Humberto Carlos Nelson Cruz Silva (, born 8 December 1939) is a Chilean retired footballer that played in two

FIFA World Cup The FIFA World Cup, often called the World Cup, is an international association football competition among the senior List of men's national association football teams, men's national teams of the members of the FIFA, Fédération Internatio ...

s (1962, Chile third place, and 1966) as

centre back In the sport of association football, a defender is an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield player whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring. Defenders fall into four main categ ...

, despite his short height. He also has been a close friend of

Pelé Edson Arantes do Nascimento (; 23 October 1940 – 29 December 2022), better known by his nickname Pelé (), was a Brazilian professional Association football, footballer who played as a Forward (association football), forward. Widely reg ...

since they played against each other in the 1960s. According to Pelé, Cruz was one of his best markers and in several interviews he has mentioned the classic moment when Cruz pulled down his pants so he wouldn't elude him. His nickname is after Cheeta (pronounced Chita in Spanish), Tarzan's ape companion.

Personal life

Cruz is well known by his nickname ''Chita'' (Cheetah) which it was given when he was a youth player of club Máximo Garay from Estación Central due to his speed to mark as a defender. His son, Humberto Cruz Floh, was with the Universidad Católica youth ranks and represented Chile at under-20 level in the 1985 South American Championship. Another son, Claudio Cruz, played for Deportes Antofagasta and Audax Italiano.

Honours

Colo-Colo * Primera División: 1963, 1970 Chile *

: Third place

1962 The year saw the Cuban Missile Crisis, which is often considered the closest the world came to a Nuclear warfare, nuclear confrontation during the Cold War. Events January * January 1 – Samoa, Western Samoa becomes independent from Ne ...

Copa América The CONMEBOL Copa América (; known until 1975 as the South American Football Championship), often simply called the Copa America, is the top men's quadrennial association football, football tournament contested among list of men's national ass ...

: Third place

1967 Events January * January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair. * January 6 – Vietnam War: United States Marine Corps and Army of ...

* Copa O'Higgins:

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...

* :

References

External links

FIFA Profile

at PartidosdeLaRoja 1939 births Living people Chilean men's footballers Chile men's international footballers Santiago Morning footballers Colo-Colo footballers O'Higgins F.C. footballers Ñublense footballers Club Deportivo Ferroviarios footballers Chilean Primera División players Primera B de Chile players 1962 FIFA World Cup players 1966 FIFA World Cup players Men's association football central defenders Chilean football managers Magallanes managers Santiago Morning managers Unión Española managers Arturo Fernández Vial managers Ñublense managers Deportes Antofagasta managers Deportes Melipilla managers Primera B de Chile managers Chilean Primera División managers Footballers from Santiago, Chile 20th-century Chilean sportsmen {{Chile-footy-defender-stub