Arunava about Football A look at football & the world through my eyes!
Related Articles
The Chilean attacker Alexis Sanchez has signed a contract with Inter Milan until June 30, 2024.
109 appearances, 20 goals and three trophies in Nerazzurri colours. These are numbers that Alexis Alejandro Sánchez will be looking to build on now that he’s officially an Inter player again.
Born in Tocopilla, Chile, on December 19, 1988, Alexis started his career at Chilean side Cobreloa. His performances quickly caught the attention of many people involved in the game, so much so that he was immediately given the nickname that has stayed with him throughout his career: El Niño Maravilla (“The Wonder Child”). It’s a name that sums up what he’s all about: dazzling those who watch him and being proud of doing so.
His career would soon take him to Italy and, more specifically, Udinese Calcio. First, however, Udinese sent him out on loan to Colo-Colo and River Plate. These were two important experiences for Alexis, who won league titles in different countries in consective seasons. His Udinese debut came in the summer of 2008. He went on to score 20 goals across three seasons, producing high-quality performances that saw him establish himself as one of the top talents in world football.
He reached new heights in 2011 as he signed for FC Barcelona. Across three seasons at the Blaugrana, he won six trophies, including the FIFA Club World Cup. He wanted to carry on dazzling the world: ahead of the 2014/15 campaign, he made the move to the Premier League after joining Arsenal FC. The goals kept on coming: across four seasons with the Gunners, he found the net 80 times, all the while increasingly displaying his leadership qualities.
In 2015 and 2016, he helped Chile achieve historic back-to-back Copa América triumphs thanks to two final victories over Argentina. His contribution in the first final was particularly notable: he scored the decisive penalty in the shootout.
In 2018, he joined Manchester United, where he remained for two seasons before moving to Inter Milan in 2019.
His Nerazzurri adventure started against former club Udinese. Against Sampdoria, meanwhile, he bagged the first of the 20 goals he would score in 109 appearances across three seasons.
Alexis contributed to Inter’s 19th Scudetto title in 2021 with a seven-goal haul. The following campaign saw him win the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana, with his last-gasp goal in extra time securing victory over Juventus in the latter.
Alexis spent last season at French side Olympique Marseille, where he scored 18 times in 44 matches. He thus got to discover another league, the sixth of his career. Now, he’s back in Italy and back in Nerazzurri colours. El Niño Maravilla’s journey is resuming in Milano with Inter.
