Walter Ponce

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Walter Ponce

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Walter Benjamín Ponce Gallardo

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1998|3|4}}

| birth_place = Santiago, Chile

| height = 1.83 m

| position = Forward

| currentclub = Unión La Calera

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Palestino

| youthyears2 = 2013–2016

| youthclubs2 = Udinese

| youthyears3 = 2015

| youthclubs3 = → Unión Española (loan)

| youthyears4 = 2015–2016

| youthclubs4 = → Palestino (loan)

| youthyears5 = 2016

| youthclubs5 = → Granada (loan)

| years1 = 2015–2016 | clubs1 = → Palestino (loan) | caps1 = 3 | goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2016 | clubs2 = → Granada B (loan) | caps2 = – | goals2 = –

| years3 = 2017–2019 | clubs3 = Universidad de Concepción | caps3 = 34 | goals3 = 5

| years4 = 2020–2021 | clubs4 = Deportes La Serena | caps4 = 19 | goals4 = 1

| years5 = 2021 | clubs5 = Barnechea | caps5 = 8 | goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2022–2023 | clubs6 = Valour FC | caps6 = 42 | goals6 = 6

| years7 = 2024– | clubs7 = Unión La Calera | caps7 = 0 | goals7 = 0

| nationalteam1 = Chile U17

| nationalyears1 = 2015

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| pcupdate = 2 February 2024

| ntupdate = 1 February 2021

}}

Walter Benjamín Ponce Gallardo (born 4 March 1998) is a Chilean professional footballer who plays as a forward for Unión La Calera.

Early life

He played youth football in the system of Chilean clubs Palestino and Unión Española{{cite news |title=Unión Española sub 17 logró un categórico triunfo ante Colo Colo|trans-title=Union Española under 17 achieved a categorical triumph against Colo Colo |url=https://www.anfp.cl/noticia/23949/union-espanola-sub-17-logro-un-categorico-triunfo-ante-colo-colo |access-date=21 December 2023 |work=ANFP |date=15 May 2015 |language=es}} and the Spanish club Granada.{{Cite web|url=https://tntsports.cl/internacional/Un-mundialista-chileno-tendra-una-chance-en-Norteamerica-20220116-0023.html|title=Walter Ponce tendrá una chance en el fútbol de Canadá|trans-title=Walter Ponce will have a chance in Canadian soccer|language=es|date=January 16, 2022|work=TNT Sports}} In 2013, Italian club Udinese, who shared the same owners as Granada, purchased 50% of his economic playing rights.{{cite news |title=La "cantera" de Palestino sigue exportando a Italia |url=https://www.anfp.cl/noticia/17871/la-cantera-de-palestino-sigue-exportando-a-italia |access-date=21 December 2023 |work=ANFP |date=31 May 2013 |language=es|trans-title=Palestino's "quarry" continues exporting to Italy}}{{cite web|url=https://www.biobiochile.cl/noticias/2015/10/26/conoce-a-walter-ponce-potencia-para-el-ataque-de-la-seleccion-chilena-sub-17.shtml|title=Conoce a Walter Ponce: Potencia para el ataque de la selección chilena Sub 17|first=José Luis|last=Rivera|language=es|date=October 26, 2015|trans-title=Meet Walter Ponce: Power for the attack of the Chilean Under 17 team|work=Radio Bío-Bío}}

Club career

He began his senior career with Chilean Primera División club Palestino, making his professional debut in 2015 at age seventeen.{{cite web|url=https://www.encancha.cl/futbol-chileno/2022/1/14/exjugador-de-palestino-saltara-al-extranjero-sera-refuerzo-en-la-primera-division-de-canada-141078.html|title=Exjugador de Palestino saltará al extranjero y será refuerzo en la Primera División de Canadá|trans-title=Former Palestinian player will jump abroad and will be reinforced in the First Division of Canada|language=es|date=January 14, 2022|first=Martín|last=Aliaga|work=En Cancha}}{{cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/valour-fc-walter-ponce/|title=Valour FC Signs Chilean Forward Walter Ponce|date=January 13, 2022|work=Northern Tribune|first=John|last=Jacques}} He made his debut in a Copa Chile match on 16 July 2015 against Unión Española.{{cite web|url=https://www.latercera.com/noticia/walter-ponce-el-mundialista-que-busca-consolidarse-en-palestino/|title=Walter Ponce: El mundialista que busca consolidarse en Palestino|trans-title=Walter Ponce: The World Cup player who seeks to consolidate himself in Palestine|date=November 2, 2015|work=La Tercera|language=es}} Afterwards, he was sent on loan to Spanish club Granada B.{{Cite web|url=https://www.publimetro.cl/cl/grafico-chile/2018/07/24/dybala-walter-ponce.html|title=Walter Ponce, “el Dybala del Campanil”: “Me carga la regla Sub 20, merezco jugar”|trans-title=Walter Ponce, "the Dybala del Campanil": "The Sub 20 rule burdens me, I deserve to play"|language=es|date=July 24, 2018|first=Juan Ignacio|last=Gardella|work=Publimetro}}{{cite news |last1=Kuschel |first1=Daniel |title=Los delanteros fueron presentados ayer: Amarilla y Ponce, nuevas caras en UdeC |url=https://www.diarioconcepcion.cl/deportes/2017/07/28/los-delanteros-fueron-presentados-ayer-amarilla-y-ponce-nuevas-caras-en-udec.html |access-date=21 December 2023 |work=Diario Concepción |date=28 July 2017 |language=es}}

In July 2017, he signed with Universidad de Concepción.{{cite web|url=https://www.cooperativa.cl/noticias/deportes/futbol/universidad-de-concepcion/universidad-de-concepcion-anuncio-dos-incorporaciones-para-el-torneo-de/2017-07-27/155500.html|title=Universidad de Concepción anunció dos incorporaciones para el Torneo de Transición|trans-title=Universidad de Concepción announced two additions to the Transition Tournament|date=July 27, 2017|language=es|work=Radio Cooperativa}}{{cite web|url=https://www.diarioconcepcion.cl/deportes/2017/07/27/amarilla-y-ponce-llegan-a-la-udec.html|title=Amarilla y Ponce llegan a la UdeC|trans-title=Amarilla and Ponce arrive at the UdeC|language=es|date=July 27, 2017|work=Diario Concepción}}

In December 2019, he signed with La Serena for the 2020 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.alairelibre.cl/noticias/deportes/futbol/la-serena/walter-ponce-se-convirtio-en-nuevo-refuerzo-de-deportes-la-serena/2019-12-28/102844.html|work=Alaire Libre|title=Walter Ponce se convirtió en nuevo refuerzo de Deportes La Serena|trans-title=Walter Ponce became a new reinforcement of Deportes La Serena|language=es|date=December 28, 2019}}

In March 2021, he signed with Barnechea in the Primera B de Chile.{{cite web|url=https://www.todofutbol.cl/2021/03/05/ac-barnechea-comienza-armar-plantel-cara-al-inicio-la-temporada-2021/|title=AC Barnechea comienza a armar con todo su plantel de cara al inicio de la temporada 2021|trans-title=AC Barnechea begins to assemble its entire squad for the start of the 2021 season|date=March 5, 2021|language=es|work=Todo Futbol}}

In January 2022, he signed with Canadian Premier League club Valour FC.{{Cite web|url=https://valourfc.canpl.ca/article/we-think-hes-someone-who-could-bring-high-rewards-to-the-club-valour-fc-adds-walter-ponce|title=“We think he’s someone who could bring high rewards to the club.” - Valour FC adds Walter Ponce|date=January 13, 2022|work=Valour FC|first=Ed|last=Tait}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.transfermarkt.us/valour-fc-sign-walter-ponce-2nd-signing-from-barnechea/view/news/398207|title=Valour FC sign Walter Ponce - 2nd signing from Barnechea|date=January 13, 2022|work=Transfermarkt|first=Manuel|last=Veth}} However, due to visa issues, he was unable to join the team until May.{{Cite web|url=https://valourfc.canpl.ca/article/hes-here-finally-one-international-player-down-two-to-go-ponce-arrives-in-winnipeg|title=“He’s here… finally. One (international player) down, two to go.” - Ponce arrives in Winnipeg|date=May 17, 2022|work=Valour FC}}{{Cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/valour-fc-walter-ponce-arrival/|title=After Long Wait, Walter Ponce Arrives To Winnipeg|date=May 17, 2022|work=Northern Tribune|first=John|last=Jacques}}{{cite web|url=https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/05/18/versatile-ponce-finally-joins-valour-fc|title=Versatile Ponce finally joins Valour FC|date=May 18, 2022|work=Winnipeg Free Press|first=Gavin|last=Axelrod}} He scored his first goal on June 15 against Cavalry FC.{{cite web|url=https://winnipegsun.com/sports/soccer/valour-fcs-home-troubles-continue-in-loss-to-cavalry-fc|title=Valour FC's home troubles continue in loss to Cavalry FC|date=June 15, 2022|work=Winnipeg Sun}}

In 2024, he returned to Chile and joined Unión La Calera.{{cite news |title=Unión La Calera presentó a Walter Ponce como su nuevo fichaje |url=https://www.alairelibre.cl/noticias/deportes/futbol/union-la-calera/union-la-calera-presento-a-walter-ponce-como-su-nuevo-fichaje/2024-02-02/165049.html |access-date=2 February 2024 |work=alairelibre.cl |publisher=Radio Cooperativa |date=2 February 2024 |language=es}}

International career

At the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup, he made two appearances for Chile U17.{{Cite web|url=https://valourfc.canpl.ca/article/valour-fc-signs-chilean-forward-walter-ponce|title=Valour FC signs Chilean forward Walter Ponce|date=January 13, 2022|work=Valour FC}}