Marco Etcheverry


Marco Antonio Etcheverry Vargas is a Bolivian former professional footballer who played as a forward or midfielder. A creative playmaker, he is considered one of the greatest Bolivian players of all time. Etcheverry played for D.C. United of Major League Soccer from 1996 to 2003. He helped D.C United win eight trophies during that time, and was nominated to the MLS Best XI in four consecutive seasons from 1996 to 1999.

Club career

Nicknamed El Diablo, Etcheverry was trained at Bolivia's Tahuichi Academy, after which he played professionally with Bolivian sides, Spain, Chile, Colombia and Ecuador.
Etchverry joined D.C. United of Major League Soccer in its 1st season of 1996, and led the team to three MLS Cups and was named MLS [Most Valuable Player Award|MLS MVP] in 1998. In eight years with the team, Etcheverry played 191 league games, scoring 34 goals and registering 101 assists. He retired at the end of the 2003 season.

DC United honors

In 2005, he was named to the MLS All-Time Best XI.
On 23 September 2006, Etcheverry was honored at a home game against the New York Red Bulls. During halftime he was put up on the "D.C. United Tradition of Excellence" sign in the stadium. After all of this Etcheverry walked over to the La Barra Brava part of the stadium and did his trademark clap in front of them, he did after every game, win or lose.
On 20 October 2007, Etcheverry was honored with a tribute match at RFK Stadium, prior to United's regular-season finale versus Columbus. Etcheverry is the first United player to be so honored. Etcheverry, playing with teammates from the club's 1997 MLS Cup winning side, defeated Hollywood United, 2–1, with Etcheverry drawing and scoring the winning penalty in the final minute.

International career

Etcheverry compiled 71 caps and scored 13 goals for the Bolivia national team between 1989 and 2003. He scored four times during 1994 [FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)|qualification] for the 1994 FIFA World Cup, including an 88th minute opening goal in a 2–0 defeat of Brazil in La Paz - the first ever loss by the Seleção in World Cup qualifying, to help Bolivia participate in its first FIFA World Cup since 1950. At the tournament finals, Etcheverry was sent off for kicking Lothar Matthäus four minutes after appearing as a substitute in the tournament's opening game against Germany. The subsequent suspension meant that Etcheverry played no further part in Bolivia's tournament, as La Verde finished bottom of 1994 [FIFA World Cup Group C|Group C] with two losses and a draw to South Korea.
Etcheverry scored twice in the 1997 Copa América as Bolivia reached the final to achieve its best performance in the competition since winning in 1963. He went on to represent the team in the subsequent FIFA Confederations Cup in 1999.
On 12 April 2006, the Bolivian Congress awarded him with the "Order of Merit" and a title of "Distinguished Citizen", for his sport achievements, shortly after his retirement.

Style of play

Considered one of the greatest talents, if not the greatest, in the history of Bolivian football, Etcheverry was a left-footed attacking midfielder and central midfielder with great technique and creativity; his flair and exuberance made him an anarchic player, decidedly undisciplined both tactically and off the pitch, to the point of affecting his performance.

Coaching career

Etcheverry made his debut as football coach in early 2008 after he accepted an offer from second division club Sociedad Deportiva Aucas, but he was sacked after only four months in charge. On 6 October 2009, Etcheverry was announced as the new Oriente Petrolero coach, replacing Pablo Sánchez. But in the middle of the negotiations he decided not to go through.
He returned to the United States in 2023 to coach the under-15 boys' team for the D.C. United Academy.

International goals

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
120 June 1993Estadio 9 de Mayo, Machala, Ecuador1–01–11993 Copa América
225 July 1993Estadio Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia1–02–01994 FIFA [World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)|1994 World Cup qualification]
38 August 1993Estadio Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia2–03–11994 World Cup qualification
422 August 1993Estadio Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia5–07–01994 World Cup qualification
522 August 1993Estadio Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia6–07–01994 World Cup qualification
611 July 1995Estadio Parque Artigas, Paysandú, Uruguay1–01–01995 Copa América
725 October 1995Estadio Ramón Aguilera, Santa Cruz, Bolivia1–02–2Friendly
814 February 1996Estadio Olímpico Patria, Sucre, Bolivia4–14–1Friendly
97 July 1996Estadio Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia2–06–11998 FIFA World Cup qualification
1012 January 1997Estadio Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia2–02–01998 FIFA World Cup qualification
1115 June 1997Estadio Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia1–02–01997 Copa América
1221 June 1997Estadio Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia1–02–1 1997 Copa América
1320 July 1997Estadio Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia1–01–01998 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Bolivar
Colo-Colo
D.C. United
Barcelona S.C.
Oriente Petrolero
Bolivia Youth
Bolivia
Individual