Mourning in the crossed world: Washington Villarroel, historical defender of the UC, dies

The crossed world mourns the departure of Washington Villarroel. Emblem of the Universidad Católica during the 1960s, he played his entire career for the pre-Andean team, even managing to enter the list of ten players with the most games played by the club. This Sunday, aged 84, he passed away after spending a week hospitalized with advanced Alzheimer’s.

The news was confirmed by the Catholic University itself, which dedicated moving words to the player who defended his colors between 1958 and 1971″.Cruzados communicates and regrets the death of Mr. Washington Villarroel Rodríguez (QEPD), former UC player and champion with Universidad Católica in 1961 and 1966″, begins the declaration.

“The Chilean national player also joined the Club at the age of 11, developing his entire professional career at the Universidad Católica, becoming a man fully identified with our colors. Today we offer our condolences and wish comfort to his family and friends. Soon we will communicate times and places of vigil and burial”, comes out as closure.

A touching farewell for a player who is in the history books of the Universidad Católica. Not only was he instrumental in the two national tournaments won by UC in the 1960s, but he also achieved excellent results such as being the seventh cross player with the most matches (42) played in the Copa Libertadores, surpassed only by Mario Lepe ( 76), Andrés Romero (65), Nelson Parraguez (59), Alberto Fouillioux (51), Luis Pérez (48) and Gustavo Laube (45).

In addition, he is the eleventh player with the most official matches played by the piedmont, having recently lost the top ten at the hands of José Pedro Fuenzalida. Total, Villarroel played 345 engagements with the strip on his chest, 286 of which were for the National Tournament.

Unfortunately his medical situation has gotten much worse in the last week, it should have been admitted last Sunday to the Clinical Hospital of the University of Chile. A week later, his death occurred.