Suddenly there was a stir in the stands of the Estadio Municipal Luis Navarro Aviles, in the city of San Bernardo in the Santiago metropolitan area on Saturday. Long before Kevin Vasquez scored the winner for Santiago Morning against Magallanes in a Chilean second division match, the home crowd was intrigued by the presence of a well‑known figure who was far from home: Ruud van Nistelrooy.
It’s the first time Van Nistelrooy is in Chile. The timing could not have been more convenient for someone who has been immersed in football since he was six years old. In Chile, combining business with pleasure, he has also been going to watch matches at the FIFA U‑20 World Cup™.
“I’m really enjoying the level of the World Cup,” he said. “It has been very interesting. I watched Argentina versus Mexico in Santiago. Tonight there is Norway versus France. It’s interesting to see teams from different countries. The talent that exists in the whole world is all here in Chile. I’m enjoying it a lot.”
Van Nistelrooy built his brilliant career step by step in Dutch football, reaching Heerenveen in the Eredivisie in 1997 and immediately drawing attention.
The striker did not have the chance to play in that year’s FIFA U‑20 World Cup in Malaysia, with Belgium, England, France, Hungary, Republic of Ireland and Spain the European representatives. The following year, however, he at least took part in the UEFA European Under‑21 Championship.
“I believe the World Cup is a very important experience for players of this age,” he said. “They travel with their team, prepare for a major tournament, represent their country, deal with media attention.”
“They also gain experience playing against teams from other continents or different countries, and all of that makes them grow as players and as national teams.”
Van Nistelrooy highlighted how Chile 2025 has also offered youngsters an ideal set of factors to enjoy the experience.
“Especially now in October, because spring is starting, the weather here in Chile is phenomenal for playing football, for training,” noted the former PSV, Manchester United and Real Madrid legend.
Van Nistelrooy also praises the host of this U-20 World Cup: “Chile is a spectacular country. Very beautiful with infrastructure and stadiums and hotels in Santiago and outside the capital. It’s a very good place to host a tournament like the U‑20 World Cup.
“As we saw at the stadium in Santiago and now in Valparaiso, people who like football in Chile love the sport. For all these reasons, I think it’s a perfect place to organise this tournament.”
Van Nistelrooy will be able to watch some intriguing U‑20 World Cup semi-finals up close. On Wednesday, Morocco and France face each other in Valparaiso. Then Argentina and Colombia will play a South American classic in Santiago. The winners will meet for the trophy in the Chilean capital on Sunday.
