The Chile–Peru football rivalry is a long-standing sports rivalry between the national football teams of both countries and their respective fans. Matches between the two nations are keenly contested and their games have a reputation for competitiveness. The football rivalry between Peru and Chile, partly a reflection of the geopolitical conflict between both neighboring states, is primarily a result of both football squads vying for recognition as the better team in South America's Pacific coast—as their football confederation is historically dominated by countries in South America's Atlantic coast.
History
The football rivalry between Chile and Peru has increased in intensity since the early twentieth century. Initially, the sports authorities from both countries attempted to use football as a way to foster friendly bilateral sociopolitical relations. In 1933, a private enterprise by businessmen Waldo Sanhueza and Jack Gubbins saw the creation of the Combinado del Pacifico, a binational football team composed by Peruvian and Chilean footballers. The squad was initially composed by players from the Chilean club Colo-Colo and the Peruvian club Universitario de Deportes. After this squad was defeated 1-5 by Alianza Lima, another football club from the Peruvian capital, the team was reinforced by Alianza's goalkeeper Juan Valdivieso and creative forward Alejandro Villanueva. Nowadays, Chile v. Peru games generally tend to be very competitive and at times rough, often with players sent off. The two teams display highly contested battles that make for entertaining matches within the CONMEBOL region. In spite of the fierce Chile-Peru football Rivalry, in 2013 The Chilean FA decided to include a new team in the 3rd Division for 2014 named Club Deportivo Incas del Sur which is a team that aims to represent the Peruvian Community in Santiago. Peruvian Companies in Chile have pledged to help fund the team. Currently the team aims to be in the Chilean top Division within three years. In 2015, following a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification match that resulted in a 3-4 Chilean victory over Peru in Lima, Chile's national team vandalized a dressing room in the Peruvian national stadium. The Chileans left behind a defiant message in the room's wall, "Respect! Through here passed America's champion!", alluding to their victory at the 2015 Copa América. In 2017, after Chile did not qualify to the World Cup finals, Chilean lawyers accused Peru of colluding with Colombia to eliminate Chile; a complaint later dismissed by FIFA. When Peru reached the World Cup finals, after defeating New Zealand in the qualification play-offs, the Peruvian players celebrated with chants mocking Chile's elimination; an action deemed by El Mercurio, Chile's leading news outlet, as "provocative."
The national football teams of Chile and Peru have a rivalry that is known in Spanish as the Clásico del Pacífico. CNN World Sport editor Greg Duke ranks it among the top ten football rivalries in the world. The two countries traditionally compete with each other over the rank of fourth-best national team in South America. They also both claim to have invented the bicycle kick; Peruvians call it the chalaca, while it is the chilena in Chile and the rest of Latin America. Both sides first faced each other in the 1935 South American Championship. Since 1953, both countries have traditionally contested the Copa del Pacífico, which is a trophy awarded to the side with the best record after a two-legged home and away match. The first FIFA World Cup match between both teams took place in the qualification phase for the West Germany 1974 tournament. At present, Chile has a positive overall record against Peru in international football.
FIFA World Cup
In the FIFA World Cup tournament, Chile and Peru have only faced each other in the qualifying phase. The first time both sides played each other was in the qualification round for the West Germany 1974 tournament. Both teams were placed in CONMEBOL's Group 3, along with Venezuela. Following Venezuela's withdrawal from the tournament, the group became a contest between Peru and Chile. The first match was won by Peru on 29 April 1973.
Copa América
Peru and Chile first faced each other in the 1935 South American Championship, with Alberto Montellanos scoring the only goal of the match within 5 minutes resulting in a 1–0 win for the Peruvians. The two sides have played each other 21 times throughout the tournament, with Peru having seven wins, Chile with eight, and six draws. Some notable matches include the 2015 semifinal, in which Carlos Zambrano was sent off after a tackle on Charles Aránguiz, Eduardo Vargas scoring twice, and Gary Medel scoring an own goal in a 2–1 win for La Roja to see them advance to the final, in which they were victorious against Argentina 4–1 on spot kicks. The Peruvians would get their revenge four years later in 2019, in a 3–0 win, with Edison Flores scoring, Gabriel Arias coming off his line and making a disastrous mistake, allowing Yoshimar Yotún to strike the ball into an empty net, and Paolo Guerrero tricking Arias to put in a third and send Los Incas into their first final since 1975.
Friendlies
The most recent friendly match between La Blanquirroja and La Roja was on 12 October 2018.
