Why is it called "chalaca" and not "chilena" for the acrobatic act in soccer, this is what history says.

The 'Chalaca' goal undoubtedly requires skill and ball control, no wonder Lionel Messi's control over the technique is admirable, and so with other well-known footballers. What is behind the term and why is it not called 'Chilena' in Peru? Here are some details about the debated topic.

Renato Tapia is another representative of acrobatic technique in football; the 'chalaca' goal of the 'bicolor' on the 13th against Uruguay; it is remembered that it impressed the national and international press during the Qatar 2022 qualifiers.

Popularly, it is called 'gol de chalaca' in Peru, while the rest of Spanish-speaking countries know it as 'chilena'; this is especially debated when talking about Chilean and Peruvian football, their concepts in the sport are no exception.

According to the Royal Spanish Academy, the concept of 'chilena' is exclusively referred to as a pirouette called 'bicycle kick' or 'patada bicicleta'; on the other hand, 'chalaca' is related to the city and province of Callao, in Peru. Thus, this football term is granted to the southern country.

In addition to the above, the RAE favors the influence of Chile on the term 'Chilena', especially referring that the term was coined from theTalcahuano Soccer Association, when Ramón Unzaga scored the first goal registered under that technique in 1914.

The impact of Unzaga in football was such that he brought the 'chilena' to prestige, in the 1916 Copa Sudamericana; at that time, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and Chile participated, but it was enough to export the technique to Europe.

Despite the international impact of the 'Chilena', the 'Chalaca' would have had its origins at approximately the end of the 19th century. It is said that sailors and smugglers brought the sport to the ports of Callao when referees did not exist.

The first recorded 'chalaca' dates back to 1892, 22 years after the 'chilena' was officially named, as recalled byJorge Basadre, the most influential Peruvian historian of the 20th century. Even FIFA recorded in 2016 that a person from Callao attempted the acrobatics in front of an English crew.

"There is no doubt that the pirouette was born in Peru" mentioned Argentine Jorge Barraza, a specialist in South American football history; however, the topic still causes discussion throughout Latin America and Spain.