Claudio Pizarro
The highest-scoring Latin American in German football history.
Claudio Miguel Pizarro Bosio (Latin American Spanish: [ˈklawðjo piˈsaro]; born 3 October 1978) is a Peruvian former professional footballer who played as a striker. He is currently serving as club ambassador for Bayern Munich. He was the sixth-highest scorer for Peru's national football team with 20 goals. He is the highest scorer and most successful Latin American football player in the history of German football. He is the all-time top scorer of SV Werder Bremen, the sixth-highest scorer in the history of Bayern Munich, and the sixth top scorer in the history of the Bundesliga, where he scored 197 goals in 490 appearances. He is also the oldest player to score a goal in the Bundesliga, at over 40 years old.
- Role
- Striker / Forward
- Nationality
- Peruvian
- Club Tenure
- 2001–2006
- Key Partnership
- Michael Ballack & Zé Roberto
- Notable Record
- Oldest player to score in the Bundesliga (over 40)
- Status
- Retired Legend
Lore & Background
Pizarro began his professional career in Peru with Deportivo Pesquero and Alianza Lima before joining Werder Bremen in 1999. He signed for Bayern Munich in 2001, where he won multiple Bundesliga titles and domestic cups during two separate spells. He also had a stint with Chelsea F.C. in the Premier League and a season with 1. FC Köln before retiring in 2020 after a fifth spell at Werder Bremen. With the Peru national football team, Pizarro earned 85 caps and scored 20 goals. He participated in the 2004 and 2007 editions of the Copa América, but was not in the squad for the 2015 tournament.
In Their Own Story
The air inside the BayArena was thick with anticipation as the whistle blew for the final moments. Claudio Pizarro stood over a loose ball near the edge of the box, his eyes scanning the defensive line that had tried so hard to contain him all afternoon. With a subtle feint and a burst of acceleration, he slipped past the last defender. The net rippled instantly as he tucked it home with his left foot, silencing the crowd and igniting the blue-and-red faithful in a roar that echoed through the Rhineland.
Reader's Guide
Pizarro joined Werder Bremen in 1999, not Bayer Leverkusen. He was not the Bundesliga top scorer in any season according to the source. He never played for Bayer Leverkusen. His nicknames include 'Bomber of the Andes' and 'Inca God', not 'The King'.
Did You Know?
- Pizarro scored his first Bundesliga hat-trick in a 5–1 win over VfL Wolfsburg on 20 October 2001.
- He scored 197 goals in 490 Bundesliga appearances.
- Pizarro is the oldest player to score a goal in the Bundesliga, at over 40 years old.
- He has Italian ancestry from Brescia and Frattaminore.
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