José Luis Chilavert

José Luis Chilavert is a Paraguayan former football goalkeeper who became known for scoring free kicks and penalties. He captained Paraguay’s national team and was one of football’s most prolific scoring goalkeepers.

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1998 FIFA World Cup: The 16th FIFA World Cup, held in France and won by the host nation. Chilavert captained Paraguay at the tournament, where the team reached the round of 16.
Goalkeeper (association football): The player positioned to prevent the opposing team from scoring, with special permission to handle the ball in the penalty area. Chilavert’s primary position gave his scoring exploits their unusual significance.
Paraguay national football team: The national association football team representing Paraguay in international competition. Chilavert captained the side and became a defining figure in its modern history.
Scoring goalkeeper: A goalkeeper who scores goals with unusual frequency, often by taking penalties or free kicks. Chilavert helped make this rare role visible in elite football.
1999 Copa América: The South American national-team football championship held in Paraguay in 1999. Paraguay hosted the tournament while Chilavert was captain of its national team.
Association football free kick: A restart awarded after a foul, allowing a player to kick the ball without direct interference from opponents. Chilavert scored directly from free kicks, a rare skill for a goalkeeper.
FIFA: The international governing body for association football, futsal, and beach soccer. FIFA records and competitions frame Chilavert’s international career and individual honors.
Rogério Ceni: A Brazilian former goalkeeper who became football’s highest-scoring goalkeeper, mainly through free kicks and penalties. Ceni extended the scoring-goalkeeper tradition that Chilavert had brought international attention.
Vélez Sarsfield: An Argentine football club based in the Liniers neighborhood of Buenos Aires. Chilavert became a club icon there, winning major domestic and international titles.
Penalty kick: A direct shot awarded for certain fouls inside the defending team’s penalty area. Chilavert regularly took penalties for club and country, converting them into goals.