Manuel Neira
Encyclopedia
Manuel Alejandro Neira Díaz (born 12 October 1977) is a Chile
an football player.
He played for a few clubs, including Colo-Colo
(Chile), UD Las Palmas
(Spain), Racing Club
(Argentina) and Unión Española
(Chile).
before moving to the Brazilian club São Paulo FC in 1994, after a notable performance at the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Championships. In the next season, Neira return to Colo-Colo, but in 1996 Neira was loaned to Everton de Viña del Mar of the Primera B
in this time.
During the 1997–1998, Neira was consolidated as player in Colo-Colo, winning the Primera División Chilena title in two consecutive occasions, the 1997
and 1998 season
. On December 1998, Colo-Colo sold Neira to the Spanish club UD Las Palmas
. However, Neira was loaned to Colo-Colo for one season. When Neira returned to the club, he proclaimed champion of the 1999–2000 Segunda División title. Neira was transferred to an Argentine "giant club" Racing Club de Avellaneda
for the 2000-01 season. In the Torneo Apertura 2000
, Neira only scored 2 goals in 9 games. During the summer of 2001, Neira was transferred to Unión Española
, in this club he made a notable performance scoring 11 goals in 17 games, being one of the top-scorer of the Torneo Apertura. On June 2001, Neira was filed to the Colombian club América de Cali
.
in the final. But in the Torneo Clausura of the same year, Neira made one of his most notable season in his career, winning the top–scorer title with 14 goals, and also winning the Primera Division title, after of win to Universidad Católica in the finals.
In the next season, the team loss two times in the same year the final against Cobreloa. However, Neira scored 21 goals in 42 matches in total of the season. There are many rumors that Manuel Neira would be transferred to Europe
, but finally Neira was remained in the club. After of once season in Colo–Colo, playing the Torneo Apertura 2004 scoring 1 goal in 16 matches. On June 2004, he was transferred to the Mexican club Jaguares de Chiapas
.
In the Mexican club, Neira only remained one season in Chiapas, shortly after he was transferred to Unión Española
, for second time in his career.
for 2–1. In the next season (2006), Neira scored 19 goals in 29 matches. On December 2006, he was released of Unión and he received many offers for several clubs.
Shorlty after of his wedding in December of the last year, on January 2007, he agreed upon moving to Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. on a one-year deal with the club until December 2007, refusing an offer from Colo-Colo
in this time.
In his second game for the team, in the Channel One Cup
, he was injured severely by CSKA Moscow player, Elvir Rahimić
. Neira suffered two fractures in his ankle, and will have to sit out for the rest of the season, even before he played a single league game for Hapoel.
For the Torneo Clausura 2007, Neira return to Unión, after of Neira was released of the club. He made his Unión re–debut against Everton at Sausalito Stadium
, in a 0–0 draw. He scored his first goal in his third cycle in the club against his former club Colo–Colo, in a 2–2 draw. Finally, Neira scored 9 goals in 19 matches for the tournament.
On December 2007, he tried his lucky at the Turkcell Super League
club Gaziantepspor
, Neira only trained with a couple of weeks, but Neira was not of the like of the coach, and shortly after he return to Unión Española.
During the 2008, in the Torneo Apertura 2008, he scored 3 goals in 12 matches. In the Torneo de Clausura 2008 he became a key player of the club, he scored 6 goals in 15 matches for this tournament. However, the club went to the Promotion playoffs of Primera B, in this relegation/promotion playoffs, Neira help to the team in the two matches scoring 2 goals in 2 matches against Deportes Puerto Montt, finally the team was saved of the relegation.
was in the FIFA U-17 World Championship 1993 celebrated in Japan
. In this tournament he was one of top–scorers of the tournament with Peter Anosike
and Nwankwo Kanu
with 5 goals under Wilson Oruma
with 6 goals winning the third place of the tournament.
He participate in the Chile national under-20 football team
, he played in the South American Youth Championshisp in the years 1995 and 1997. He also played some matches of Chile in the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
.
He was member 1998 FIFA World Cup
Chile squad, but did not play, because to the two Chilean idols Marcelo Salas
and Iván Zamorano
played in his position.
Unión Española
Individual
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...
an football player.
He played for a few clubs, including Colo-Colo
Colo-Colo
Club Social y Deportivo Colo-Colo is a Chilean football club based in the commune of Macul, Santiago. It competes in the Primera División, the top-flight football league in the country, from which they have never been relegated. Their home ground is the Estadio Monumental David Arellano.Colo-Colo...
(Chile), UD Las Palmas
UD Las Palmas
Unión Deportiva Las Palmas, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, in the autonomous community of Canary Islands...
(Spain), Racing Club
Racing Club de Avellaneda
Racing Club is an Argentine professional football club from Avellaneda, a suburb of Greater Buenos Aires. Founded in 1903, Racing has been historically considered one of the "big five" clubs of Argentine football...
(Argentina) and Unión Española
Unión Española
Club Unión Española S.A.D.P is a professional Chilean football based in Independencia, Santiago de Chile. Founded by a Spanish immigrants on 18 May 1897, Unión Española have participated in the top-tier of Chilean football for all of their existence but two seasons in the late '90s .Unión Española...
(Chile).
Early Career
Neira began his career, aged seventeen, at Primera División Chilena club Colo-ColoColo-Colo
Club Social y Deportivo Colo-Colo is a Chilean football club based in the commune of Macul, Santiago. It competes in the Primera División, the top-flight football league in the country, from which they have never been relegated. Their home ground is the Estadio Monumental David Arellano.Colo-Colo...
before moving to the Brazilian club São Paulo FC in 1994, after a notable performance at the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Championships. In the next season, Neira return to Colo-Colo, but in 1996 Neira was loaned to Everton de Viña del Mar of the Primera B
Primera B (Chile)
Primera División B del Fútbol Profesional Chileno is the second level of Chilean football in the Chilean football league system, and is organized by the Asociación Nacional de Fútbol Profesional....
in this time.
During the 1997–1998, Neira was consolidated as player in Colo-Colo, winning the Primera División Chilena title in two consecutive occasions, the 1997
Primera División Chilena 1997
The 1997 tournament of the Primera División de Chile was based in the typical Apertura-Clausura scheme used in many football leagues in Latin-America, similar to the Argentinian First Division. For the first time, this format, with two champions, was used...
and 1998 season
Primera División Chilena 1998
In the 1998 season of the Primera División de Chile the championship winner qualified for the Copa Libertadores, while the two teams with least points overall relegated. The competition lasted from 4 April 1998 to 13 December 1998.-Final table:...
. On December 1998, Colo-Colo sold Neira to the Spanish club UD Las Palmas
UD Las Palmas
Unión Deportiva Las Palmas, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, in the autonomous community of Canary Islands...
. However, Neira was loaned to Colo-Colo for one season. When Neira returned to the club, he proclaimed champion of the 1999–2000 Segunda División title. Neira was transferred to an Argentine "giant club" Racing Club de Avellaneda
Racing Club de Avellaneda
Racing Club is an Argentine professional football club from Avellaneda, a suburb of Greater Buenos Aires. Founded in 1903, Racing has been historically considered one of the "big five" clubs of Argentine football...
for the 2000-01 season. In the Torneo Apertura 2000
2000-01 in Argentine football
-Torneo Apertura :-Top Scorers:-Relegation:-Torneo Clausura :*Los Andes had 3 points deducted.-Top Scorers:-Relegation:-"Promoción" Playoff:...
, Neira only scored 2 goals in 9 games. During the summer of 2001, Neira was transferred to Unión Española
Unión Española
Club Unión Española S.A.D.P is a professional Chilean football based in Independencia, Santiago de Chile. Founded by a Spanish immigrants on 18 May 1897, Unión Española have participated in the top-tier of Chilean football for all of their existence but two seasons in the late '90s .Unión Española...
, in this club he made a notable performance scoring 11 goals in 17 games, being one of the top-scorer of the Torneo Apertura. On June 2001, Neira was filed to the Colombian club América de Cali
América de Cali
Corporación Deportiva América, commonly known as América de Cali or simply América is a Colombian football club based in Cali. They currently play in the Categoría Primera A, the top-flight professional league in the country....
.
Colo-Colo
On January 2002, Neira was once transferred to Colo-Colo. In the club, he obtained the runner–up title with the club in the Torneo Apertura, after of the 3–0 Colo–Colo's defeat against CobreloaCobreloa
Club de Deportes Cobreloa is a Chilean football club from the Atacama Desert mining city of Calama which has established itself as one of the country's most competitive clubs. The club was founded on January 7, 1977 and play in the Chilean top flight, the Primera División, where they have played...
in the final. But in the Torneo Clausura of the same year, Neira made one of his most notable season in his career, winning the top–scorer title with 14 goals, and also winning the Primera Division title, after of win to Universidad Católica in the finals.
In the next season, the team loss two times in the same year the final against Cobreloa. However, Neira scored 21 goals in 42 matches in total of the season. There are many rumors that Manuel Neira would be transferred to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, but finally Neira was remained in the club. After of once season in Colo–Colo, playing the Torneo Apertura 2004 scoring 1 goal in 16 matches. On June 2004, he was transferred to the Mexican club Jaguares de Chiapas
Jaguares de Chiapas
The Club de Fútbol Jaguares de Chiapas, is a Mexican football club now based in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, in the state of Chiapas. They currently play in Primera División de México...
.
In the Mexican club, Neira only remained one season in Chiapas, shortly after he was transferred to Unión Española
Unión Española
Club Unión Española S.A.D.P is a professional Chilean football based in Independencia, Santiago de Chile. Founded by a Spanish immigrants on 18 May 1897, Unión Española have participated in the top-tier of Chilean football for all of their existence but two seasons in the late '90s .Unión Española...
, for second time in his career.
Unión Española
With Unión, Neira won the Torneo Apertura 2005 title, after of the victory against Coquimbo UnidoCoquimbo Unido
Coquimbo Unido, is a Chilean football club based in the city of Coquimbo. The club was founded August 15, 1957 and plays in the second division of the Chilean football league...
for 2–1. In the next season (2006), Neira scored 19 goals in 29 matches. On December 2006, he was released of Unión and he received many offers for several clubs.
Shorlty after of his wedding in December of the last year, on January 2007, he agreed upon moving to Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. on a one-year deal with the club until December 2007, refusing an offer from Colo-Colo
Colo-Colo
Club Social y Deportivo Colo-Colo is a Chilean football club based in the commune of Macul, Santiago. It competes in the Primera División, the top-flight football league in the country, from which they have never been relegated. Their home ground is the Estadio Monumental David Arellano.Colo-Colo...
in this time.
In his second game for the team, in the Channel One Cup
Channel One Cup (football)
For ice hockey cup, see Channel One Cup The Channel One Cup is an annual pre-season commerce football tournament, organized by Russian TV Channel One and Roman Abramovich's foundation, the National Football Academy. The participants are champions and...
, he was injured severely by CSKA Moscow player, Elvir Rahimić
Elvir Rahimic
Elvir Rahimić is a Bosnian football midfielder who plays for PFC CSKA Moscow at Russian Premier League.-Career:...
. Neira suffered two fractures in his ankle, and will have to sit out for the rest of the season, even before he played a single league game for Hapoel.
For the Torneo Clausura 2007, Neira return to Unión, after of Neira was released of the club. He made his Unión re–debut against Everton at Sausalito Stadium
Estadio Sausalito
Estadio Sausalito is a multi-purpose stadium in Viña del Mar, Chile. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of CD Everton. The stadium holds 18,037 people and was built in 1929...
, in a 0–0 draw. He scored his first goal in his third cycle in the club against his former club Colo–Colo, in a 2–2 draw. Finally, Neira scored 9 goals in 19 matches for the tournament.
On December 2007, he tried his lucky at the Turkcell Super League
Turkcell Super League
The Süper Lig is a Turkish professional league for association football clubs. It is the top-flight of the Turkish football league system. It is one of the top leagues in the UEFA confederation and the winner of the competition automatically qualifies for the UEFA Champions League...
club Gaziantepspor
Gaziantepspor
Gaziantepspor is a professional Turkish football club located in the city of Gaziantep. Formed in 1969, Gaziantepspor are nicknamed the Şahinler . The club colours are black and red, and they play their home matches at Kamil Ocak Stadyumu....
, Neira only trained with a couple of weeks, but Neira was not of the like of the coach, and shortly after he return to Unión Española.
During the 2008, in the Torneo Apertura 2008, he scored 3 goals in 12 matches. In the Torneo de Clausura 2008 he became a key player of the club, he scored 6 goals in 15 matches for this tournament. However, the club went to the Promotion playoffs of Primera B, in this relegation/promotion playoffs, Neira help to the team in the two matches scoring 2 goals in 2 matches against Deportes Puerto Montt, finally the team was saved of the relegation.
International career
The first international appearance with Chile national football teamChile national football team
The Chilean national football team represents Chile in all major international football competitions. The team is controlled by the Federación de Fútbol de Chile which was established in 1895. They have appeared in eight World Cup tournaments and were hosts of the 1962 FIFA World Cup finishing in...
was in the FIFA U-17 World Championship 1993 celebrated in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. In this tournament he was one of top–scorers of the tournament with Peter Anosike
Peter Anosike
Peter Ikechukwu Anosike is a football striker from Nigeria.-Football career:Anosike played club football for various clubs in Nigeria, Belgium, Australia and in Singapore....
and Nwankwo Kanu
Nwankwo Kanu
Nwankwo Kanu, OON , or simply Kanu, is a Nigerian footballer who plays for Portsmouth. He was also a member of the Nigerian national team for 16 years from 1994 until 2010...
with 5 goals under Wilson Oruma
Wilson Oruma
Wilson Oruma is a former football midfielder from Nigeria.He became the tournament top goalscorer when Nigeria won the 1993 FIFA U-17 World Championships...
with 6 goals winning the third place of the tournament.
He participate in the Chile national under-20 football team
Chile national under-20 football team
Chile national U-20 football team, also known as Chile Sub-20 or La Rojita, is part of the Federación de Fútbol de Chile. The U-20 team is considered to be the breeding ground for future Chile national soccer team players...
, he played in the South American Youth Championshisp in the years 1995 and 1997. He also played some matches of Chile in the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)
Listed below are the dates and results for the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the South American zone . For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification....
.
He was member 1998 FIFA World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
Chile squad, but did not play, because to the two Chilean idols Marcelo Salas
Marcelo Salas
José Marcelo Salas Melinao , better known as El Matador, Shileno or simply Marcelo Salas, is a former football player from Chile. He, along with world cup veterans, 3 time Best Player of America Elías Figueroa and former Real Madrid and Inter Milan forward Iván Zamorano, has been one of Chile's...
and Iván Zamorano
Iván Zamorano
Iván Luis Zamorano Zamora is a retired Chilean football striker. Along with former world-class forward Marcelo Salas and former world player of the year Elias Figueroa he is regarded as one of Chile's most recognized footballers.He was a member of the Chilean national team and played in the 1998...
played in his position.
Honours
Colo-Colo- Primera División Chilena: 3
-
- Clausura 1997, 1998, Clausura 2002
Unión Española
- Primera División Chilena: 1
-
- Clausura 2005
Individual
- Top-scorer: 1
-
- Clausura 2002