Chilean footballer (1955-2015)
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 had put himself forward repeatedly for the position of coach for the national team. Bonvallet had experience training university-level teams, such as Universidad Gabriela Mistral.
Playing career.
Club.
He played for local giants Universidad de Chile and Universidad Católica and had spells in the NASL with Tampa Bay Rowdies and Fort Lauderdale Strikers.
International.
Bonvallet made his international debut in 1979, earning a total of 24 caps, but no scoring. He represented his country in one FIFA World Cup qualification match and played in three games at the 1982 FIFA World Cup.
Managerial career.
In 2007, Bonvallet was appointed manager of Deportivo Temuco (owned by Nehuen S.A.). The club was in difficulties, losing many games before Bonvallet took charge. This was his first chance to manage a professional team in the second division but success eluded him, Temuco being relegated to the Chilean third division.
In 2010, he assumed as coach of Sportverein Jugendland Fussball from Peñaflor in the Chilean Tercera B, with Kormac Valdebenito as the Sport Manager.
Media career.
Bonvallet had also coined a lot of insulting words and phrases in Chilean Spanish, which became popular on his show TVO Channel thanks to the involuntary aid of another one, Caiga Quién Caiga. Some of his notorious phrases were:
He was on trial several times for publicly insulting managers, politicians, businessmen, etc. During his last years he earned considerable support, proclaiming himself "El gurú" ("The Guru").
Personal life and death.
His son, Jean Pierre, played football at professional level as a midfielder for both Santiago Wanderers and Unión San Felipe and has continued on a career in the media and social networks like his father. His daughter, Daniela, is a journalist who was an elected member for the municipal council of Ñuñoa, Santiago, in 2021.
In June 2008, it was reported that there was a physical altercation between Bonvallet and former Chilean footballer Carlos Caszely. The location was a Santiago, Chile ice cream shop located in the commune of Las Condes. Witnesses reported that there was a fist fight after the two had an exchange of words.
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.
On 18 September 2015, Bonvallet was found dead by hanging using a belt at Nogales Hotel in the kitchen of room 213. Local news report he was suffering from depression.
References.
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