Humberto Cruz

Humberto "Chita" Cruz
	Cruz in 1962
Personal information
Full name	Humberto Carlos Nelson Cruz Silva
Date of birth	8 December 1939 (age 84)
Place of birth	Santiago, Chile
Height	1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Position(s)	Centre back
Youth career
	Máximo Garay
1956	Colo-Colo
Senior career*
Years	Team
1957–1962	Santiago Morning
1963–1971	Colo-Colo
1972	O'Higgins
1973–1974	Ñublense
1976	Ferroviarios
Total
International career
1961–1970	Chile
Managerial career
1978	Magallanes
1981–1982	Santiago Morning
1983	Deportes Laja
1984	Unión Española
1984	Fernández Vial
1985	Deportes Ovalle
1986	Ñublense
1986	Deportes Antofagasta
1988	Cobreandino
1990–1991	Deportes Ovalle
1996	Deportes Melipilla
Medal record
Men's football
Representing Chile
FIFA World Cup
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Humberto Carlos Nelson Cruz Silva (Spanish pronunciation: [umˈbeɾto ˈkɾuθ], born 8 December 1939) is a Chilean retired footballer that played in two FIFA World Cups (1962, Chile third place, and 1966) as centre back, despite his short height. He also has been a close friend of Pelé since they played against each other in the 1960s. According to Pelé, Cruz was one of his best markers and in several interviews he has mentioned the classic moment when Cruz pulled down his pants so he wouldn't elude him. His nickname is after Cheeta (pronounced Chita in Spanish), Tarzan's ape companion.

Personal life

Cruz is well known by his nickname Chita (Cheetah) which it was given when he was a youth player of club Máximo Garay from Estación Central due to his speed to mark as a defender.^[1]

His son, Humberto Cruz Floh, was with the Universidad Católica youth ranks and represented Chile at under-20 level in the 1985 South American Championship.^[2] Another son, Claudio Cruz, played for Deportes Antofagasta and Audax Italiano.^[3]

Honours

Colo-Colo

Primera División: 1963, 1970

Chile^[4]

References

^ ""Chita", "Pájaro", "Chamuca", "Caldillo" y "Bototo"... Cinco futbolistas revelan el origen de sus inconfundibles y notables apodos | Emol.com". Emol (in Spanish). El Mercurio. 21 April 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
^ "Grandes dinastías de la Selección: Padres e hijos que jugaron por "La Roja"". Guioteca.com (in Spanish). El Mercurio. 15 June 2014. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
^ "Claudio Cruz :: Claudio Cruz Floh ::". zerozero.pt (in Portuguese). Retrieved 13 September 2022.
^ "Humberto Cruz". Partidos de La Roja (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 September 2022.

External links

FIFA Profile
Humberto Cruz at PartidosdeLaRoja (in Spanish)

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[1] ""Chita", "Pájaro", "Chamuca", "Caldillo" y "Bototo"... Cinco futbolistas revelan el origen de sus inconfundibles y notables apodos | Emol.com". Emol (in Spanish). El Mercurio. 21 April 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2022.

[2] "Grandes dinastías de la Selección: Padres e hijos que jugaron por "La Roja"". Guioteca.com (in Spanish). El Mercurio. 15 June 2014. Retrieved 13 September 2022.

[3] "Claudio Cruz :: Claudio Cruz Floh ::". zerozero.pt (in Portuguese). Retrieved 13 September 2022.

[4] "Humberto Cruz". Partidos de La Roja (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 September 2022.

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