Marco Antonio Figueroa Explained

Marco Antonio Figueroa
Fullname:Marco Antonio Figueroa Montero
Birth Date:21 February 1962
Birth Place:San Felipe, Chile
Currentclub:Nicaragua (manager)
Position:Striker
Years1:1979–1983
Clubs1:Unión La Calera
Years2:1983–1985
Clubs2:Everton
Years3:1986–1990
Clubs3:Morelia
Caps3:133
Goals3:55
Years4:1990–1991
Clubs4:América
Caps4:15
Goals4:5
Years5:1992–1993
Clubs5:Cobreloa
Years6:1993–1997
Clubs6:Morelia
Caps6:134
Goals6:75
Years7:1997
Clubs7:Celaya
Caps7:17
Goals7:3
Years8:1998
Nationalyears1:1987–1993
Nationalteam1:Chile
Nationalcaps1:7
Nationalgoals1:1
Manageryears1:2001
Managerclubs1:Comunicaciones
Manageryears2:2002
Managerclubs2:La Piedad
Manageryears3:2003
Managerclubs3:Jaguares de Tapachula
Manageryears4:2004
Manageryears5:2004–2005
Managerclubs5:Celaya
Manageryears6:2005
Managerclubs6:Querétano
Manageryears7:2006
Managerclubs7:Lagartos de Tabasco
Manageryears8:2006
Managerclubs8:Tecos
Manageryears9:2006–2007
Managerclubs9:Morelia
Manageryears10:2008
Managerclubs10:Cobreloa
Manageryears11:2009–2010
Managerclubs11:Universidad Católica
Manageryears12:2010
Managerclubs12:O'Higgins
Manageryears13:2011–2012
Managerclubs13:Everton
Manageryears14:2012
Managerclubs14:Unión San Felipe
Manageryears15:2013
Managerclubs15:Cobreloa
Manageryears16:2013–2014
Managerclubs16:Universidad de Chile
Manageryears17:2015
Managerclubs17:Cobreloa
Manageryears18:2015–2016
Managerclubs18:San Marcos
Manageryears19:2017
Managerclubs19:Murciélagos
Manageryears20:2018–2019
Managerclubs20:O'Higgins
Manageryears21:2020
Managerclubs21:Cobreloa
Manageryears22:2022–
Managerclubs22:Nicaragua

Marco Antonio Figueroa Montero (pronounced as /es/; born 21 February 1962) is a Chilean former footballer, currently manager for Nicaragua. He is commonly known as "El Fantasma" (Spanish word: "The phantom"). Figueroa played as a striker and spent the majority of his playing career at Mexico, after retiring in 1998, at the Chilean powerhouse Universidad Católica, aged 36.

Club career

Figueroa is considered an idol of Morelia after playing for the club between 1986 and 1990.[1] He and his Chilean fellows Juan Carlos Vera and Ángel Bustos are well remembered as a prolific attacking trident.[2]

Coaching career

In January 2001, he debuted as head coach at the Guatemalan successful club Comunicaciones, signing the next season for Atlético Celaya of the Liga de Ascenso, in where Figueroa had two spells, after of direct to Salamanca F.C. of the same country in the 2003 season. Three years later, with adobe steps at Querétaro and UAG Tecos, in September 2006, he signed a contract with Monarcas Morelia,[3] his old club when was player, team in where also was an historic goalscorer during the 1980s and 90s.

Figueroa came back to his homeland in July 2008 signing for Cobreloa,[4] another old club in his career, of this form returning to his country after ten years out in Mexico and Guatemala. After a successful season at the team of Calama, reaching the Clausura Tournament semi–finals, in December of that year, he reached an agreement with Universidad Católica for direct to that team in the next season.[5] At Católica, Figueroa was runner–up in the 2009 Clausura Tournament, after a regular season in the last semester, despite reaching the semi–finals of the Apertura Tournament, being also named as the coach of the year according to El Gráfico. The next season, after a regular campaign with Católica in the first part of the league tournament and in the 2010 Copa Libertadores, he was fired of the club, but signed months later for O'Higgins.

On 11 April 2011, Figueroa signed a contract with the Primera B side Everton, replacing to Diego Osella, because the bad results that the Argentine coach reached in the first weeks of the Apertura Tournament of that division.[6] At the club based in Viña del Mar, he was champion of the Clausura Tournament of that level, but not achieved the promotion, after of loss against Unión San Felipe and Rangers. The next season, he was fired from the club.

On 25 September 2018, Figueroa was re-appointed as head coach for O'Higgins.[7]

Personal life

His son, Mateo, is a player from the Atlético Morelia youth system.[8]

Honours

Player

Cobreloa

Individual

Manager

Universidad Católica
Everton

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Salazar . Elías Leonardo . Amor, lo que se dice amor, es lo que existe entre Fantasma Figueroa y Morelia; los goles de 1988 . Bolavip . 28 August 2022 . es . 21 February 2021.
  2. Web site: Sánchez . Gabriel . Héroe por un gol . VAVEL . 27 August 2022 . es . 9 June 2022.
  3. News: Vuelve El Fantasma . . 19 September 2006 . Mexico D.F..
  4. News: Marco Antonio Figueroa será el entrenador de Cobreloa . . 30 July 2008 .
  5. News: Marco Antonio Figueroa es el nuevo técnico de la UC . Emol.com . 11 December 2008 .
  6. News: Marco Antonio Figueroa es el nuevo DT de Everton . Redgol.cl . 11 April 2011 . Daniel . Beovic.
  7. http://www.ohigginsfc.cl/noticias/noticia_detalle.php?id=2594 Bienvenido Marco Antonio Figueroa
  8. Web site: Lozano . Luis Esteban . Mateo Figueroa, hijo del Fantasma ya se prepara en Morelia . Futbol Total . 28 June 2023 . es . 24 January 2023.