Roberto Palacios
A dynamic and creative midfielder who became a beloved symbol of Peruvian football, known for his dazzling dribbling and unwavering national team service.
Born 1972 (age 54)·Peruvian footballer·Birthday: December 28·Generation X
Biography
For over a decade, Roberto Palacios was the inventive heartbeat of the Peruvian national team. Nicknamed 'El Chorrillano' after his hometown, his game was all about flair, technical audacity, and a left foot capable of both precise passes and thunderous strikes. He burst onto the scene in the mid-1990s, a key figure in Peru's near-miss qualification campaigns for the World Cup. While his club career took him across Latin America, from Mexico's Cruz Azul to Ecuador and back to Peru, his legacy is inextricably tied to the white and red jersey. Palacios was the player fans turned to for a moment of magic, a role he embraced through multiple Copa América tournaments. In an era where Peruvian football often struggled for consistency, his skill and passion made him a constant source of hope and excitement.
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.
Roberto was born in 1972, 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 Roberto Was Born
The biggest hits of 1972
#1 Movie
The Godfather
Best Picture
The Godfather
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Roberto's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1972Born
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1977Started school
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1985Became a teenager
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Could drive
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1990Could vote
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Turned 21
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2002Turned 30
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 40
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 50
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 54 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Earned 128 caps for the Peruvian national team, ranking among its most-capped players.
- Played a pivotal role in Peru's runner-up finish at the 1999 Copa América in Paraguay.
- Won multiple domestic league titles in Peru with Sporting Cristal and in Mexico with Cruz Azul.
- Represented Peru in six editions of the Copa América tournament.
Did You Know?
His nickname, 'El Chorrillano', refers to his birthplace, the district of Chorrillos in Lima.
He scored a famous long-range goal against Argentina in a 1997 World Cup qualifier.
He played for 11 different clubs throughout his professional career across four countries.
After retirement, he has served as a sports commentator and analyst in Peru.
“The ball is the only thing that matters; you must make it talk.”
