José del Solar

José Guillermo del Solar Alvarez-Calderón (born 28 November 1967) is a Peruvian football manager and former player who played as a defensive midfielder.

During his playing career, spent in four countries – mainly in Spain, where he amassed La Liga totals of 149 matches and ten goals during six seasons – he was nicknamed Chemo. He started and finished it at Universitario.

Del Solar was a Peruvian international for 15 years. He started working as a manager in 2005, also being in charge of the national team late into the decade.

Club
Born in Lima, Del Solar developed at the youth system of Universitario de Deportes, but played his first professional match with Asociación Deportiva San Agustín after he was loaned by Universitario to continue his development as a player. He won his first Peruvian Primera División championship with San Agustín, defeating Alianza Lima in December 1986.

Del Solar's last official appearance was a 0–0 draw against traditional rivals Alianza Lima for the Apertura on 7 July 2002, playing for his first club which won 1–0 in the first game, with 0–0 in Trujillo.

Del Solar competed in Spain from 1992 to 1998, always in La Liga. He started at CD Tenerife – where he partnered Argentine Fernando Redondo in central midfield, and also his compatriot Percy Olivares – helping the Canary Islands side rob Real Madrid of the league title in the last round in his first season, playing in 30 matches and scoring once (the team also qualified for the first time ever to the UEFA Cup); this dramatic league scenario also happened in the following year, but his presence was much more testimonial.

In 1996, after suffering relegation with UD Salamanca, del Solar was a starter at RC Celta de Vigo but appeared rarely for Valencia CF, after which he left the country, resuming his career in Turkey and Belgium (one season apiece, interspersed with spells in his country) and finally retiring at his very first club at the age of 34.

International
Del Solar earned 74 caps for Peru, in which he scored nine goals. He made his debut on 28 January 1986 against China (1–3), playing his last international match on 8 November 2001 against Argentina (0–2), 20 days before his 34th birthday.

Del Solar was selected to six Copa América tournaments, netting three times in four matches – twice through penalties – as the national team reached the quarter-finals in the 1993 edition, in Ecuador.

Coaching career
Del Solar began working as a coach with Villarreal CF's reserves in Tercera División, in 2003, but left in December to acquire his coaching license. He returned to the side in June 2004, but resigned on 4 October.

In 2005, del Solar worked at Club Atlético Colón, aided by former Tenerife teammate Juan Antonio Pizzi as the pair was sacked after only three matches and as many losses. He was named manager of Sporting Cristal afterwards, leading the team to the domestic league in 2005.

In 2007, del Solar was appointed at former club Club Deportivo Universidad Católica, finishing second behind Colo-Colo in Apertura 2007. On 3 August of that year, he replaced Julio César Uribe as manager of the national side; he went on to be part of the disastrous 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign, as they only won three times and ranked last.

Player
San Agustín
 * Peruvian Primera División: 1986

Universitario
 * Peruvian Primera División: 1987, 1999, 2000
 * Apertura 2002

Universidad Católica
 * Copa Chile: 1991

Manager
Sporting Cristal
 * Peruvian Primera División: 2005