Ramón Paredes Zelaya is a former Salvadoran football player and manager. He is currently the manager of Atlético Marte in the Salvadoran Premier Division.-Alianza F.C.:...
, and this game was used as a way to test players that had previously not played for the national team. It was not registered by FIFA as a full international friendly. Unfortunately, Erazo did not have a great game and only played 46 minutes until being subbed off for Ludwig Meraz. His official debut came on April 28 the following year, when he was part of a friendly match against Colombia
Colombia national football team
The Colombian national football team represents Colombia in international football competitions and is controlled by the Colombian Football Federation. It is a member of the CONMEBOL...
that was played at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Washington, D.C., United States, and the current home of MLS's D.C. United....
in Washington.
After a couple of years of being overlooked by national team management, Erazo was finally once again given a chance to prove himself under new head coach Carlos de los Cobos
Carlos de los Cobos
Carlos de los Cobos Martínez is a Mexican former football player. He last coached the Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-Playing career:...
on November 15, 2006 in a friendly against Bolivia
Bolivia national football team
The Bolivia national football team is the national team of Bolivia and is controlled by the Federación Boliviana de Fútbol. After playing in the 1930 and 1950 World Cups, they qualified just once—in 1994...
. In this game Erazo scored a brilliant goal, and impressed many with his great speed, athleticism and play off the ball. After this game, Erazo became somewhat of a key player for the national team and started every game.
In February 2007, El Salvador hosted the UNCAF Nations Cup
UNCAF Nations Cup
The Copa Centroamericana is a biennial association football tournament, held for the CONCACAF national teams of Central America: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. The tournament has been held since 1991 as the UNCAF Nations Cup and doubles as a...
, and it was no surprise to anyone to see Erazo was selected in the team. Controversially, before the tournament even started, Erazo stated that he would score a minimum of five goals during the event. This was seen by many as a bad move considering that at the time, the national team had a lot of problems with scoring. But considering that El Salvador had two games against traditionally weaker teams like Nicaragua
Nicaragua national football team
The Nicaragua national football team is the national team of Nicaragua and is controlled by the Nicaraguan Football Federation. It is among the weakest teams in Central America and achieved its first qualification to a major international competition in 2009, when they qualified for the 2009...
and Belize
Belize national football team
The Belize national football team is the national team of Belize and is controlled by the Football Federation of Belize. It is affiliated to the Central American Football Union of CONCACAF...
, it was not seen as impossible for Erazo to achieve what he intended. As the event began, Erazo was played from the offset in the starting 11, but as the games went on and he did not score, Carlos de los Cobos
Carlos de los Cobos
Carlos de los Cobos Martínez is a Mexican former football player. He last coached the Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-Playing career:...
began to look at other alternatives and Erazo began to get subbed early in the games. When the event ended, Erazo finished with zero goals, and although he showed various glimpses of great play, many fans and officials asked for Carlos de los Cobos
Carlos de los Cobos
Carlos de los Cobos Martínez is a Mexican former football player. He last coached the Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer.-Playing career:...
to look for other players in his position. As a result, Erazo has not played again with the national team since that last game in the UNCAF Nations Cup
UNCAF Nations Cup
The Copa Centroamericana is a biennial association football tournament, held for the CONCACAF national teams of Central America: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. The tournament has been held since 1991 as the UNCAF Nations Cup and doubles as a...
against Guatemala
Guatemala national football team
The Guatemala national football team is the association football team representing the country of Guatemala and is controlled by the Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala. Founded in 1919, it affiliated to FIFA in 1946, and it is a member of CONCACAF....
on February 18, 2007. Many feel that this is because he failed to live up to the hype that he put on himself, while many other believe that his ego had a negative effect on the team.
International goals
- Scores and results list El Salvador's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1 15 November 2006 Estadio Hernando Siles Estadio Hernando SilesEstadio Hernando Siles is a sports stadium in La Paz, Bolivia. It is the country's largest sports complex with a capacity of 42,000 seated spectators and is named after Hernando Siles Reyes, the 31st President of Bolivia...
, La PazLa PazNuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of the La Paz Department, and the second largest city in the country after Santa Cruz de la Sierra...
, BoliviaBoliviaBolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
1-3 1-5 Friendly match