Ysrael Zúñiga
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Ysrael Zúñiga (born August 27, 1976) was a Peruvian footballer who notably played for Sporting Cristal as a striker.
Zúñiga initially trained as a dental technician before deciding to become a professional footballer at the relatively late age of 22. He gained some international notoriety after scoring a league-record equalling 32 goals for Melgar in his first season in the Primera División Peruana in 1999. His goalscoring success prompted English Premier League club Coventry City to purchase him for £750,000 in February 2000. However, he was unable to find any form in England; scoring four goals in 30 appearances spread over two and a half years with Coventry before he was released in the summer of 2002.
After leaving Coventry he joined Argentinian club Estudiantes, but again struggled to recapture his scoring form. Zúñiga returned to his homeland following the conclusion of his spell in Argentina to join Sporting Cristal, a club he spent time at as a teenager before leaving the game to study to be a dental worker.
He won 19 caps and scored 3 goals for the Peru national football team.
