Jorge Acuña
Personal information
Full name Jorge Cristian Acuña Concha
Date of birth (1978-07-31) 31 July 1978
Place of birth Ovalle, Chile
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Unión Española
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999 Unión Española 37 (1)
2000–2002 Universidad Católica 74 (0)
2003–2006 Feyenoord 15 (0)
2004–2005 → Universidad Católica (loan) 38 (2)
2005–2006 → Roosendaal (loan) 24 (0)
2007 Universidad de Chile 16 (0)
2007–2009 Mamelodi Sundowns 35 (0)
2009 Ñublense 12 (0)
2010–2015 Unión San Felipe 55 (0)
2013 → Rangers (loan) 12 (0)
2015–2016 Cobresal 8 (0)
2017 Unión San Felipe 6 (0)
Total 332 (3)
International career
2003–2006 Chile 16 (0)
Managerial career
2018 Santa María U17 (city team)
2020–2021 Unión San Felipe U17
2020–2021 Unión San Felipe (assistant)
2021 Unión San Felipe
2023 Santiago City
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Jorge Cristian Acuña Concha (born 31 July 1978 in Ovalle), also known by his nickname Kike Acuña,[1] is a Chilean football manager and former footballer who played as a midfielder.

Club career

Born in Ovalle, IV Region of Coquimbo, Acuña joined Santiago–based club Unión Española youth set-up where was promoted to the first adult team in 1999. After spending a season with the Spaniards, in January 2000, he moved to powerhouse Universidad Católica where he helped the club to win the 2002 Torneo Apertura, being a key playing in the title earning.

In 2002, Acuña signed a contract with Dutch club Feyenoord.[2] Following a Feyenoord Reserve match on 15 April 2004, he and other Feyenoord players, including Robin van Persie, were attacked by AFC Ajax hooligans. Acuña was taken to the hospital with head, neck and rib injuries.[3] Then he joined on loan to RBC Roosendaal to play the 2005–06 Eredivisie season. After completing 24 league appearances, Acuña finished his spell at North Brabant and later was released from Feyenoord in January 2006 which didn't renew his contract.

After months as a free agent he was on trial at English clubs Blackburn Rovers and Wigan Athletic. However, on 23 January 2007, Acuña finally signed for Universidad de Chile, Católica's cross town rivals.[4] He arrived to the club during an institutional crisis, only playing 16 league games and then being fired by coach Arturo Salah after missing a training.[5]

On 8 August 2007, it was reported that Acuña moved to South African side Mamelodi Sundowns of the Premier Soccer League.[6][7] After two seasons playing at The Brazilians, he decided to left them after differences with club's chairman Patrice Motsepe who according Acuña discriminated him for be white.[8]

After leaving Unión San Felipe, on 2018 he played for both Rebeldes F.C. and Las Higueras de Santa María at amateur level.[9]

Managerial career

After coaching the under-17 football team of the commune Santa María,[9] on 2020 he began his managerial career as manager of Unión San Felipe at under-17 level.[10] In November 2020, after Unión San Felipe changed his technical staff, Acuña became assistant coach of Héctor Roco,[11] the manager of the first team.[1]

On 28 April 2021, he took the challenge of coaching Unión San Felipe as a caretaker manager after Tomás Arrotea[12] was released,[13] being later ratified on 26 May 26, 2021,[14] and released on August of the same year.[15]

For the 2023 season, he signed with Santiago City FC in the Chilean Tercera A.[16][17]

Personal life

His cousin-nephew, Diego Abarca,[18] is an American footballer who is the son of his cousin, Sandra Ramírez, and the former Chilean professional footballer José Abarca.[19]

Honours

Club

Universidad Católica

References

  1. 1 2 ""Kike" Acuña y su nueva labor en Primera B" (in European Spanish). TNT Sports Chile. 29 November 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  2. ↑ "Acuna nets three-year Feyenoord deal". ESPN. 28 January 2002. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  3. ↑ "Fans' attack puts Feyenoord player in hospital". The Independent. 16 April 2004. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  4. ↑ "Jorge Acuña llega al país para firmar por la Universidad de Chile". Emol. 23 February 2007. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  5. ↑ "Arturo Salah despidió a Jorge Acuña de la U". Emol. 17 July 2007. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  6. ↑ Downs snatch Chilean star Acuna "Downs snatch Chilean star Acuna". Wn.com. 8 August 2007. Retrieved 6 August 2015. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  7. ↑ "Chilean star joins South African champions". nl.women.soccerway.com. 9 August 2007. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  8. ↑ "Jorge Acuña se siente víctima del racismo en Sudáfrica". Radio Cooperativa. 10 February 2009. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  9. 1 2 "¡Imperdible! Las 50 preguntas a Jorge 'Kike' Acuña". Portaligas (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 August 2021. Además de estar en Rebeldes también estoy en el club Las Higueras de Santa María.
  10. ↑ "Jorge Acuña y su nueva etapa en la Sub 17 de San Felipe: "El que se porte mal conmigo, no jugará"" (in Spanish). T13. 9 March 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  11. ↑ Héctor Roco at CeroaCero
  12. ↑ Tomás Arrotea at BDFA
  13. ↑ "Cae el primer DT en el fútbol chileno y asume 'Kike' Acuña" (in Spanish). AS Chile. 28 April 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  14. ↑ "La buena noticia que recibió el invicto "Kike" Acuña en Unión San Felipe". PrimeraBChile.cl (in Spanish). 26 May 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  15. ↑ "Jorge Acuña, desvinculado de Unión San Felipe" (in Spanish). AS Chile. 1 August 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  16. ↑ @sancityfc (22 December 2022). "Bienvenido al Santiago City" (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 December 2022 – via Instagram.
  17. ↑ "Jorge Acuña dejó de ser entrenador de Santiago City". alairelibre.cl (in Spanish). Radio Cooperativa. 4 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  18. ↑ Diego Abarca at CeroaCero
  19. ↑ Vega, Diego (13 May 2022). "El sobrino del 'Kike' Acuña que juega en Estados Unidos y sueña con la Roja" (in Spanish). AS Chile. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
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