This Friday, at 8:00 p.m. Chile, Ricardo Gareca’s Red will have its debut in the Copa América United States 2024. The clash will be with Peru, at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
There, Claudio Bravo – after overcoming some physical problems – will be the starting goalkeeper of the national team. The choice is not only for Gareca, but also for Bruno Vásquez, the “covered” one in the “Tigre” technical staff.
Vásquez, only 35 years old, is the goalkeeping coach of the “new era” of the Chilean team. From within the Red, they assure that the former University of Chile has become an important pillar in jobs in the US. “Humility”, “preparation” and “dedication” are the terms that are heard most when asking about him and that have allowed him to earn Bravo’s respect despite his youth.
Who is Bruno Vásquez, the goalkeeper coach of La Roja?
Bruno Vásquez worked between 2013 and 2018 as Coordinator of the Goalkeeping Area of Formative Football at the University of Chile, but left the CDA to go to Qatar, where he carried out the same function at Aspire Academy, one of the most important soccer academies in the world.
In parallel, in 2021 He took over as goalkeeping coach for the Qatar Under 23 National Team, led at that time by also Chilean Nicolás Córdova, today coach of the Roja Under 20.
In November 2021, Vásquez spoke with AS and made his thoughts clear. “There was a Bruno who left Chile almost four years ago and now I am a totally different Bruno. “I have had to assume more responsibilities, continue evolving in my ideas and my work, and to do so here in Qatar I am surrounded by people who help me and demand that I continue to improve every day.” he pointed out on that occasion.
“I am very demanding of myself, I do not settle for anything and I am privileged to have people around me who help me be better day by day. And of course, I do the same with the work group that I lead, with people of seven different nationalities, in a language that I have had to learn and competing at the highest Asian level, with very good performance… Traveling throughout all over the world, playing in World Cup stadiums, being able to talk to professionals from Europe or Asia is something very difficult to achieve. For example, I have been training at the Italian National Team facilities in Coverciano and giving a presentation of my work to those responsible for Italy’s goalkeepers,” he added in said interview.
Vásquez and his decisions in La Roja
From within La Roja they assure that Gareca listens carefully to Bruno Vásquez’s words. For him, as for the “Tigre”, it was essential to have Claudio Bravo in this Copa América.
And not only that, because despite the fact that they were not ultimately on the final list, Vásquez was key for Vicente Reyes and Lawrence Vigouroux to appear on the pre-list of 55 players. Both are goalkeepers who completely fill the palate of the new goalkeeping coach and it is not surprising that they appear on the next Playoff rosters.
