Everything you need to know about the Chilean legend!
One of the most aesthetically pleasing sights in football is the on-ball wizardry and lethal dribbling from an attacker: quick feet, the slick one-touch passing, clever flicks, agility, and the explosiveness to dribble with pace and power to bamboozle the defenders.
One player who honed the aforementioned attributes in his pomp days is Alexis Sanchez, who weaves in and out of defences like nobody else.
Born on December 19, 1988, in Tocopilla, Chile, Sanchez is a professional footballer known for his exceptional skills and versatility on the field. He has played for several top European clubs and the Chilean national team, leaving a significant mark on the footballing world thanks to his goals, assists, and playmaking ability.
Sanchez began his professional career at the tender age of 17 with the Chilean club Cobreloa in 2005. His impressive performances attracted attention from abroad, and he was soon snapped up by Serie A outfit Udinese, but was immediately sent out on loan to Chilean outfit Colo Colo.
Next up was a loan to Argentinean giants River Plate, and after another successful season he was ready to play for Udinese. He made his debut for Udinese in 2008 and quickly established himself as a key player.
His deadly speed, dribbling ability, and eye for goal earned him a high-profile move to Barcelona, one of the world's most prestigious clubs in the summer of 2011 as he joined a star-studded team that featured the likes of Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Andres Iniesta. During his three seasons at Barcelona, Sanchez won numerous titles, including the La Liga, Copa del Rey, and UEFA Super Cup.
In 2014, Sanchez made another significant move, this time to the Premier League, joining Arsenal. He took to the new environment like a duck to water, and became an instant fan favourite at the London club, known for his relentless work rate, technical skills, and goalscoring prowess.
Sanchez was at the heart of everything positive for the Gunners during his time at Arsenal, which was marked by individual brilliance, with him being the driving force behind the team's success.
He played a crucial role in Arsenal's back-to-back FA Cup triumphs in 2014 and 2015. His dazzling performances earned him the PFA Fans Player of the Year award in 2015. His exceptional performances at Arsenal drew the attention of Manchester United, and in January 2018, he completed a high-profile transfer to the Mancunian giants in a controversial swap deal that saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan head to Arsenal.
However, Sanchez's career took a downward turn, marred by injuries and inconsistent form, managing just five goals and nine assists in 45 games.
Three years at Inter Milan followed in which he helped them win their first Serie A title in more than a decade in the 2020-2021 season, ending Juventus' nine-year dominance. Then in August, he joined Marseille on a two-year deal after his Inter contract was terminated.
And the 34-year-old has reinvented himself on the Mediterranean coast, and rediscover his best form, currently sitting on a double digit goals tally for the Ligue 1 side so far this season.
When it comes to his international career, Sanchez's time with the Chilean national team has also been highly successful. He has represented Chile in several Copa America tournaments, where he played a pivotal role in the team's success.
He has played an instrumental role in helping Chile to reach the final of the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. Later he helped his side to achieve their first international victory at the 2015 Copa America, scoring the winning penalty in the final against Argentina.
Having gone through Sanchez's whole footballing journey so far, it goes without mentioning, he has showcased his ability to perform on the big stage and delivered when it mattered most for club and country, but what are some of the most interesting facts about the Chilean that you absolutely must know?
Nicknamed as 'The Wonder Child' and 'dilla' 🐿️
Sanchez's full name is Alexis Alejandro Sanchez. That's an ardously long name. If you find it easier, you can call him by his nickname “El Nino Maravilla ( The Wonder Child)”, a fitting nickname for the Chilean who has had a rapid rise at such a young age.
He also has another quite amusing nickname. You see, he was quite the climber in his days, one who could get into tight lanes and climb trees to retrieve lost balls during games on the street. Couple that with his relatively short 5' 6" stature and boundless energy on the pitch, he came to be known as ‘Dilla,’ short for ardilla, which means squirrel in Spanish.
AdvertisementTough upbringing
Sanchez may have been on extravagant wages and leading a glamorous lifestyle, but as a boy he grew up in a poverty-stricken area in the mining town in Chile called Tocopilla. His father left the family stranded when he was young, leaving his mother, Martina, with an uphill battle of bringing up him with his three siblings.
He has two sisters, Tamara and Marjorie, as well as a brother named Humberto. His mother worked multiple jobs to make ends meet, including home-cleaning jobs, selling fish and flowers. Sanchez started earning money to help his family when he was just six years old. To pursue his dream of becoming a footballer, he was later shifted to his uncle's house.
It was not an easy childhood by any means, as his brother Humberto revealed in a 2014 interview.
“Alexis had nothing when growing up,” he explained. “He had to fight for everything he has. We were the poorest of the poor… Sometimes he was so hungry he would knock on neighbours’ doors and ask for bread. They would always give him what they had to spare.”
This difficult upbringing is what inspired Sanchez to succeed in becoming a professional footballer to provide for his family. He also came to the rescue when his mother got into trouble for selling fish without a license. The family were pretty sure they were doomed.
After all, it was a substantial sum to pay. Having only signed for Cobreloa, Sanchez asked his agent Fernando Felicevich to look into the situation. The agent acquired the license and the dues were paid.
instagram.com/atomhumberoficia1A dog lover 🐕
If Alexis’ Instagram account is anything to go by, he is fond of dogs. They’re two charming Golden Retrievers called Atom and Humber, both of whom have their own Insta accounts. There are many posts of him dressing them up, sleeping next to them and he has even been seen wearing t-shirts with their faces on, and the dogs wearing his match-worn jerseys.
He has also brought his dogs to training with him, going on a run with them as part of his warm up. During the lockdown in May 2020, he welcomed two adorable puppies to the family as well.
Could have been a miner, if not a professional footballer ⛏️👷
Sanchez showed a knack for the beautiful game very early in his childhood. He grew up in a town where mining and fishing were the primary means of livelihood.
Although Sanchez's uncle, Delaigue, had more money than his mother and was supportive, being a coach himself, but after a few years, his uncle was unable to provide for Sanchez. His uncle was also struggling financially, which could have ended Sanchez’s football dream before it began.
Sanchez helped pay his way by cleaning cars at the gates of the city’s cemetery from an early age. He also used to entertain people in the street by doing acrobatics, and kickboxing (he was paid to fight other children) to bring in little money.
He himself stressed years later that Sanchez would have gone on to be a miner probably if he did not stand out in football.
In an HBO documentary, Sanchez said: “When I was a kid my mother was working and I didn’t like it that my mother was working. When she was cleaning in the school I hid because I didn’t like to see her there."
He continued: “If I had not become a football player I would probably have ended up working in the mine, or doing something else, something tough, but I would have done something. I wanted to triumph as a footballer to help the family and the people of Tocopilla.”