Waldo Ponce

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Ponce and the second or maternal family name is Carrizo.

Waldo Ponce

Personal information
Full name	Waldo Alonso Ponce Carrizo
Date of birth	December 4, 1982 (1982-12-04)
Place of birth	Los Andes, Chile
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Centre Back
Club information
Current club	Cruz Azul
Number	3
Youth career
	Universidad de Chile
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2001–2008	Universidad de Chile	145	(10)
2003–2004	→ VfL Wolfsburg (loan)	5	(0)
2008–2009	Vélez Sársfield	25	(4)
2010–2011	O'Higgins	0	(0)
2010	→ Universidad Católica (loan)	7	(0)
2010	→ Racing de Santander (loan)	3	(0)
2011–	Cruz Azul	31	(1)
National team‡
2005–	Chile	042 0	(4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 7 July 2009. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 25 June 2010

Waldo Alonso Ponce Carrizo (born December 4, 1982 in Los Andes, Chile) is a Chilean football defender who plays for club Cruz Azul in Mexico and the Chilean national team.

Club career

Universidad de Chile

Ponce made his professional debut with Universidad de Chile in 2001. In his three years with regular play with Universidad de Chile, Ponce displayed good aerial ability both in defence and attack. This, combined with his strong and accurate free kicks, led Ponce to be loaned to German team VfL Wolfsburg, being this his first international club. In this club, Ponce only played two league matches.

Ponce returned to Universidad de Chile at the end of 2004. He was immediately inserted into the starting lineup and he was an integral part of Universidad de Chile's making an appearance in the Copa Libertadores 2005. Ponce reached the final of the tournament Clausura 2005 but his team lost when he missed the final penalty which was saved by José María Buljubasich. In 2007, Ponce lived one his best moments on Universidad de Chile, but however on 11 April 2007, he was injured during a training of the club, the player was nearly three months injured, however he fully recovered on September 2007.

Vélez Sársfield

On February 2008 Ponce joined Vélez Sársfield of Argentine Primera División in a fee transfer for $800.000 on a three year deal. He was frequently injured, he missed many matches, but on 13 April 2008, he made his Vélez debut against San Martín de San Juan, in a 2–0 Vélez's victory. Ponce scored his first team goal against Gimnasia La Plata, in a 2–1 team loss. Because the departure of Hernán Pellerano to UD Almería, Ponce became a habitual player on Vélez lineup. But he was once injured, and he missed the Torneo Clausura tournament for one month. The injury, allowed the consecration of Nicolás Otamendi in the team, missing his place on the team.

In the Torneo Clausura 2009, Ponce played very few matches, but he proclaimed champion of the tournament with Vélez. During the Torneo Clausura, he scored two consecutive goals on the same match against Tigre, in 3–0 Vélez victory, being the man of the match. During the summer of 2010, he was released of the club, according to reports there are many club interesting in Ponce.

After of nearly successful negotion with the Premier League club Wigan Athletic, he signed for O'Higgins on a one-year deal.

Universidad Católica and Spain

Ponce being presented in Racing de Santander.

On 4 February 2010, Ponce joined Universidad Católica on 6 months loan for O'Higgins. On 5 February 2010, Ponce was officially presented as player of Católica. Shortly after of player's presentation, the coach of the club, Marco Antonio Figueroa, expressed that he had not asked the player in the team.

On 17 February 2010, he made his Católica debut against his owner club O'Higgins, in a 1–0 Catolica away loss. Seven days later on 24 February 2010, Ponce made his Copa Libertadores 2010 debut against the Brazilian club Flamengo, in a 2–0 loss. After of the Chilean earthquake on 27 February of the same year, he played against his former club Universidad de Chile for the Libertadores, in a 2–2 draw. However the club failed to pass to the Second stage, and he ended without goals in six appearances in the Copa Libertadores.

Because of his good performance on the FIFA World Cup 2010, Ponce return to O'Higgins, but Ponce was once loaned, now to Liga BBVA club Racing de Santander on 31 August 2010 in a fee of $400.000 on a six-months deal. He made his Racing debut against Real Sociedad in a friendly match with three times, in a 4–3 Racing's victory. On 3 October 2010, Ponce made his Racing official debut against Villarreal CF, in a 2–0 team's defeat. He was on the bench on many occasions, and he played his second league match against Real Madrid.

Cruz Azul

In January 2011, Ponce was supposed to play for O'Higgins, but was then transferred to Cruz Azul of Primera División Mexicana for a one-year deal.

On 8 January 2011, Ponce made his Cruz Azul debut against Estudiantes Tecos on a 4–1 victory for the Cementeros.

International career

Ponce debuted for Chile in the Pacific Cup 2006 against Peru in the two matches. On 24 March 2006, Ponce scored in a friendly match against Paraguay with a free kick in a 3–2 Chile's victory. On the next year, he would have been member of Chile's Copa América 2007 squad, but because a injury during a training with Universidad de Chile he missed the tournament.

During the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification, Ponce was a frequently player in the Chile's lineup. He scored his first official goal during qualification in a 4–2 win against Colombia. On June 2010, he was included in the Chile's FIFA World Cup 2010 squad.

Ponce played the opening match of Chile at the World Cup against Honduras, in Chile's victory 1–0. In the third group match against Spain, he had his received yellow card and he received one-match ban, missing the Round of 16 match against Brazil, however Chile loss 3–0, and was eliminated of the tournament. Shortly after of Chile's World Cup participation, the Chilean team were received in Moneda Palace by the Chilean president Sebastian Piñera and Ponce received with his team the Bicentenario medal.

International goals

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	24 March 2006	Estadio Sausalito, Viña del Mar, Chile	Paraguay	2–0	3–2	Friendly Match
2.	10 October 2010	Estadio Atanasio Girardot, Medellin, Colombia	Colombia	1–1	4–2	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
3.	19 June 2011	Estadio Monumental, Santiago, Chile	Estonia	2–0	4-0	Friendly Match
4.	11 October 2011	Estadio Monumental, Santiago, Chile	Peru	1–0	4–2	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Club

Vélez Sársfield

• Primera División Argentina (1): Torneo Clausura 2009

Individual

• Bicentenario Medal (1): 2010

External links

• Argentine Primera statistics (Spanish)
• Waldo Ponce at National-Football-Teams.com