Eduardo Bonvallet

Eduardo Bonvallet
Bonvallet leading Deportivo Temuco in 2007
Personal information
Full name Eduardo Guillermo Bonvallet Godoy
Date of birth (1955-01-13)13 January 1955
Place of birth Santiago, Chile
Date of death 18 September 2015(2015-09-18) (aged 60)
Place of death Santiago, Chile
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1968–1972 Universidad de Chile
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1972–1974 Universidad de Chile 36 (4)
1975–1977 Universidad Católica 46 (5)
1978–1979 O'Higgins 46 (5)
1980 Fort Lauderdale Strikers 16 (2)
1981–1982 Universidad Católica 48 (2)
1983 Tampa Bay Rowdies 11 (0)
1983 Unión San Felipe 14 (0)
Total 217 (18)
International career
1979–1982 Chile 24 (0)
Managerial career
2002–2007 Universidad Gabriela Mistral
2007 Deportivo Temuco
2010 Sportverein Jugendland
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Eduardo Guillermo Bonvallet Godoy (13 January 1955 – 18 September 2015) was a Chilean footballer who played as a defensive midfielder and later developed a sportscasting career.

He was best known for his strong and rather harsh commentaries on Chilean football players, coaches, and managerial structures. Bonvallet repeatedly put himself forward for the position of coach of the national team. He also had experience coaching university-level teams, such as Universidad Gabriela Mistral.[1]

Playing career

Club

He played for local giants Universidad de Chile and Universidad Católica and had spells in the NASL with the Tampa Bay Rowdies and the Fort Lauderdale Strikers.[2]

International

Bonvallet made his international debut in 1979, earning a total of 24 caps without scoring. He represented his country in one FIFA World Cup qualification match and played in three games at the 1982 FIFA World Cup.[3]

Managerial career

In 2007, Bonvallet was appointed manager of Deportivo Temuco (owned by Nehuen S.A.). The club was struggling, having lost many games before Bonvallet took charge. This was his first opportunity to manage a professional team in the second division, but success eluded him, and Temuco was relegated to the Chilean third division.

In 2010, he assumed the role of coach of Sportverein Jugendland Fussball from Peñaflor in the Chilean Tercera B, with Kormac Valdebenito as the sports manager.[4]

Media career

Bonvallet also coined many insulting words and phrases in Chilean Spanish, which became popular on his TVO Channel show thanks to the involuntary help of another show, Caiga Quién Caiga. Some of his notorious phrases were:

  • ¡Avíspate re-huevón! (React, dumbass!)
  • ¡Desconchetumadrízate! (Un-motherfucker-ize yourself!)
  • ¡Ahuevonado al máximo! (Dumbass to the max!)
  • ¡Feo, mamón y no sabís nada! (Ugly! Pussy! And you don't know anything!)
  • ¡Grita huevón, grita! (Scream idiot! Scream!)
  • ¡O eres monje, fakir o guerrero, o sencillamente te pierdes![5] (You must be either a monk, a fakir, or a warrior, or you will simply lose your way!)
  • ¡Tienen que comer carne! (They have to eat meat!)

He faced trial several times for publicly insulting managers, politicians, businessmen, etc. During his final years, he earned considerable support, proclaiming himself "El gurú" ("The Guru").

Titles

Season Club Title
1975Universidad CatólicaPrimera B de Chile

Personal life and death

His son, Jean Pierre, played football at a professional level as a midfielder for both Santiago Wanderers and Unión San Felipe[6] and has pursued a career in the media and on social networks like his father.[7] His daughter, Daniela, is a journalist who was elected to the municipal council of Ñuñoa, Santiago, in 2021.[8]

In June 2008, a physical altercation was reported between Bonvallet and former Chilean footballer Carlos Caszely. The incident took place at an ice cream shop in the commune of Las Condes, Santiago, Chile. Witnesses reported that a fistfight broke out after the two exchanged words.[9]

In 2011, Bonvallet was diagnosed with stomach cancer. However, in late 2012, he announced he had beaten the illness but was required to undergo chemotherapy for at least another year.[10]

On 18 September 2015, Bonvallet was found dead by hanging, having used a belt, in the kitchen of room 213 at the Nogales Hotel. Local news reported that he was suffering from depression.[11][12]

On 15 April 2026, a four-episode biographical podcast called BONVALLET, GENIO Y SOMBRA (Bonvallet, Genius and Shadow) was released.[13][14]

References

  1. ↑ "Bonvallet asume la selección... de la U. Gabriela Mistral". Emol (in Spanish). 30 January 2002. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  2. ↑ Eduardo Bonvallet – NASL Jerseys
  3. ↑ Eduardo Bonvallet – FIFA competition record (archived)
  4. ↑ "Kormac Valdebenito: "Necesitábamos de una persona con un trabajo serio"". triunfo.cl (in Spanish). La Nación. 11 January 2010. Archived from the original on 9 February 2010. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  5. ↑ Archived 12 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ "Jean Pierre BONVALLET". Memoria Wanderers (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  7. ↑ Escobillana, Felipe (27 July 2022). "Bonvallet chico entrega curiosa receta para que la U gane el clásico: "Sus jugadores necesitan una charla técnica donde los traten de cagones y así salgan picados"". RedGol (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  8. ↑ ""Me acompañas desde el cielo": Daniela Bonvallet dedica triunfo como concejala por Ñuñoa a su padre" (in Spanish). Teletrece. 17 May 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  9. ↑ "La Tercera – Los detalles de la pelea entre Carlos Caszely and Eduardo Bonvallet". latercera.cl.
  10. ↑ "La gran lucha contra el cáncer de Eduardo Bonvallet". Meganoticias (in Spanish). 18 September 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  11. ↑ El Gráfico Chile. "Murió el ex seleccionado chileno y comentarista Eduardo Bonvallet". elgraficochile.cl.
  12. ↑ El Gráfico Chile. "El parte policial sobre la muerte de Bonvallet habla de suicidio". elgraficochile.cl.
  13. ↑ BONVALLET, GENIO Y SOMBRA on YouTube
  14. ↑ "Hija de Eduardo Bonvallet criticó emisión de podcast documental del exfutbolista: "El silencio pesa"". Página 7 (in Spanish). 22 April 2026. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
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