Hugo Sotil

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Hugo Sotil
Personal information
Full name Hugo Sotil Yerén
Date of birth May 8, 1949 (1949-05-08) (age 59)
Place of birth    Ica, Peru
Playing position Midfielder
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1968-1973
1973-1977
1977-1978
1979-1983
1985
Deportivo Municipal
FC Barcelona
Alianza Lima
Deportivo Municipal
Espartanos
TOTAL
127 (48)
111 (33)
057 (26)
029 0(8)
008 0(2)
332 (117)   
National team
1970-1978 Flag of Peru Peru 062 0(18)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only.
* Appearances (Goals)

Hugo Sotil Yerén nicknamed El Cholo, (born 8 March 1949 in Ica) is a former Peruvian footballer.

He was part of the Peru squad that won the Copa América 1975.[1] He also competed for Peru at the 1970 and 1978 FIFA World Cup. He made a total of 62 appearances for Peru between 1970 and 1978, scoring 18 goals,[2]

He played for Municipal (Peru), FC Barcelona (Spain) and Alianza Lima (Peru) at the club level.

In 1968, Sotil made his debut at the professional level for Municipal in the Peruvian Second Division, which he helped to obtain promotion to the First Division that year. He then made his debut for the national team on February 4, 1970, and in 1973 he was transferred to FC Barcelona of Spain, to play alongside Johan Cruyff. He participated with the Peruvian national team in 1970 World Cup in Mexico and won the 1975 Copa América, barely playing in the final game since his club did not allow him to travel very often. Sotil arrived in Caracas, where the final was played, and he went immediately from the airport to the soccer stadium where all his fellow teammates were. In that final game against Colombia, Sotil scored the only goal of the game, giving Peru its second title as South American champions.

He stayed with Barcelona for three seasons (1973-1974 to 1976-1977), playing 111 games, and scoring 33 goals. Sotil also played and scored the opening goal in an all-star match between Europe and South America in 1973 at the Camp Nou in Barcelona. With FC Barcelona he obtained the title of the Spanish La Liga during the 1973-1974 season. Barcelona's hiring of the Dutchman Johan Neeskens, who took a foreigner slot, and his own drinking problems resulted in his departure from Barcelona. In 1976 he returned to Peru and played for Alianza Lima, which he helped win the 1977 and 1978 championships. He also played the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, but was not a starter.

In 1979, Sotil went to Colombia, where he did not perform well. He later went back to Municipal and played there until 1983, and returned briefly to football in 1985, playing for Espartanos, a small provincial team. His life is compared to that of George Best, another footballer whose career ended due to alcohol. He currently works in Peru training youngsters.

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