Colo Colo and the Coup: football in Chile in 1973 and under Pinochet
December's Sporting Lunchtime Lecture with Dr Pete Watson
2023 marked the 50th anniversary of the Chilean military coup led by General Augusto Pinochet that deposed the leftwing government of Salvador Allende. It was also a significant year for Chilean football as the country's most popular team surged towards the final of the Copa Libertadores, providing a distraction for the population in a turbulent and fractured society.
Dr Pete Watson’s talk explores how football and politics collided in 1973 and 1974, discussing the heroes of Colo Colo, the use of the National Stadium directly after the coup, the role of and impact on players in the aftermath of the coup, and how Pinochet used football during his dictatorship.