Claudio Pizarro
Encyclopedia
Claudio Miguel Pizarro Bosio (born 3 October 1978 in Callao
, Peru
) is a Peru
vian football forward
. Pizarro plays for Werder Bremen
of the German Bundesliga
. He also plays for the Peru national team
, for which he has 60 caps
.
On 23 October 2010, 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
.
in Callao
. He started his professional career playing with Deportivo Pesquero
, a small provincial team in the city of Chimbote
in the north of Peru, at the age of seventeen. His first professional game was in 1996 against Alianza Lima
. He scored his first two goals two weeks later against Atletico Torino
in the victory of Deportivo Pesquero 2–1.
. Later that year, he earned his first cap for the Peru national football team
.
and Barcelona
of Spain, Internazionale
of Italy, and Werder's Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund
were in the running to sign Pizarro. The most speculated transfer in Peruvian football monopolized the interest of the national press. After seeming destined for Spain, Pizarro ended weeks of speculation by signing for Bayern Munich
on 7 June 2001.
and German Cup
double in 2003.
The "Anden-Bomber" ("Andes
Bomber", a reference to his South American home country as well as legendary Bayern striker Gerd Müller
, who was nicknamed "Bomber") or sometimes called "Inca God" by the media, started well with Bayern Munich scoring his first goal with the Bavarian team in the fourth minute of the game against Schalke 04
(the second date of the Bundesliga 2001–02).
Pizarro's contract with the German champions expired at the end of the 2006–07 season and negotiations on an extension were not making progress, with Sevilla
, Benfica and Rangers
ready to step in and make a move. Pizarro later rejected a contract extension offered by Bayern chairman Franz Beckenbauer
, demanding an increase in pay which angered Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
who was quoted saying that "Anyone wishing to earn as much as Shevchenko
had better start playing like Shevchenko."
On 20 May 2007, Bayern Munich announced Pizarro would be leaving the club.
officially signed Pizarro and confirmed that he had completed his medical and agreed on personal terms to join the club on a Bosman transfer, signing a four-year deal. He is the first Peruvian to sign for Chelsea. Pizarro also revealed that his decision was largely influenced by the advice of his national team team-mate Nolberto Solano
, who played in England with Newcastle, and West Ham United
, as well as Manchester United
's Owen Hargreaves
, who at the time also played for Bayern Munich.
Pizarro was assigned the number 14, the same number he wears for Peru, and his former shirt number at Bayern Munich. He succeeded Geremi as the holder of the shirt number 14 at Chelsea. His Chelsea career got off to a good start, scoring a goal on his debut on the opening weekend of the 2007–08 Premier League season. However, after José Mourinho
's departure, and the signing of French striker Nicolas Anelka
, Pizarro found himself surplus to requirements by the then new manager Avram Grant. Pizarro did play an important role in Chelsea
progressing to the fourth round of the FA Cup
2008, by contributing to the goal which rebounded off QPR
keeper Lee Camp
and into the net. He then went on to score the only goal in a match against Birmingham
.
. Soon after the announcement that Pizarro would be joining the team, a large group of Werder Bremen fans lined up to buy the new Pizarro jersey showing that Pizarro is still appreciated in Bremen, seven years after leaving the club. He has been assigned the number 24 jersey and has been decisive and important for the club, scoring many goals.
Pizarro's role has been fundamental in the qualification of Werder to the UEFA Cup
Final, helping score goals and eliminate teams such as A.C. Milan
and German rivals Hamburg
, amongst others. However with the absence of Werder playmaker Diego
from the final with Shakhtar Donetsk, Pizarro could not save the team from a 2–1 defeat after extra time.
scorer with 16 goals and reached the top foreign scorer record. On 23 October 2010, Pizarro scored his 134th goal in the Bundesliga making him the top scoring foreign-born player in the league history after being level with Giovane Elber.
Pizarro has been a regular for Peru
since 1999, and was the captain succeeding Nolberto Solano. His career in the national team has not mirrored his club career, as he has scored only 13 goals, only 6 of which have been in competitive matches. Pizarro has been a starting player in the qualifying tournaments for the 2002 Japan-Korea World Cup, the 2006 Germany World Cup, and the first three games of the 2010 South Africa World Cup. Fans of the Peruvian national team have complained of his lackluster performance in the qualifiers: only three goals scored throughout three tournaments.
In the Copa América 2004
when playing for the Peruvian National team he suffered a fractured skull, when he took an elbow to the head in an on-field collision during a 3–1 win over Venezuela which forced him out of the Copa America and required extensive surgery in Germany. He was not able to play for over three months after the incident.
Under the management of Julio César Uribe
, Pizarro played for Peru in the 2007 Copa América, scoring two goals against Bolivia
.
On 7 December 2007, an investigation on having introduced women and alcohol into the national squad's hotel two days before Peru's away drubbing at the hands of Ecuador (5–1) started running, and Pizarro has thus been suspended 18 months from the national team starting on the day before the match. Other Peruvian players based overseas like Jefferson Farfán
and others were also suspended. Since Pizarro claimed to be innocent, he started a trial against the Peruvian Football Federation. This action alerted FIFA about the case who warned the player about not taking it to the regular judges or he could face an international ban.
On 3 July 2008, after an investigation and a review of the facts, the suspension was changed to only three months (from the date of appeal in April 2008) and $10,000 fine. Pizarro served the three month ban.
On 17 April 2009, Pizarro won a court victory over his national federation.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport
overturned a $10,000 fine imposed on Pizarro by the Peruvian football association after the alleged November 2007 incident. "The facts put forward by (the federation) in relation to Pizarro were not supported by concrete evidence", sport's highest court said in a statement.
Pizarro expressed his satisfaction with the final result. He explained: "I am very satisfied and feel vindicated, Pizarro said. "My honor has been restored. My family and friends have always stood by me and knew that these were all just lies that were being spread about me. But this verdict will now also give certainty to everyone who had doubts that I have always told the truth.
Despite these results neither him nor any of the other suspended players were ever called for the duration of the World Cup South Africa qualification games by coach Del Solar. Pizarro's attitude as team captain had already been called into question by the fans, who felt he that he would focus more on his hobbies (such as horse racing) than training when he would go to Peru.
Chelsea
Werder Bremen
district of capital city Lima. He was born to Patricia Bosio and Claudio Pizarro Dávila, a naval officer. He has a sister, Patricia, and brother, Diego
. Younger brother, Diego, was a youth player for Bayern Munich
, and he is currently playing for Peruvian First Division club Colegio Nacional Iquitos.
Pizarro is married to his teenage sweetheart, Karla Salcedo, and they have two sons, Claudio and Gianluca, and one daughter, Antonella. Pizarro co-owns a race horse
called 'Crying Lightning' with Queens Park Rangers
player Joey Barton
. In January 2011 the horse competed at the Nad Al Sheba Racecourse
in Dubai
.
Callao
Callao is the largest and most important port in Peru. The city is coterminous with the Constitutional Province of Callao, the only province of the Callao Region. Callao is located west of Lima, the country's capital, and is part of the Lima Metropolitan Area, a large metropolis that holds almost...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
) is a Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
vian football forward
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
. Pizarro plays for Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize...
of the German Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
. He also plays for the Peru national team
Peru national football team
The Peru national football team, known as 'el equipo inca', represents Peru in international football competition and is managed by the Peruvian Football Federation . The team competes against the other nine members of FIFA's CONMEBOL conference, which encompasses the countries of South America...
, for which he has 60 caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
.
On 23 October 2010, Pizarro surpassed the 133 goals record previously reached by Giovane Elber
Giovane Elber
Élber Giovane de Souza, simply Élber , is a retired Brazilian footballer who played as a striker....
, making him the top foreign scorer in German football history, when he scored with his team, Werder Bremen against Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach is a German association football club based in Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia. The team plays in the Bundesliga and is one of the country's most well-known, well-supported, and successful teams. Borussia Mönchengladbach has over 40,000 members and is the sixth...
.
Deportivo Pesquero
Pizarro started playing as a youth in the Academia Deportiva CantolaoAcademia Deportiva Cantolao
Academia Deportiva Cantolao is a Peruvian football club, based in the city of Callao, Peru. However, the club is mostly known for its youth academy. Their football academy is one of the most popular in Peru. Academia Cantolao has educated many players who have gone on to play in the Peruvian First...
in Callao
Callao
Callao is the largest and most important port in Peru. The city is coterminous with the Constitutional Province of Callao, the only province of the Callao Region. Callao is located west of Lima, the country's capital, and is part of the Lima Metropolitan Area, a large metropolis that holds almost...
. He started his professional career playing with Deportivo Pesquero
Deportivo Wanka
Deportivo Wanka is a Peruvian football club, based in the city of Huancayo in the Peruvian Andes. It was founded in 1996 and is named after the Wankas people who formerly inhabited the area and after whom the city of Huancayo is named. The current Deportivo Wanka is merged with Deportivo Pesquero...
, a small provincial team in the city of Chimbote
Chimbote
Chimbote is the largest city in the Ancash Region of Peru, and the capital of both Santa Province and Chimbote District.The city is located on the coast in Chimbote Bay, south of Trujillo and north of Lima on the North Pan-American highway. It is the start of a chain of important cities like...
in the north of Peru, at the age of seventeen. His first professional game was in 1996 against Alianza Lima
Alianza Lima
Club Alianza Lima is a Peruvian First Division football club who plays at the Estadio Alejandro Villanueva in the La Victoria District of Lima, Peru. They are one of the most famous and well supported clubs in the country and the oldest team in the Peruvian First Division.Alianza enjoyed success...
. He scored his first two goals two weeks later against Atletico Torino
Atlético Torino
Club Atlético Torino is a Peruvian football club, playing in the city of Talara.The club were founded 1946 and play in the Peruvian Segunda División which is the second division of the Peruvian league.-History:...
in the victory of Deportivo Pesquero 2–1.
Alianza Lima
Pizarro scored 25 goals over two seasons with Alianza Lima and was part of the Alianza team that reached second position in the Torneo Apertura of Peru in 1999. Shortly after his success at Alianza, Pizarro was sold to German Bundesliga club Werder BremenSV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize...
. Later that year, he earned his first cap for the Peru national football team
Peru national football team
The Peru national football team, known as 'el equipo inca', represents Peru in international football competition and is managed by the Peruvian Football Federation . The team competes against the other nine members of FIFA's CONMEBOL conference, which encompasses the countries of South America...
.
Werder Bremen
Pizarro's 29 goals over two seasons for Werder Bremen made the rising star of Peruvian football more coveted by managers of major European clubs. After the 2000–01 season, Werder announced that it would not prevent Pizarro from moving to a bigger club, and the conflict to secure the Peruvian forward's services intensified. The media indicated that Real MadridReal Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
and Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
of Spain, Internazionale
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
of Italy, and Werder's Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund
Ballspielverein Borussia Dortmund, commonly BVB, are a German sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in German football history. Borussia Dortmund play in the Bundesliga, the top league of German football...
were in the running to sign Pizarro. The most speculated transfer in Peruvian football monopolized the interest of the national press. After seeming destined for Spain, Pizarro ended weeks of speculation by signing for Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
on 7 June 2001.
Bayern Munich
Pizarro was a key player in Bayern's BundesligaFußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
and German Cup
DFB-Pokal
The DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...
double in 2003.
The "Anden-Bomber" ("Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
Bomber", a reference to his South American home country as well as legendary Bayern striker Gerd Müller
Gerd Müller
Gerhard "Gerd" Müller is a former German football player and one of the most prolific goalscorers of all time.With national records of 68 goals in 62 international appearances, 365 goals in 427 Bundesliga games and the international record of 66 goals in 74 European Club games, he was one of the...
, who was nicknamed "Bomber") or sometimes called "Inca God" by the media, started well with Bayern Munich scoring his first goal with the Bavarian team in the fourth minute of the game against Schalke 04
FC Schalke 04
Fußball-Club Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04, commonly known as simply FC Schalke 04 or Schalke , is a German, association-football club originally from the Schalke district of Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. Schalke has long been one of the most popular football teams in Germany, even though major...
(the second date of the Bundesliga 2001–02).
Pizarro's contract with the German champions expired at the end of the 2006–07 season and negotiations on an extension were not making progress, with Sevilla
Sevilla FC
Sevilla Fútbol Club S.A.D. is a Spanish professional football club based in Seville, Spain that plays in the Spanish La Liga championship.They are one of the most successful clubs in Spanish football having won a 1 La Liga title, 5 Spanish "Copa del Rey" Cups, 1 Spanish Super Cup and 2 UEFA...
, Benfica and Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
ready to step in and make a move. Pizarro later rejected a contract extension offered by Bayern chairman Franz Beckenbauer
Franz Beckenbauer
Franz Anton Beckenbauer is a German football coach, manager, and former player, nicknamed Der Kaiser because of his elegant style, his leadership, his first name "Franz" , and his dominance on the football pitch...
, demanding an increase in pay which angered Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
Karl-Heinz "Kalle" Rummenigge is a German former football player.He had his greatest career success with German club Bayern Munich, where he won the Intercontinental Cup, the European Cup, as well as two league titles and two domestic cups.A member of the German national team, Rummenigge won the...
who was quoted saying that "Anyone wishing to earn as much as Shevchenko
Andriy Shevchenko
Andriy Mykolayovych Shevchenko is a Ukrainian footballer who plays for Dynamo Kyiv and the Ukraine national team as a striker. He is the third-highest scorer in the history of European club competition with 67 goals as of 2011-03-10, behind Filippo Inzaghi and Raúl. With 175 goals scored with A.C...
had better start playing like Shevchenko."
On 20 May 2007, Bayern Munich announced Pizarro would be leaving the club.
Chelsea
On 1 July 2007, ChelseaChelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
officially signed Pizarro and confirmed that he had completed his medical and agreed on personal terms to join the club on a Bosman transfer, signing a four-year deal. He is the first Peruvian to sign for Chelsea. Pizarro also revealed that his decision was largely influenced by the advice of his national team team-mate Nolberto Solano
Nolberto Solano
Nolberto Albino "Nobby" Solano Todco is a Peruvian footballer who plays for Hartlepool United. He has spent much of his career in the English Premier League and also played 95 times for Peru between 1994 and 2009...
, who played in England with Newcastle, and West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
, as well as Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
's Owen Hargreaves
Owen Hargreaves
Owen Lee Hargreaves is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for English Premier League club Manchester City and the English national football team....
, who at the time also played for Bayern Munich.
Pizarro was assigned the number 14, the same number he wears for Peru, and his former shirt number at Bayern Munich. He succeeded Geremi as the holder of the shirt number 14 at Chelsea. His Chelsea career got off to a good start, scoring a goal on his debut on the opening weekend of the 2007–08 Premier League season. However, after José Mourinho
José Mourinho
José Mário dos Santos Félix Mourinho is a Portuguese football manager and the current manager of Real Madrid. He is commonly known as "The Special One".Mourinho is regarded by some players, coaches and critics as the best ever coach in football....
's departure, and the signing of French striker Nicolas Anelka
Nicolas Anelka
Abdul-Salam Bilal on 14 March 1979) is a French international footballer, who plays as a striker for English Premier League club Chelsea. Anelka was also a regular starter for the French national team...
, Pizarro found himself surplus to requirements by the then new manager Avram Grant. Pizarro did play an important role in Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
progressing to the fourth round of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
2008, by contributing to the goal which rebounded off QPR
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
keeper Lee Camp
Lee Camp
Lee Michael John Camp is an English-born Northern Irish footballer who plays for Nottingham Forest and internationally for Northern Ireland as a goalkeeper. He has also played for the England under-21's.-Derby County:...
and into the net. He then went on to score the only goal in a match against Birmingham
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
.
Loan to Werder Bremen
On 15 August 2008, he was loaned until the end of the season to Werder BremenSV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize...
. Soon after the announcement that Pizarro would be joining the team, a large group of Werder Bremen fans lined up to buy the new Pizarro jersey showing that Pizarro is still appreciated in Bremen, seven years after leaving the club. He has been assigned the number 24 jersey and has been decisive and important for the club, scoring many goals.
Pizarro's role has been fundamental in the qualification of Werder to the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
Final, helping score goals and eliminate teams such as A.C. Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
and German rivals Hamburg
Hamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department...
, amongst others. However with the absence of Werder playmaker Diego
Diego Ribas da Cunha
Diego Ribas da Cunha , commonly known as just Diego, is an international Brazilian footballer who plays for Atlético Madrid on loan from VfL Wolfsburg, as an attacking midfielder.-Santos:...
from the final with Shakhtar Donetsk, Pizarro could not save the team from a 2–1 defeat after extra time.
Return to Werder Bremen
On 18 August 2009, Pizarro signed with Werder Bremen for an undisclosed fee after impressing for Werder in the previous season, scoring 17 goals in 26 appearances. In his second season at Werder Bremen, he continued to be a top BundesligaFußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
scorer with 16 goals and reached the top foreign scorer record. On 23 October 2010, Pizarro scored his 134th goal in the Bundesliga making him the top scoring foreign-born player in the league history after being level with Giovane Elber.
International career
Peru national football team
The Peru national football team, known as 'el equipo inca', represents Peru in international football competition and is managed by the Peruvian Football Federation . The team competes against the other nine members of FIFA's CONMEBOL conference, which encompasses the countries of South America...
since 1999, and was the captain succeeding Nolberto Solano. His career in the national team has not mirrored his club career, as he has scored only 13 goals, only 6 of which have been in competitive matches. Pizarro has been a starting player in the qualifying tournaments for the 2002 Japan-Korea World Cup, the 2006 Germany World Cup, and the first three games of the 2010 South Africa World Cup. Fans of the Peruvian national team have complained of his lackluster performance in the qualifiers: only three goals scored throughout three tournaments.
In the Copa América 2004
Copa América 2004
The Copa América 2004 was the 41st edition of the Copa América, the South-American championship for international association football teams. The competition was organized by CONMEBOL, South America's football governing body, and was held in Peru, who hosted the tournament for the sixth time,...
when playing for the Peruvian National team he suffered a fractured skull, when he took an elbow to the head in an on-field collision during a 3–1 win over Venezuela which forced him out of the Copa America and required extensive surgery in Germany. He was not able to play for over three months after the incident.
Under the management of Julio César Uribe
Julio César Uribe
Julio César Uribe Flores is a Peruvian football manager and former player. Uribe is currently the manager of Peruvian First Division club Unión Comercio since the second half of the 2011 Descentraliazado season....
, Pizarro played for Peru in the 2007 Copa América, scoring two goals 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...
.
On 7 December 2007, an investigation on having introduced women and alcohol into the national squad's hotel two days before Peru's away drubbing at the hands of Ecuador (5–1) started running, and Pizarro has thus been suspended 18 months from the national team starting on the day before the match. Other Peruvian players based overseas like Jefferson Farfán
Jefferson Farfán
Jefferson Agustín Farfán Guadalupe is a Peruvian football player, playing for Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga.-Club career:Farfán began his professional career with Alianza Lima of Peru, with whom he signed for in 2001...
and others were also suspended. Since Pizarro claimed to be innocent, he started a trial against the Peruvian Football Federation. This action alerted FIFA about the case who warned the player about not taking it to the regular judges or he could face an international ban.
On 3 July 2008, after an investigation and a review of the facts, the suspension was changed to only three months (from the date of appeal in April 2008) and $10,000 fine. Pizarro served the three month ban.
On 17 April 2009, Pizarro won a court victory over his national federation.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport
Court of Arbitration for Sport
The Court of Arbitration for Sport is an international arbitration body set up to settle disputes related to sport. Its headquarters are in Lausanne and its courts are located in New York, Sydney and Lausanne, Switzerland...
overturned a $10,000 fine imposed on Pizarro by the Peruvian football association after the alleged November 2007 incident. "The facts put forward by (the federation) in relation to Pizarro were not supported by concrete evidence", sport's highest court said in a statement.
Pizarro expressed his satisfaction with the final result. He explained: "I am very satisfied and feel vindicated, Pizarro said. "My honor has been restored. My family and friends have always stood by me and knew that these were all just lies that were being spread about me. But this verdict will now also give certainty to everyone who had doubts that I have always told the truth.
Despite these results neither him nor any of the other suspended players were ever called for the duration of the World Cup South Africa qualification games by coach Del Solar. Pizarro's attitude as team captain had already been called into question by the fans, who felt he that he would focus more on his hobbies (such as horse racing) than training when he would go to Peru.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 17 February 1999 | Guayaquil Guayaquil Guayaquil , officially Santiago de Guayaquil , is the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador,with about 2.3 million inhabitants in the city and nearly 3.1 million in the metropolitan area, as well as that nation's main port... , Ecuador Ecuador Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border... |
2–1 | Win | Friendly | |
| 2. | 17 June 1999 | Manizales Manizales Manizales is a city and municipality in central Colombia, capital of Department of Caldas and part of the region of Colombian Coffee-Growers Axis, near the Nevado del Ruiz volcano.... , Colombia Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the... |
3–3 | Draw | Friendly | |
| 3. | 23 June 1999 | Lima Lima Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima... , Peru Peru Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.... |
3–0 | Win | Friendly | |
| 4. | 27 March 2001 | Lima Lima Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima... , Peru Peru Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.... |
3–1 | Win | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL) 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL) Listed below are the dates and results for the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the South American zone . For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification.... |
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| 5. | 2 June 2001 | Lima Lima Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima... , Peru Peru Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.... |
1–2 | Loss | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL) 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL) Listed below are the dates and results for the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the South American zone . For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification.... |
|
| 6. | 2 April 2003 | Lima Lima Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima... , Peru Peru Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.... |
3–0 | Win | Friendly | |
| 7. | 2 April 2003 | Lima Lima Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima... , Peru Peru Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.... |
3–0 | Win | Friendly | |
| 8. | 20 August 2003 | New Jersey New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware... , United States |
3–1 | Win | Friendly | |
| 9. | 1 June 2004 | Montevideo Montevideo Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento... , Uruguay Uruguay Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area... |
3–1 | Win | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL) 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL) Listed below are the dates and results for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for South America. 10 teams took part, all in a single group. The rules were very simple: the teams would play against each other in a home-and-away basis, with the four teams with most points qualifying to... |
|
| 10. | 6 July 2004 | Lima Lima Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima... , Peru Peru Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.... |
2–2 | Draw | 2004 Copa America | |
| 11. | 7 October 2006 | Viña del Mar Viña del Mar Viña del Mar , is a city and commune on central Chile's Pacific coast. Its long stretches of white sandy beaches are a major attraction for national and international tourists. The city is Chile's main tourist attraction. Known as "La Ciudad Jardín" , Viña del Mar is a Chilean Municipality located... , Chile Chile Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far... |
2–3 | Loss | Friendly | |
| 12. | 3 July 2007 | Mérida, Venezuela | 2–2 | Draw | 2007 Copa América | |
| 13. | 3 July 2007 | Mérida, Venezuela | 2–2 | Draw | 2007 Copa América | |
| 14. | 2 September 2011 | Lima Lima Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima... , Peru Peru Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.... |
2–2 | Draw | Friendly | |
| 15. | 11 October 2011 | Santiago Santiago Santiago is the capital city of Chile. Santiago may also refer to:*Santiago *Santiago , a Spanish given name*Santiago!, a shortened form of the Reconquista battle cry "Santiago y cierra, España"... , Chile Chile Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far... |
2–4 | Loss | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL) 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL) The South American Zone of 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification sees nine teams competing for places in the finals which are to be held in Brazil.-Format:The format for CONMEBOL's 2014 World Cup qualifying tournament is identical to the previous four editions... |
Club
Bayern MunichFC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
- BundesligaFußball-BundesligaThe Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
: 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06 - Intercontinental CupIntercontinental Cup (football)The European/South American Cup, commonly referred to as the World Club Championship, Intercontinental Cup or Toyota Cup, was a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested between the winners of the European Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores...
: 20012001 Intercontinental CupThe 2001 Intercontinental Cup was a football match played on 27 November 2001 between Bayern Munich, winners of the 2000–01 UEFA Champions League, and defending champions Boca Juniors, winners of the 2001 Copa Libertadores. The match was played at the neutral venue of the National Stadium in Tokyo... - DFB-PokalDFB-PokalThe DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...
: 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06 - DFB-LigapokalDFB-LigapokalThe DFB-Ligapokal, or German League Cup, was a German football competition that took place before the start of the Bundesliga season, featuring the top five teams of the previous Fußball-Bundesliga season and the winners of the DFB-Pokal in Germany...
: 2004DFB-LigapokalThe DFB-Ligapokal, or German League Cup, was a German football competition that took place before the start of the Bundesliga season, featuring the top five teams of the previous Fußball-Bundesliga season and the winners of the DFB-Pokal in Germany...
Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
- Runners-up: Premier League: 2007–08
- Runners-up: UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
: 2007–08 - Runners-up: FA Community ShieldFA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
: 20072007 FA Community ShieldThe 2007 FA Community Shield was a football match played on 5 August 2007 between 2006–07 Premier League champions Manchester United and 2006–07 FA Cup winners Chelsea. Manchester United won the game 3–0 on penalties, after the match finished 1–1 after 90 minutes; the Community Shield... - Runners-up: Football League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
: 20082008 Football League Cup FinalThe 2008 Carling Cup Final was a football match played on 24 February 2008. It was the first League Cup Final to be played at the new Wembley Stadium, and the first to be played in England since the old Wembley was demolished in 2000. The defending champions were Chelsea, who beat Arsenal in the...
Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize...
- DFB-PokalDFB-PokalThe DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...
: 2008–09 - Runners-up: UEFA CupUEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
: 2008–09
Individual
- 2005 Best Iberoamerican Soccer Player in Europe.
- 2009–10 UEFA Europa League top scorer.
- Top foreign scorer in German football history.
Club statistics
- (correct as of 19 November 2011)
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Deportivo Pesquero Deportivo Wanka Deportivo Wanka is a Peruvian football club, based in the city of Huancayo in the Peruvian Andes. It was founded in 1996 and is named after the Wankas people who formerly inhabited the area and after whom the city of Huancayo is named. The current Deportivo Wanka is merged with Deportivo Pesquero... |
1995–96 | 25 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 8 |
| 1996–97 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 3 | |
| Total | 42 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 11 | |
| Alianza Lima Alianza Lima Club Alianza Lima is a Peruvian First Division football club who plays at the Estadio Alejandro Villanueva in the La Victoria District of Lima, Peru. They are one of the most famous and well supported clubs in the country and the oldest team in the Peruvian First Division.Alianza enjoyed success... |
1997–98 | 22 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 32 | 9 |
| 1998–99 | 25 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 18 | |
| Total | 47 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 57 | 27 | |
| Werder Bremen SV Werder Bremen SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize... |
1999–00 | 26 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 39 | 15 |
| 2000–01 | 31 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 37 | 23 | |
| Total | 56 | 29 | 6 | 2 | 14 | 7 | 76 | 38 | |
| Bayern Munich FC Bayern Munich FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups.... |
2001–02 | 30 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 4 | 48 | 19 |
| 2002–03 | 31 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 44 | 19 | |
| 2003–04 | 31 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 42 | 12 | |
| 2004–05 | 23 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 35 | 21 | |
| 2005–06 | 26 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 37 | 17 | |
| 2006–07 | 33 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 45 | 12 | |
| Total | 174 | 71 | 26 | 14 | 51 | 15 | 251 | 100 | |
| Chelsea Chelsea F.C. Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four... |
2007–08 | 21 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 2 |
| Total | 21 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 2 | |
| Werder Bremen SV Werder Bremen SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize... |
2008–09 | 26 | 17 | 5 | 4 | 15 | 7 | 46 | 28 |
| 2009–10 2009–10 Fußball-Bundesliga The 2009–10 Fußball-Bundesliga was the 47th season of the Fußball-Bundesliga, Germany's premier football league. The season commenced on 7 August 2009 with the traditional season opening match involving the defending champions VfL Wolfsburg and VfB Stuttgart. The last games were played on 8 May 2010... |
26 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 12 | 39 | 29 | |
| 2010–11 2010–11 Fußball-Bundesliga The 2010–11 Fußball-Bundesliga was the 48th season of the Fußball-Bundesliga, Germany's premier football league. The season started on the weekend of 21 August 2010 with the traditional season opening match involving the defending champions and ended with the last games on 14 May 2011. The winter... |
22 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 29 | 14 | |
| 2011–12 2011–12 Fußball-Bundesliga The 2011–12 Fußball-Bundesliga is the 49th season of the Fußball-Bundesliga, Germany's premier football league. The season started on 5 August 2011 with the season opening match involving defending champions Borussia Dortmund and will end with the last games on 5 May 2012... |
12 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 11 | |
| Total | 86 | 53 | 10 | 7 | 30 | 22 | 126 | 82 | |
| Career total | 426 | 191 | 47 | 23 | 107 | 46 | 580 | 260 | |
Personal
Pizarro was born and raised in the Santiago de SurcoSantiago de Surco
Santiago de Surco, commonly known simply as Surco, is a district of Lima, Peru. It is bordered on the north by the districts of La Molina, Ate and San Borja; on the south by Chorrillos; on the east by La Molina, Villa María del Triunfo and San Juan de Miraflores; and on the west by San Borja,...
district of capital city Lima. He was born to Patricia Bosio and Claudio Pizarro Dávila, a naval officer. He has a sister, Patricia, and brother, Diego
Diego Pizarro
Diego Enrique Pizarro Bosio is a Peruvian footballer who plays as a striker or winger for Peruvian First Division club Colegio Nacional Iquitos. He is also the younger brother of Werder Bremen striker Claudio Pizarro....
. Younger brother, Diego, was a youth player for Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
, and he is currently playing for Peruvian First Division club Colegio Nacional Iquitos.
Pizarro is married to his teenage sweetheart, Karla Salcedo, and they have two sons, Claudio and Gianluca, and one daughter, Antonella. Pizarro co-owns a race horse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
called 'Crying Lightning' with Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
player Joey Barton
Joey Barton
Joseph Anthony "Joey" Barton is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League side Queens Park Rangers as either a central midfielder or a winger....
. In January 2011 the horse competed at the Nad Al Sheba Racecourse
Nad Al Sheba Racecourse
Nad Al Sheba Racecourse is a former Thoroughbred horse racing facility in Dubai, United Arab Emirates opened in 1986. It has a 2,200 metre left-handed dirt race track and a left-handed turf course of the same distance...
in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
.
External links
- Career statistics at National Football Teams