The Fenollosa Hall hosts the presentation of the book: Carlos Caszely, goals and rebellion

The Ciutat de València Stadium hosts the presentation of Carlos Caszely, Goals and Rebellion, the new authorized biography of the legendary Chilean footballer by Carolina Espinoza and Miguel Ángel San Martín. The event, which will take place on Tuesday, December 16 in the Fenollosa Room, is organized by Levante UD and the Casa de Chile in Valencia.

Considered one of the best Chilean players of all time, Carlos Humberto Caszely is an absolute icon of Colo-Colo, a club with which he played fifteen seasons, won five national championships, three Chilean Cups, and reached the runner-up position in the Copa Libertadores.

Internationally, he left a deep mark: he played for Levante UD, Español, Barcelona de Guayaquil, and New York Cosmos, in addition to becoming the fifth top scorer in the history of the Chilean national team. Among other achievements, he was the top scorer of the Chilean championship, top scorer of the 1973 Copa Libertadores, and best player of the 1979 Copa América.

Caszely and Levante UD: A Bond Marked by History

The authorized biography highlights his time at Levante UD. Caszely arrived in September 1973 during a particularly turbulent political moment for Chile. His arrival at Levante coincided with the coup d'état by Augusto Pinochet. This event profoundly marked his personal and professional trajectory. The sale of Caszely to Levante allowed Colo-Colo's management to complete the construction of the Monumental Stadium.

As a player for Levante, Caszely participated in the famous playoff match between Russia and Chile with the 1974 World Cup as the backdrop. He also refused to greet Pinochet. With Levante, he played two seasons and shone brightly: he was the top scorer in Spanish football during the 1974–75 season, a record that left an indelible mark on Levante's history before his transfer to Espanyol.

The Book: Football, Memory, and Social Awareness

Carolina Espinoza and Miguel Ángel San Martín present in Carlos Caszely, Goals and Rebellion a comprehensive portrait of the player: his childhood, his sports career in Chile and abroad, his social and political commitment, his dreams, his family life, and his role in the recent social uprising.

The work addresses both bright and painful episodes, such as the missed penalty in the 1982 World Cup in Spain or the impact of learning about the tortures his mother suffered under Pinochet's dictatorship. It is a biography in which Caszely “speaks openly,” bares his memory, and shares joys, fears, and scars that transcend football.

The Authors: Two Chilean Voices with Careers in Spain

Miguel Ángel San Martín, a Chilean journalist based in Spain since 1978, was the director of the News Services of Radio Corporación and a member of the Communications Advisory Council of President Salvador Allende. In Spain, he has served as the Communications Manager for the Director-General of UNESCO, Federico Mayor Zaragoza, and as a leader of the International Press Club. He is currently a columnist for various media outlets in Chile and Latin America.

Meanwhile, Carolina Espinoza is a journalist and anthropologist. She has worked for Televisión Nacional de Chile, La Nación, El Sur de Concepción, and Radio Cooperativa. Since 2000, she has lived in Spain, where she has worked as a correspondent, audiovisual content director, and teacher and researcher at UNED.

An Event to Revisit a Chilean and Levante Football Icon

The event will feature the presence of Fernando Llagaria, president of the Casa de Chile in Valencia, and Emilio Nadal, head of Historical Heritage at Levante UD. The presentation of this authorized biography is envisioned as a space to revisit the figure of Caszely from a dual perspective: that of the extraordinary footballer and the committed citizen who turned his rebellion into a way of life.

Admission is free until full capacity is reached.