Juan Carlos Vera Rivera (born 5 July 1960) is a Chilean former professional footballer who played as a attacking midfielder for clubs in Chile, Mexico and the United States.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Juan Carlos Vera Rivera | ||
| Date of birth | (1960-07-05) 5 July 1960 (age 62) | ||
| Place of birth | La Calera, Chile | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Rayo Vallecano | |||
| Unión La Calera | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1979–1984 | Unión La Calera | ||
| 1985 | Audax Italiano | 29 | (5) |
| 1986 | Huachipato | (12) | |
| 1986–1987 | Cruz Azul | 8 | (0) |
| 1987–1988 | Morelia | 29 | (4) |
| 1988–1990 | Tampico Madero | 8 | (1) |
| 1990–1993 | UNAM | 71 | (11) |
| 1991–1992 | → Atlas | 31 | (3) |
| 1993–1994 | Pachuca | ||
| 1994–1995 | DFW Toros | ||
| 1995 | Unión La Calera | (1) | |
| National team | |||
| 1991 | Chile | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Born in La Calera, Chile, in 1975 Vera moved to Spain and joined Rayo Vallecano youth system at the age of 15.[1] He returned to Chile and played for Unión La Calera, where he made his professional debut, Audax Italiano and Huachipato.[2][3]
In 1986 he moved to Mexico. He came to Morelia thanks of his former fellow in Unión La Calera, Marco Antonio Figueroa.[1] In Morelia, he and his Chilean fellows Marco Antonio Figueroa and Ángel Bustos are well remembered as a prolific attacking trident.[4] Along with Pumas UNAM, he won the 1990–91 Primera División, which is remembered as El Tucazo.[5] In Mexico, he also played for Cruz Azul, Tampico Madero, Atlas and Pachuca.[3]
After a step in the United States with DFW Toros, his last club was Unión La Calera in 1995,[6] scoring one goal.[7]
He made an appearance for the Chile national team in a friendly match versus Mexico on 9 April 1991.[8]
After the 1973 Chilean coup d'état, he went alone to Spain in 1975. His family was made up by his father, a railway worker, his mother, a housekeeper, and his five siblings. All of them stayed in Chile.[1]
When he was a player of Unión La Calera, he was nicknamed Pelé.[5]
His first son was born in Mexico when he was a player of Morelia.[1]
Following his retirement, he started a women's clothing factory along with his wife[1] and they also have a guesthouse in Santiago, Chile, called The Fox Hostel.[6] In addition, he has worked in football scouting, linking Chilean players with Mexican clubs.[5]
Unión La Calera
UNAM