Teófilo Cubillas
Teófilo Juan Cubillas Arizaga (; born 8 March 1949) is a Peruvian former footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He was selected as Peru's greatest ever player in an IFFHS poll, in which he was also included in the world's Top 50. He was renowned for his technique, shooting ability and free kick ability.

Nicknamed El Nene (The Kid), he was part of the Peru national football team that won the 1975 Copa América. He helped Peru reach the quarter finals at the 1970 FIFA World Cup and again at the 1978 World Cup and was elected the South American Footballer of the Year in 1972.

In 2004, Pelé selected Cubillas as one of the FIFA 100, a list of 125 footballing greats. In February 2008, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first Brazilian World Cup victory, he was selected in the All-Star First Team of South America of the past 50 years. Cubillas is one of only three players to score five or more goals in two different World Cups, the other two being Miroslav Klose and Thomas Müller.

Club career
Nicknamed "Nene" (the babe) for his boyish looks, Cubillas began his career with Alianza Lima at the age of 16 in 1966. Whilst at Alianza he was top scorer in the Peruvian Primera División in 1966 and 1970.

In 1972, he had his most successful season in several years. He was Libertadores Cup top scorer and South American Footballer of the Year.

In 1973, he transferred to Swiss football club FC Basel for a fee of £97,000. He scored two goals for Basel in the 1973–74 European Cup, the second of which was scored on 20 September 1973. He only remained at the club for six months, which was not long enough for him to show the extent of his talent.

Later on, for the second half of the 1973–74 season he joined Portuguese club FC Porto for a fee of £200,000.

In 1977, he returned to Alianza Lima.

In 1979, Cubillas joined the NASL, signing for Fort Lauderdale Strikers, where he spent five seasons, scoring 59 league goals, including three goals in seven minutes against the Los Angeles Aztecs in 1981.

Following the December 1987 Alianza Lima air crash Cubillas returned from his Miami home to play for free for Alianza, who lost most of their players in the crash. He also managed the club for a period in 1988.

In May 1988 Cubillas signed with the newly resurrected Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the American Soccer League. The Strikers went to the ASL title game where they fell to the Washington Diplomats. Following the loss to the Diplomats, the Strikers released Cubillas.

In March 1989, he signed with the Miami Sharks but was released on 3 July after scoring only one goal in eight games. As of June 1991 he was playing and coaching at Miramar Illusiones of the Gold Coast Soccer League in Florida.

International career 
Cubillas played in three World Cups between 1970 and 1982.

1970 World Cup 

Cubillas helped Peru advance to the quarter-finals of the 1970 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. He scored in all of Peru's four matches: once against Bulgaria, twice against Morocco, and once against West Germany, all in the first round. Cubillas then scored another goal in the quarter-final loss against eventual champions Brazil, and he thus finished as the third highest goal scorer in the tournament.

He won the FIFA World Cup Young Player Award, and was third in the Golden Shoe award.

1975 Copa America
Peru did not qualify for the 1974 FIFA World Cup in West Germany, but a year later, Cubillas helped the Peruvian team win its second South American title, the Copa América 1975. Cubillas scored against Brazil in the semi-final, and then played in the play-off match in the final.

1978 World Cup
In the 1978 FIFA World Cup in Argentina, he scored five goals for Peru, finishing co-second highest goal scorer after Mario Kempes. Peru advanced to the second phase of the tournament thanks to goals from Cubillas: he scored two goals in the opening match against Scotland (one of which was an excellent free-kick), and he then scored a hat-trick in the game against Iran, including two penalties.

However, Peru subsequently lost to Brazil, Poland, and Argentina, although Cubillas played in all six Peruvian matches in the tournament.

1982 World Cup
He was also in the Peru national football team for 1982 FIFA World Cup. He played in all three group games but did not score any goals.

Honours

Club
Porto
Taça de Portugal: 1976–77

Alianza Lima
Peruvian Primera División: 1977, 1978

Fort Lauderdale Sun
United Soccer League: 1984, 1985

International
Peru
Copa América: 1975

Individual 
1966 Peruvian Championship: Top Scorer
1970 Peruvian Championship: Top Scorer
1970 FIFA World Cup Best Young Player
1970 FIFA World Cup Bronze Boot
1972 Libertadores Cup Top Scorer
1972 South American Footballer of the Year
1973 CONMEBOL All-Star Team
1975 Copa America Best Player
1978 FIFA World Cup Silver Boot
1978 FIFA World Cup All-Star Team
1980 NASL All-Star teams, all-time
1981 NASL: Best Midfield
1981 NASL All-Star teams, all-time
1984 Fort Lauderdale Strikers: Top Scorer, all time.
2000 France Football: World Cup Top-100 1930–1990
2000 World Soccer: The 100 Greatest Footballers of All Time
2000 Placar: The 100 Players of the Century
2000 Placar: The 100 Players FIFA World Cup
2004 FIFA 100
2006 IFFHS' Best Players of the Century for Peru
2006 World – Player of the Century: Ranking Nº 48
2006 South American – Player of the Century: Ranking Nº 17
2007 The Best of The Best – Player of the Century: Top 50
2008 CONMEBOL All-Star first team 1958–2008
2008 Peru national football team all-time scoring leader

Career statistics

Club

International goals