Roberto Rojas

Football player infobox| playername= Roberto Rojas


fullname = Roberto Rojas
nickname = Cóndor
height =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1957|08|08
cityofbirth = Santiago
countryofbirth = Chile
currentclub = Retired
position = Goalkeeper
youthyears =
youthclubs = Aviación
years = 1976-1982
1983-1987
1987-1989
clubs = Aviación
Colo Colo
São Paulo FC
caps(goals) =
nationalyears = 1983-1989 | nationalteam = Chile
nationalcaps(goals) = 49 (0)
pcupdate = 17 March 2007
ntupdate = 15 November 2006

Roberto "Cóndor" Rojas (born August 8, 1957 in Santiago) is a former Chilean goalkeeper. Rojas is famous for a 1989 on-the-field incident in which he faked an injury in an attempt to avoid a loss by the Chilean national team. The incident resulted in a lifetime ban for Rojas.

Career

Rojas was born and raised in Chile. He began his career in 1976 with the Chilean club Aviación. Rojas would go on the play for Colo Colo from 1983 until 1987. With Colo Colo, Rojas won nationals titles in 1983 and 1986. In 1987, after a successful performance in the Copa América 1987 championship, he transferred to Brazil's São Paulo FC where he remained until 1989. Rojas was considered between 1987 and 1989 one of the best (if not the best) goalkeepers in the world. He is currently a goalkeeper coach for Brazilian side Sport Club do Recife.

1989 World Cup Qualifying Incident

In 1989, Rojas was in goal for Chile's 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Brazil at Rio De Janeiro's Maracanã stadium. Chile, down 1-0, would be eliminated from the upcoming World Cup with a loss. Around the 70-minute mark, Rojas fell to the pitch writhing and holding his forehead. A firework, thrown from the stands by a Brazilian fan named Rosemary de Mello, was smoldering about a yard away. Rojas, his head bloodied, was carried off the field by his teammates who then refused to return claiming conditions were unsafe. The match went unfinished.

Video evidence later showed that Rojas had not been hit by the firework. His head injury was discovered to have been self-inflicted with a razor blade hidden in his glove. FIFA awarded Brazil a 2-0 win, effectively eliminating Chile from the 1990 World Cup. As a consequence, Chile was banned from the 1994 FIFA World Cup and Rojas was banned for life.

In 2001, following a request for pardon, Rojas' ban was lifted by FIFA.

External links

* [http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2001/04/30/rojas010430.html FIFA lifts Rojas lifetime ban]