Nelson Bonifacio Acosta López, nicknamed Pelado Acosta (Bald Acosta), (born 12 June 1944 in Paso de los Toros, Uruguay) is a former Uruguayan-born Chilean football manager and footballer. He became a naturalized Chilean citizen in 1984 and managed several football teams. He is now retired.[1]

Nelson Acosta
Personal information
Full name Nelson Bonifacio Acosta López
Date of birth (1944-06-12) 12 June 1944 (age 80)
Place of birth Paso de los Toros, Uruguay
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1969–1971 Huracán Buceo 56 (3)
1972–1976 Peñarol 157 (6)
1977 Everton
1978–1981 O'Higgins
1982–1984 Fernández Vial
1984 Lota Schwager
Managerial career
1984–1988 Fernández Vial
1988–1991 O'Higgins
1992 Unión Española
1992 Cruz Azul
1993–1996 Unión Española
1996–2001 Chile
2002–2003 Cobreloa
2003–2004 Bolivia
2004–2005 Cobreloa
2005–2007 Chile
2007–2010 Everton
2011–2012 Cobreloa
2012 Deportivo Quito
2014 Everton
2014–2015 Deportes Iquique
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

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He managed the national team of Chile from 1996 to 2001, leading them to the 1998 FIFA World Cup despite having only managed one professional team before taking over the Chile job.[2] He took over Bolivia in 2004, but seriously failed[3] and returned to manage Chile in 2005. In July 2007 Acosta resigned from managing the Chile national team soon after the Copa América, the latter was held in Venezuela.[4]

In September 2007, he was appointed manager of Corporación Deportiva Everton de Viña del Mar, one of the top provincial teams in Chile. On June 3, 2008, he led Everton to their first Chilean League title in 32 years and ended the domestic dominance of Colo-Colo.[5]

In late 2010, he switched to manage Cobreloa,[6] but was sacked in April 2012.[7] He returned to Everton de Viña del Mar in January 2014 but left nearly 9 months later to manage current club Deportivo Quito.[8]

Personal life

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Acosta naturalized Chilean by residence.[9]

Before beginning his career as coach, he owned a boutique in Concepción what he managed while he played for Lota Schwager.[10]

Since 2016, he suffers the Alzheimer's disease.[1]

Honours

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Player

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Club

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Peñarol

Managerial

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Club

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Unión Española
Cobreloa
Everton

International

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Chile

References

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  1. ^ a b "La enfermedad que obligó el retiro definitivo de Nelson Acosta". www.24horas.cl (in Spanish). 24 Horas. 3 September 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  2. ^ "Nelson Acosta - Chile manager". BBC. 3 May 1998. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  3. ^ "Nelson Acosta deja banca de Bolivia". Emol (in Spanish). El Mercurio. 5 April 2004. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  4. ^ "Nelson Acosta". Partidos de La Roja (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  5. ^ "Everton logra la hazaña y es campeón del fútbol chileno". Emol (in Spanish). El Mercurio. 3 June 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  6. ^ "Nelson Acosta regresa a Calama: es el nuevo técnico de Cobreloa" (in Spanish). Radio Cooperativa. 11 December 2010. Archived from the original on 15 December 2010.
  7. ^ Alegría, Felipe (2 April 2012). "Ahora sí: Acosta se va de Cobreloa y ya asoman nombres para reemplazarlo". Ferplei (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  8. ^ "Vuelve en gloria y majestad: Nelson Acosta es el nuevo DT de Everton". El Dínamo (in Spanish). 17 January 2014. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  9. ^ "Bolivia: robo a casa de Acosta fue un delito común". ESPNdeportes.com (in Spanish). ESPN. 5 November 2003. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  10. ^ "La increíble historia de Nelson Acosta: De vendedor de boutique a exitoso DT". Emol (in Spanish). El Mercurio. 18 March 2009. Retrieved 12 January 2023.