Jose Luis Chilavert, the former legendary goalkeeper of Paraguay who had a reputation as a bully, proudly wears his black polo shirt with a pit bull on it. Sometimes the 57-year-old puts on a jacket during the election campaign and puts on a chain with a cross, but Chilavert simply likes it best. “Look, I’m one of you,” that’s supposed to mean.
Chilavert is on a mission to become Paraguay’s president – like former striker George Weah in Liberia. As a right-wing populist, Chilavert grumbles against “those up there” and wants to fight crime and corruption. “Clean hands in the presidency,” demands “Chila” and says: “It’s not enough to want change. You must go out there and bring about change with the power of your voice. No more corruption and no more exploitation of the funds of the Paraguayan people”.
Chilavert was one of the best, but also one of the most feared goalkeepers in the world in the 80s and 90s. In 1998, the former captain of Paraguay’s national team led Paraguay to the World Cup in France – and survived the group stage there, conceding just one goal in three games. Paraguay only lost to eventual world champions France in extra time after a golden goal.
Kicking keeper: Chilavert also took a free kick in the World Cup round of 16 against Germany
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Bild: picture alliance / ASSOCIATED PRESS
He didn’t even show spectacular parades. But he also scored a lot of goals – free kicks were his specialty. For the national team he scored eight goals in 74 international matches. At the 2002 World Cup, he failed against Bulgaria with a free kick from 20 meters on the crossbar. With his Argentinian club Vélez Sársfield, he was four times national champion, and won the 1994 Copa Lobertadores and the World Cup. 24 goals in 272 games adorn his statistics.
But he was also a rowdy, a macho with bad manners who insulted opponents and sometimes became violent. He even spat in the face of Brazil’s Roberto Carlos. In 1996, Chilavert was sentenced to a three-month suspended sentence and a 13-month suspension for punching a ball boy.
Pitbull trademark: Chilavert at a ceremony in 2009
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Bild: picture alliance / ASSOCIATED PRESS
Despite this – or perhaps because of this – Chilavert is still very popular in its homeland. Last year, the three-time world goalkeeper left the right-wing conservative Partido Colorado and founded his own party.
Chilavert is considered a supporter of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and presents himself to voters as a patriot who is getting the economy going again and doesn’t believe in homosexuals or transsexuals. “As a family man, I would not accept my son wanting to go to school in women’s clothing,” he says.
Chilavert against the system, that’s his staging. The old parties “let you down,” he calls out to the voters: “Let’s change something this time.” Only: According to the forecasts, Chilavert has little chance of winning on Sunday.