Christian Rogelio Benítez Betancourt (May 1, 1986 - July 29, 2013), also known as Chucho, was an Ecuadorian footballer who played as a forward for El Jaish of the Qatar Stars League. He began his career with El Nacional in Ecuador and then joined Santos Laguna, with whom he won the award for Best Player of the Clausura 2008. He spent the 2009–10 season on loan to Premier League club Birmingham City. He was a member of the Ecuador national football team.

Personal life

Benitez was born in Quito, the son of former Ecuador international footballer Ermen Benítez. In 2007 he married Liseth, daughter of fellow international player Cléber Chalá; she gave birth to twins in August 2009.

Club career

El Nacional

Regarded as one of the best players ever to compete in the Ecuadorian top flight, Benítez was scouted by top clubs such as Villarreal CF of Spain due to his outstanding performances for El Nacional, though the club denied any knowledge of Villarrealin interest. He was also linked with a move to Red Star Belgrade of the Serbian SuperLiga.

By scoring 29 goals in 83 league matches for El Nacional, and playing alongside young club legend-in-coming Antonio Valencia, Chucho won both the 2005 Clausura and 2006 League Championships.

Santos Laguna

In July 2007, he made an unexpected move to Santos Laguna of the Mexican Primera División. With his arrival and that of Vicente Matías Vuoso, Santos had an impressive season with wins over several top Mexican clubs. He was considered one of the best foreign strikers in the Mexican league alongside Giancarlo Maldonado, Humberto Suazo, Salvador Cabañas, and Hector Mancilla. In 2007, Benítez received an award as the best Ecuadorian footballer playing outside Ecuador, succeeding PSV Eindhoven's Édison Méndez.

Despite interest from Portuguese club Benfica, Benítez decided to remain in Mexico. His 10 goals made a major contribution to Santos winning the Clausura 2008 title, and his personal reward was selection as best player of the season. Benítez is the fourth Ecuadorian to win a Mexican championship, after Ítalo Estupiñán, Álex Aguinaga, and Agustín Delgado.

Birmingham City

 

Chucho playing against Stoke City.

 

On June 3, 2009, Birmingham City announced the signing of Benítez on a three-year contract for an undisclosed club record transfer fee, which press reports speculated to be in the region of £6 million rising to £9m.The move was subject to the striker receiving a work permit and passing a medical. The medical revealed unforeseen knee problems, which prompted the deal to be renegotiated on a "protected purchase" basis. The club would pay an initial $2m (£1.2m) with an option to abort the deal on medical grounds after the first year; thereafter the fee could potentially rise, depending on appearances and success, to a club record $12.5m (£7.7m). The player eventually signed on July 7. The club later clarified that he was in fact on loan. While recovering from shoulder surgery and awaiting his visa, Benítez played in an all-star match in Ecuador without asking the club's permission.

2009–10 Season

He made his Birmingham debut as a second-half substitute in Birmingham's opening match of the season, a 1–0 defeat at Manchester United, and came close to equalising, drawing a "wonderful one-handed diving save" from Ben Foster. His first Premier League start came against Hull City on September 19; he played a key role in a 1–0 win and "could have had a hat-trick but for the supreme goalkeeping of Boaz Myhill". Benítez scored his first goal for the Blues on November 9 away to Liverpool, with a close-range header after Scott Dann had nodded the ball on, in a game which finished 2–2. He scored the first of what manager Alex McLeish described as "two classy goals" as Birmingham knocked Everton out of the FA Cup at Goodison Park. However, after his season produced only four goals and Birmingham's attempt to renegotiate the agreed transfer fee was unsuccessful, the club chose not to take up their option to purchase, and the player returned to Santos Laguna.

Return to Santos Laguna 2010

On July 21, 2010, Benítez signed a new three-year deal with Santos Laguna, in the first tournament after his return he was the top goalscorer with 16 goals. Leading the scoring table, Chucho led Santos to the 2010 Apertura Finals, losing to Club de Futbol Monterrey.

Club América 2011–12 Season

 

Benítez playing against Tijuana

 

Benitez signed to play for América on May 22, 2011. The transfer fee was reported to be of $10 million, which established a record for a club in México. He scored a goal in his debut on July 24, in the 2–1 win against Querétaro. On August 21, 2011 Benítez made his first hat trick with América against Club Atlas in a 5–2 win. In his first Súper Clásico, Benítez scored a header in a 3–1 loss to Chivas.

Benítez scored the opening goal for Club América's Clausura 2012 season in a 2–0 win against Querétaro. Benítez ended the season with 14 goals and ended up being the league's top scorer along with Iván Alonso.

2012–13 Season

Benítez played his first game of the 2012–13 season on July 21 against Monterrey, in a 0–0 away draw. On July 28, he scored his first goals of the season in a 4–2 victory over Chiapas. On November 11, Benitez became joint top goal-scorer of the 2012 Apertura alongside Atlante's Esteban Paredes. On November 14, Benítez scored a two goals in a 2–0 away play-off quarter-final match against Morelia.

Benítez scored his first three goals of the 2013 Clausura season in a 2–0 away win against Jaguares de Chiapas. On March 2, Benítez scored a hat trick, 2 headers and a left-footed strike against Cruz Azul in a 3–0 win. On April 27 after losing 2–0 in an away match against Pachuca, Benitez scored a hat-trick to lead América to a 4–2 win. Benitez ended up being the Clausura 2013 Liga MX top scorer for the third consecutive season. On May 26 Benitez became Liga MX 2013 Clausura champions after defeating Cruz Azul 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out, where he converted the second penalty.

El Jaish Sports Club

He officially left the club on 6 July, 2013 and signed a contract with Qatari club El Jaish.

International career

 

Benitez for Ecuador

 

Benítez was a member of the Ecuador national team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.

Although considered by many as a surprise selection by Ecuador's Colombian-born coach Luis Fernando Suarez, he had impressed with his speed, elusiveness and skill in pre-World Cup showings against Netherlands, Japan and the 2006 Copa Libertadores experience. He was a candidate for the Gillette Best Young Player Award, a new award made at the end of the FIFA World Cup to the best young player born on or after January 1, 1985. His only appearance was in the 3–0 loss to Germany, replacing Felix Borja midway through the match.

His first international goal came in September 2006 against Peru. Then in April 2007, he scored another goal against Peru in Ecuador's 2–0 win in a friendly held in the Mini Estadi in Barcelona, Spain. He also scored in a 1–1 draw with the Republic of Ireland in a friendly match played in New Jersey on May 23, 2006. This added to the belief that he could excel in Europe.

Benítez started all three games during the 2007 Copa América, scoring against Chile. Despite his attacking flair, Ecuador were eliminated in the first stage, losing all three matches. In an international friendly against El Salvador on September 8, 2007, Benítez scored twice in an emphatic 5–1 home win in Quito.

In a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Bolivia, he scored a goal. Two months later, he showed his ability in the air as well when he scored the only goal of the match with a header against Chile.

Death

On 29 July 2013, Benítez died from complications relating to appendicitis, according to his father-in-law, leading to cardiac arrest at the age of 27.

Honors

Club

El Nacional

• Serie A (2): 2005 Clausura, 2006

Santos Laguna

• Mexican Primera División (1): 2008 Clausura

Club América

• Liga MX (1): 2013 Clausura

Individual

• Serie A Best Player (1): 2006 Serie A
• Liga MX Best Player (2): 2008 Clausura, 2012 Apertura
• Liga MX Golden Boot (4): 2010 Apertura, 2012 Clausura, 2012 Apertura, 2013 Clausura