Sporting Kansas City midfielder Felipe Gutierrez will join the Chile Men’s National Team next week for a pair of international friendlies against Peru and Mexico, the Football Federation of Chile has announced.
Chile head coach Reinaldo Rueda has named Gutierrez to a 24-man roster as La Roja prepare to face Peru at 7:30 p.m. CT on Friday, Oct. 12, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami before visiting Mexico at 8:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday, Oct. 16, at Estadio Corregidora in Queretaro.
Prior to joining Chile, Gutierrez will be available for selection Saturday when Sporting Kansas City hosts the LA Galaxy in a highly anticipated Western Conference matchup at Children’s Mercy Park. That game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. CT with live coverage on FOX Sports Kansas City, FOX Sports Midwest Plus, FOX Sports GO, Sports Radio 810 WHB and ESPN Deportes KC 1480 AM.
Gutierrez, who will turn 28 on Monday, has tallied seven goals and two assists since joining Sporting KC ahead of the 2018 season. He garnered MLS Player of the Month honors in March, scoring five goals across his first five MLS appearances, before a hernia injury sidelined him from May to July. Gutierrez has since returned to the lineup and played an integral role for a team that sits two points out of first place in the Western Conference.
In 2010, Gutierrez earned his first of 35 caps at the senior international level. The versatile midfielder notably competed at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and helped Chile lift the 2015 Copa America title as champions of South America. Gutierrez was named to La Roja’s roster for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup last summer and most recently represented his country in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying win over Ecuador in October 2017.
Chile are No. 12 in the latest FIFA rankings as back-to-back Copa America champions, having hoisted to the continental title in 2015 and 2016. The 24-man squad is highlighted by Manchester United forward Alexis Sanchez and FC Barcelona midfielder Arturo Vidal.
Gutierrez is one of three Sporting KC players set for international duty during FIFA’s international window in October. Hungary forward Krisztian Nemeth and Scotland forward Johnny Russell will join their respective countries next week for the resumption of the 2018-19 UEFA Nations League in Europe.
Chile Men’s National Team roster
Goalkeepers (3): Gabriel Arias (Racing), Fernando de Paul (Universidad de Chile), Lawrence Vigouroux (Swindon Town)
Defenders (8): Gary Medel (Besiktas), Mauricio Isla (Fenerbahce), Eugenio Mena (Racing), Enzo Roco (Besiktas), Paulo Diaz (Al-Ahli), Guillermo Maripan (Alaves), Igor Lichnovsky (Cruz Azul), Alfonso Parot (Rosario Central)
Midfielders (7): Arturo Vidal (FC Barcelona), Felipe Gutierrez (Sporting Kansas City), Pablo Hernandez (Independiente), Erick Pulgar (Bologna), Lorenzo Reyes (Atlas), Diego Valdes (Morelia), Victor Davila (Necaxa)
Forwards (6): Alexis Sanchez (Manchester United), Nicolas Castillo (Benfica), Junior Fernandes (Alanyaspor), Angelo Sagal (Pachuca), Angelo Henriquez (Universidad de Chile), Ignacio Jeraldino (Audax Italiano)
