Mauricio Pinilla

Early career

Born in Santiago, Pinilla started his career with Club Universidad de Chile, leaving for European football and Italian giants Inter Milan in 2003 after signing a five-year contract. However, he was immediately sold to fellow Serie A club AC ChievoVerona (which acquired 50% of the player's rights), and finished the 2003–04 season on loan again, to La Liga side RC Celta de Vigo, not managing to score in a total of 12 league appearances.

Journeyman

In July 2004, Sporting CP bought 50% of his playing rights and Pinilla, having spent much of the season on a low note, finished it with five goals, notably a hat-trick in a 3–0 away win against S.C. Braga on 1 May 2005. However, he was also unable to settle at Sporting and, in January 2006, would move on loan, finishing the campaign at Racing de Santander. On 26 February 2006 he netted his only goal for the Cantabria team, a penalty kick in a 2–2 draw at Deportivo Alavés. In 2006–07, Pinilla was once again loaned, now to Heart of Midlothian. His time in Edinburgh was beset by injuries, resulting in him only playing a handful of times for the first team; in February 2007, he returned to Universidad de Chile. Pinilla returned to Hearts for pre-season training ahead of the 2007–08 season, with the club buying out Sporting's half of his rights. However, his return suffered a major setback when it was revealed the player had a fractured scaphoid wrist bone, a hidden injury sustained while still in Chile;…

Club

As of 3 December 2017

International

Scores and results list Chile's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Pinilla goal.

Pinilla earned the first of his 45 caps for Chile on 30 March 2003 in a friendly against Peru, closing a 2–0 win through a header, and later led his country's scoring in the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers with three goals. However, on 27 February 2007, whilst on loan to Universidad de Chile, he was caught in a hotel with María José López, the model wife of national team captain Luis Antonio Jiménez. Subsequently, Pinilla announced his decision to retire from the international scene. In August 2010 he returned to the team, being recalled by manager Marcelo Bielsa for an exhibition game with Ukraine. He was also picked for a match against Uruguay later in November of the following year, only to be called off due to injury. Pinilla was selected for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He made his debut in the tournament on 14 June, playing two minutes in a 3–1 group stage victory over Australia and being involved in Jean Beausejour's goal. Again from the bench, he appeared in the round-of-16 against the hosts: his 119th minute shot hit the bar with the score at 1–1, and he later missed his penalty shootout attempt in an eventual elimination. Pinilla was a member of the squad which won the 2015 Copa América on home soil for their first continental honour, contributing two late substitute appearances. On 29 March 2016, he and Arturo Vidal scored twice each in a 4–1 away defeat of Venezuela in qualification for the 2018 World Cup.

Pinilla's nephew, Felipe Miranda, played youth football with Colo-Colo, being at that point followed by Palermo.