Written by George Smith
Alexis Sanchez has proven to be one of the most successful strikers in the history of the Chilean men’s national team and will undoubtedly be an influential player in the upcoming Copa America Centenario. Sanchez began his professional career in 2005 for the Cobreleo senior team after going through the club’s youth academy. His professional stay there, however, was short lived. After only a year he moved on to Udinese, an Italian club. In a series of loans, Sanchez continued to play in South America, first for Colo-Colo for a year, then for River Plate for another year. Finally in 2008, Sanchez went to Italy to play for Udinese.[1] He was quite successful during his time there, scoring 20 goals in 95 matches.[2] In 2011, Udinese traded Sanchez to Barcelona, making Sanchez the first Chilean ever to play for the Catalonian club. After a prolific three years with Barcelona, in which he scored 39 goals in just 88 games[2], Sanchez was traded once again to Arsenal where he currently plays. Sanchez has continued to be very successful at Arsenal, scoring 23 goals in his past 56 appearances.[3]
Fanny Schertzer (commons.wikimedia.org)
Sanchez made his international debut early in his career in 2006. He has made a total of 93 appearances with the national team, making him the record holder for second most appearances of any Chilean player of all time. In those 93 appearances, he has scored 31 goals, putting him in third for the most goals scored by a Chilean for the national team. To back these accomplishments up, Sanchez led his team to victory in last year’s Copa America. In the penalty shoot out to decide the final match of the tournament, he scored the final goal.[1]
Alexis Sanchez has spent his career playing with some of the best players in the world at Barcelona and Arsenal, and his play reflects it. He is a very gifted player with explosive speed, impressive skill, and the ingenuity and creativity required to make him one of the best strikers alive today. He glides past defenders with a combination of clever footwork and intense quickness. He can play both in the center and out wide, but no matter where he plays, his finishing is precise and prolific. On top of all of these great qualities, Sanchez has shown an incredible work ethic that manifests itself in his tireless play on the field. Alexis Sanchez will certainly be a leader on the Chilean team in the upcoming Copa America Centenario, and he should be a very interesting player to watch.
References:
- “Alexis Sanchez Profile,” About Sports, last modified January 3, 2016. Accessed April 18, 2016. http://worldsoccer.about.com/od/players/p/Alexis-Sanchez.htm
- “Alexis Sanchez,” ESPN FC. Accessed April 18, 2016. http://www.espnfc.com/player/92055/alexis-sanchez
- “Alexis,” Arsenal. Accessed April 18, 2016. http://www.arsenal.com/first-team/players/alexis-sanchez
How to cite this page:
Smith, George, “Chile: Alexis Sanchez,” last modified April 30, 2016. Accessed Month Day, Year. http://sites.duke.edu/wcwp/tournament-guides/copa-america-centenario-2016-guide/more-players-to-watch-in-the-copa-america-centenario/chile-alexis-sanchez/
