Francisco Valdés vs Leonel Sánchez
Chile against Chile. The almanac states its case, the crowd votes, you decide.
Francisco Valdés
Chile · 1973–2020 · CM
- Almanac rating
- 87
- Rank in Chile
- #10 of 33
- Caps
- 52 · 9 goals
- Clubs
- Club Social y Deportivo Colo Colo, Unión Española, Cobreloa
On 21 November 1973 he kicked off against nobody at the Estadio Nacional, walked the ball upfield with his team-mates and rolled it into an empty net, the Soviet Union having refused to play there. Colo-Colo reached the 1973 Copa Libertadores final with him running the midfield, the first final for a Chilean club, and he left the game with two Chilean championships, a Copa Chile and 215 league goals, the most in Chilean history until 2020. Career record: 52 caps and 9 goals for Chile; club career at Club Social y Deportivo Colo Colo, Unión Española, Cobreloa.
Leonel Sánchez
Chile · 1960s · LM
- Almanac rating
- 89
- Rank in Chile
- #6 of 33
- Caps
- 85 · 24 goals
- Clubs
- Club Universidad de Chile, Club Social y Deportivo Colo Colo, C.D. Palestino
His free kick from the left in the 1962 quarter-final at Arica lifted over the wall and dropped past Lev Yashin, and the Soviet Union were out of the World Cup. Four goals made him a joint top scorer of that tournament, the only Chilean to top a World Cup scoring list, and he finished third on home soil, won six Chilean titles with the Ballet Azul at Universidad de Chile and held the caps record for decades. Career record: 85 caps and 24 goals for Chile; club career at Club Universidad de Chile, Club Social y Deportivo Colo Colo, C.D. Palestino.
The verdict
The almanac puts Leonel Sánchez ahead by 2 rating points, 89 against 87.
Fans have not settled this one yet. Cast the first vote in the duels.