David Pizarro
A midfield metronome whose elegant passing and tactical brain anchored teams in Chile, Italy, and for his national side.
Born 1979 (age 47)·Chilean footballer·Birthday: September 11·Generation X
Biography
David Pizarro's career was a study in understated control. Emerging from Santiago's football streets, he quickly became the creative heartbeat of Universidad de Chile before embarking on a long European journey. Italy became his home, where his low center of gravity, preternatural calm, and pinpoint passing made him a fixture for Udinese, AS Roma, and Inter Milan. He wasn't a flashy scorer but a deep-lying conductor, dictating tempo from in front of the defense. For the Chilean national team, 'El Pequeño Génio' (The Little Genius) provided crucial experience and composure across 46 caps, including two Copa América triumphs and two World Cup campaigns, bridging generations of talented players.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
David was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Copa América twice with the Chilean national team (2015 and 2016).
- Secured five Coppa Italia titles across spells with AS Roma, Inter Milan, and Fiorentina.
- Played a key role in Udinese's historic 2004-05 season, qualifying for the UEFA Champions League for the first time.
- Earned over 40 caps for Chile, participating in the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups.
Did You Know?
He is known for his distinctive bald head and goatee, a look he maintained for most of his career.
Despite his success in Italy, he began and ended his professional career with Universidad de Chile.
He was teammates with Chilean star Alexis Sánchez at both Udinese and the national team.
“The ball is the only thing that should run, not the player.”
