Víctor Benítez Explained

Víctor Benítez
Fullname:Víctor Benítez Morales
Birth Date:30 October 1935
Birth Place:Lima, Peru
Death Place:Milan, Italy
Height:1.72 m
Position:Centre-back, defensive midfielder
Years1:1954–1959
Clubs1:Alianza Lima
Years2:1960–1962
Clubs2:Boca Juniors
Caps2:70
Goals2:5
Years3:1962–1963
Clubs3:AC Milan
Caps3:12
Goals3:1
Years4:1963–1964
Clubs4:Messina
Caps4:12
Goals4:2
Years5:1964–1965
Clubs5:AC Milan
Caps5:26
Goals5:1
Years6:1965–1966
Clubs6:Roma
Years7:1966–1967
Clubs7:Venezia
Caps7:23
Goals7:3
Years8:1967–1968
Clubs8:Inter Milan
Caps8:8
Goals8:1
Years9:1968–1970
Clubs9:Roma
Years10:1971
Clubs10:Sporting Cristal
Nationalyears1:1957–1959
Nationalteam1:Peru
Nationalcaps1:11
Nationalgoals1:0

Víctor Benítez Morales (12 September 1935 – 11 July 2022) was a Peruvian professional footballer who played as a centre-back or defensive midfielder. Nicknamed "El Conejo", he notably played for Italian clubs AC Milan, Roma and Inter Milan as well as Argentine club Boca Juniors. He won the European Cup title with AC Milan in 1963.

Along with José Velásquez, he is recognised as one of Peru's most important defensive midfielders of all time.

Club career

Born in Lima, Peru, Benítez began his career with Alianza Lima in 1950s. He won two Peruvian league titles in 1954 and 1955. In 1960 he joined Argentine club Boca Juniors where he was part of the team that won the 1962 league championship.

Benítez moved to Italy in 1962, where he played for AC Milan, Messina, Roma, Venezia, and Inter Milan. In 1963, he was part of the AC Milan team that won the UEFA Champions League. He won a Coppa Italia title with Roma in 1969.

He returned to Peru in 1971 where he played out the remainder of his career with Sporting Cristal.

International career

Between 1957 and 1959 he played 11 games for the Peru national team.[1] He appeared for Peru in the Copa América in 1957 and 1959, playing in a total of seven games. Additionally, he played in FIFA World Cup qualification for his native country in 1957. On 17 May 1959, Benitez was part of the Peru national team which beat England 4–1 in Lima.[2]

Death

Benítez died in Italy on 11 July 2022 at the age of 86.[3]

Honours

Alianza Lima

1954, 1955

Boca Juniors

1962

AC Milan

1962–63

Roma

1968–69

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/peru-recintlp.html rsssf:Peru record international footballers
  2. http://www.thefa.com/England/SeniorTeam/Archive/matchstats.html?m=332 Peru 4 England 1
  3. https://elcomercio.pe/deporte-total/futbol-peruano/fallecio-victor-benitez-exfutbolista-de-la-seleccion-peruana-y-campeon-de-la-champions-league-con-ac-milan-murio-victor-conejo-benitez-rmmd-dtbn-noticia/?outputType=amp Fútbol peruano de luto: falleció Víctor Benítez, exfutbolista nacional y campeón del AC Milan