Mauricio Isla

At 35 years old, Mauricio Isla has this physical status:

Mauricio Ansla Isla (Spanish: [mawisjo izla]: born 12 June 1988) is a Chilean professional footballer who plays as a right-back and midfielder for Universidad Católica and the Chilean national team.

Isla began his career in the youth of Universidad Católica and then moved to Udinese, where he made his professional debut in 2007. His performances earned him a transfer to Serie A Champions Juventus, where he won consecutive league titles during his first two seasons with the team. In 2014, he was put on loan with Queens Park Rangers in the United Kingdom, though he also spent the next season on loan with French club Marseille.

Since his debut in 2007, Isla has won over 130 caps for Chile, as well as five Copa América tournaments (in 2010, 2015, 2016, and 2021), winning the 2011 and 2016 editions.

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Club career

Isla was with Huracán de Maipo from Buin as a child. He debuted as a forward in Universidad Católica's youth ranks in 1999. However, his height led him to a change to defender as U Católica lacked quality youth defenders. Isla played well enough in the new position to earn a call-up to the first squad in 2006, but he never played a single game or in 2007, coach José del Solar sent him back to the youth team.

Isla had a good showing in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada and was later signed by Udinese of Italy on a five-year deal. He can both defend and attack, and he has been known to convert innocent possession-based games into fast-paced counter-attacks with ease. His technique is aided by a sprightly pace and stamina.

Isla made his professional debut against Palermo in the Coppa Italia on December 19, 2007. Isla played his first game as a starter in Serie A against Palermo on March 8, 2008, a game that resulted in a 1–1 draw. Isla regularly played as a right wing-back in a 3–5–2 formation during Udinese's 2010–11 Serie A campaign, owing to Dube's long-term injury, Isla was back in a 3–5–2 formation. He was instrumental in helping Udinese finish fourth and earn qualifying for the 2011-2012 UEFA Champions League play-off round.

Juventus revealed Isla's join as a medical student on June 15, 2012, ahead of a potential move to join the team for the upcoming 2012–13 seasons. Isla said that going to Juventus fulfilled his dreams and that he was excited to work with his Chilean colleague Arturo Vidal.

Isla told TVN:

Isla joined Queens Park Rangers on loan for the 2014–15 Premier League season, with the possibility of a permanent contract at the end of the season for a £8 million fee. He made his debut against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. In the next league game against Sunderland, he made his home debut in a new right-back role in a new setup, assisting the R's in their first league victory and clean sheet of the season. Isla adapted quickly to the Premier League, and his national teammate and close friend Eduardo Vargas, who plays just in front of his goal in QPR's 4–4–2 formation, helped him. This started to show when Charlie Austin was assisting him against the reigning Premier League champions Manchester City. Isla's desire to make the loan permanent at the end of the season after settling into life in West London.

By Juventus, Isla was loaned to Marseille on August 31, 2015.

For a transfer fee of €4 million, Isla travelled to Cagliari on August 10, 2016. He has joined his new club for three years.

Isla signed with Fenerbahçe, Turkey's highest-paid job, on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

Isla joined Brazilian club Flamengo for a two-year contract on a free transfer on August 19, 2020. Isla made her debut for Flamengo as a halftime replacement in a Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 1–0 victory over Santos on August 30, 2020. At the time when Flamengo defeated the league crown in the 2020 season, he was named the best right back in the league.

International career

In the 2005 South American Championship, Isla competed with Chile under the age of 15 in the 2004 South American Championship and with Chile U17 in the 2005 South American Championships.

In the 2007 South American Youth Championship, where Chile qualified for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup, Isla competed with Chile U20, where Chile qualified for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Isla was known around the world for her accuracy with the ball and versatility during the U-20 World Cup. Isla was an integral part of the team that finished in third place. Due to a variety of injuries to other squad members, Isla's defender, midfield, and forward played in the quarterfinal game against Nigeria. After finishing scoreless in regulation, the game went into overtime, and Chile scored four goals in the added time. Two of the goals came from Isla, one from the penalty spot. Isla's goal came after he went over to the Chilean telecast camera (which was accompanied by a Chilean flag) and dedicated his hopes to his grandmother and aunt, who were expecting. Isla was transferred to Serie A team Udinese after his participation in the tournament, a rare occurrence in the Chilean league.

Marcelo Bielsa, the new Chilean coach, called Isla up to his first full Chile senior team international cap against Switzerland against his clubmate Gökhan Inler in September 2007. He began as a center midfielder. This was his first appearance as a professional footballer before making his first team debut on Udinese. In the upcoming friendly against Israel, where he served as a second-half substitute, his strong results earned him another call-up. In March 2009, he appeared in his first 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Peru as a starter. Isla got off to a bad start against Uruguay, where he was suspended after 33 minutes due to two yellow cards. In all of Chile's four 2010 World Cup games, he served as a starter. He appeared in 3 of the four matches in the 2011 Copa América, and in 13 of 16 matches in 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying.

Isla scored the only goal on home soil in the 81st minute of a quarter-final victory over Uruguay at the Estadio Nacional, putting Chile into the last four for the first time since 1999.

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