Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Humberto Carlos Nelson Cruz Silva | ||||||||||||||||
Date of birth | 8 December 1939 | ||||||||||||||||
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 | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
1957–1962 | Santiago Morning | 120 | (5) | ||||||||||||||
1963–1971 | Colo-Colo | 259 | (4) | ||||||||||||||
1972 | O'Higgins | ||||||||||||||||
1973–1974 | Ñublense | 67 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
1976 | Ferroviarios | ||||||||||||||||
Total | 446 | (11) | |||||||||||||||
International career | |||||||||||||||||
1961–1970 | Chile | 37 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
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
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*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.
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]
Colo-Colo
Chile[4]