Francisco Pizarro (Peruvian footballer)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Francisco Pizarro

| fullname = Francisco Pizarro Fortunat

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|3|3|df=y}}

| birth_place = Lima, Peru

| height = 1.83m

| position = Goalkeeper

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Sporting Cristal

| years1 = 1990–1991 | clubs1 = Sporting Cristal | caps1 = | goals1 =

| years2 = 1992–1993 | clubs2 = León de Huánuco | caps2 = | goals2 =

| years3 = 1994–1997 | clubs3 = Alianza Lima | caps3 = | goals3 =

| years4 = 1998 | clubs4 = Alianza Atlético | caps4 = 32 | goals4 = 0

| years5 = 1999 | clubs5 = Juan Aurich | caps5 = 36 | goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2000 | clubs6 = Deportivo Municipal | caps6 = 17 | goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2001–2002 | clubs7 = Melgar | caps7 = 62 | goals7 = 1

| years8 = 2003 | clubs8 = Unión Huaral | caps8 = 15 | goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2004 | clubs9 = Atlético Universidad | caps9 = | goals9 =

| years10 = 2005 | clubs10 = Sporting Cristal | caps10 = 2 | goals10 = 0

| years11 = 2005 | clubs11 = Atlético Universidad | caps11 = | goals11 =

| years12 = 2006–2007 | clubs12 = Alianza Lima | caps12 = | goals12 =

| manageryears1 = 2013 | managerclubs1 = Alianza Lima (interim)

| manageryears2 = 2015 | managerclubs2 = Alianza Lima (interim)

| manageryears3 = 2017 | managerclubs3 = Deportivo Municipal (interim)

| manageryears4 = 2017 | managerclubs4 = Deportivo Municipal (interim)

| manageryears5 = 2023 | managerclubs5 = Ecosem Pasco

| manageryears6 = 2023 | managerclubs6 = UTC

}}

Francsico Pizarro Fortunat (born 3 March 1971) is a Peruvian football manager and former player who played as a goalkeeper.

Playing career

Born in Lima, Pizarro was a Sporting Cristal youth graduate. After making his first team debut in 1990, he played for two seasons with León de Huánuco before joining Alianza Lima in 1994. With the latter side, he featured in three Copa Libertadores editions, being a regular starter in the 1997 tournament.{{cite web|url=https://trome.com/deportes/historias-de-futbolistas-francisco-pancho-pizarro-recuerda-los-errores-de-que-no-volveria-a-cometer-carrera-alianza-lima-al-reflexionar-arquero-futbol-imp-noticia/|title=‘Pancho’ Pizarro, exarquero de Alianza Lima: los errores de los que hoy se arrepiente|trans-title='Pancho' Pizarro, former Alianza Lima goalkeeper: the mistakes that he now regrets|publisher=Trome|language=es|date=23 September 2021|accessdate=26 May 2023}}

Pizarro signed for Alianza Atlético in 1998, and subsequently represented top tier sides Juan Aurich, Deportivo Municipal, Melgar, Unión Huaral and Atlético Universidad before returning to his first club Sporting Cristal for the 2005 season. After featuring rarely, he returned to Atlético Universidad later in that year.

In 2006, aged 34, Pizarro returned to Alianza Lima, but his second spell was marked by the fight with Flavio Maestri during a training in November of that year.{{cite web|url=https://elpopular.pe/deportes/2006-11-24-panchi-y-cali-se-mecharon|title="Panchi" y "Cali" se mecharon|trans-title="Panchi" and "Cali" had a fight|publisher=El Popular|language=es|date=24 November 2006|accessdate=26 May 2023}} He retired in the following year, at the age of 36.

Managerial career

After retiring, Pizarro became a goalkeeping coach of Alianza in 2012, and was involved in a fight with León de Huánuco goalkeeper Juan Flores in August of that year, during a match between both clubs.{{cite web|url=https://peru21.pe/2012/08/18/deportes/partido-entre-alianza-y-leon-termino-bronca-2038174/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120821011400/https://peru21.pe/2012/08/18/deportes/partido-entre-alianza-y-leon-termino-bronca-2038174/|title=Partido entre Alianza y León terminó en bronca|trans-title=Match between Alianza and León ended up in a fight|publisher=Perú.21|language=es|date=18 August 2012|archivedate=21 August 2012|accessdate=26 May 2023}} On 1 October 2013, he was named interim manager of Alianza, in the place of Wilmar Valencia.{{cite web|url=https://elbocon.pe/futbol-peruano/descentralizado/futbol-peruano-francisco-pizarro-sera-el-tecnico-interino-de-alianza-lima-71570/?ref=ebr|title=Fútbol Peruano: Francisco Pizarro será el técnico interino de Alianza Lima|trans-title=Peruvian football: Francisco Pizarro will be the interim manager of Alianza Lima|publisher=El Bocón|language=es|date=1 October 2013|accessdate=26 May 2023}}

Back to his previous role after the appointment of Guillermo Sanguinetti, Pizarro was again named interim on 29 October 2015, after Gustavo Roverano resigned.{{cite web|url=https://elbocon.pe/futbol-peruano/descentralizado/alianza-lima-confirmo-que-francisco-pizarro-sera-el-entrenador-interino-113475/?ref=ebr|title=Alianza Lima confirmó que Francisco Pizarro será el entrenador interino|trans-title=Alianza Lima confirmed that Francisco Pizarro will be the interim manager|publisher=El Bocón|language=es|date=29 October 2015|accessdate=26 May 2023}} In the following month, he agreed to join Gustavo Costas' staff at Atlas, as a goalkeeping coach.{{cite web|url=https://archivo.depor.com/futbol-peruano/alianza-lima-francisco-pizarro-iria-al-atlas-mexico-1059489|title=Francisco Pizarro: ¿de técnico interino de Alianza Lima al Atlas de México?|trans-title=Francisco Pizarro: from interim manager of Alianza Lima to Atlas from Mexico?|publisher=Depor|language=es|date=25 November 2015|accessdate=26 May 2023}}

Back to his home country in January 2017, Pizarro joined Deportivo Municipal's staff as a goalkeeping coach, but was appointed interim manager of the club on 22 May of that year, after Marcelo Grioni left.{{cite web|url=https://depor.com/futbol-peruano/descentralizado/deportivo-municipal-momento-francisco-pizarro-tecnico-interino-equipo-37243/|title=Deportivo Municipal: "Por el momento, Francisco Pizarro es el técnico interino del equipo"|trans-title=Deportivo Municipal: "For now, Francisco Pizarro is the interim manager of the team"|publisher=Depor|language=es|date=22 May 2017|accessdate=26 May 2023}} He later worked as a goalkeeping coach of UTC and Ecosem Pasco, being appointed manager of the latter on 27 March 2023.{{cite web|url=https://www.futbolperuano.com/copa-peru/noticias/copa-peru-ecosem-pasco-oficializo-la-llegada-de-francisco-pizarro-como-dt-395279|title=Copa Perú: Ecosem Pasco oficializó la llegada de Francisco Pizarro como DT para la temporada 2023|trans-title=Copa Perú: Ecosem Pasco turned official the arrival of Francisco Pizarro as manager for the 2023 season|publisher=FútbolPeruano.com|language=es|date=27 March 2023|accessdate=26 May 2023}}

Pizarro returned to UTC on 24 May 2023, now being named manager.{{cite web|url=https://www.futbolperuano.com/liga-1/noticias/francisco-pizarro-fue-elegido-como-entrenador-de-utc-tras-la-salida-de-marcelo-grioni-403986|title=Francisco Pizarro fue elegido como entrenador de UTC tras la salida de Marcelo Grioni|trans-title=Francisco Pizarro was chosen as manager of UTC after the departure of Marcelo Grioni|publisher=FútbolPeruano.com|language=es|date=24 May 2023|accessdate=26 May 2023}} He left on a mutual agreement on 25 July, after one win in five matches.{{cite web|url=https://ovacion.pe/noticias/utc/se-va-francisco-pizarro-dejo-ser-entrenador-utc|title=¡Se va! Francisco Pizarro dejó de ser entrenador de UTC|trans-title=He's leaving! Francisco Pizarro ceased to be manager of UTC|publisher=Ovación|language=es|date=25 July 2023|access-date=25 July 2023}}