1. Overview
Esteban Efraín Paredes Quintanilla (born August 1, 1980) is a Chilean former professional footballer who primarily played as a forward. Known by the nickname Nukdo Panieli (Nukdo PanieliKing of the BeastsSpanish), Paredes is celebrated as the first player to be a five-time Primera División de Chile top goalscorer. Throughout his extensive career, he scored 286 league goals, with a notable record of 217 goals in the Chilean first-tier tournaments, making him the all-time leading goalscorer in that competition's history. On October 5, 2019, he surpassed Francisco Valdés's long-standing record in a 3-2 victory over Universidad de Chile during the Chilean Superclásico. Internationally, Paredes represented the Chile national team in major tournaments, including the 2010 FIFA World Cup, 2014 FIFA World Cup, and the 2011 Copa América.
2. Life and Career
Esteban Paredes's football journey began in his youth, progressing through various club levels, experiencing multiple transfers, and eventually embarking on a distinguished professional career marked by significant goalscoring achievements before his eventual retirements and brief returns to the sport.
2.1. Early career
Paredes began his football career within the youth ranks of Santiago Morning, a club in his hometown of Santiago, Chile. He was promoted to the senior team in 2000, making his professional debut and playing 171 matches, scoring 94 goals, during his initial period with the club until 2009. During these early professional years, Paredes also spent time on loan to gain experience. In 2002, he was loaned to Deportes Puerto Montt, where he made 18 appearances and scored 9 goals. He then moved to Deportes Concepción on loan in 2004, contributing 7 goals in 17 appearances. The same year, he had a loan spell with Mexican club Pachuca Juniors, where he scored 5 goals in 17 matches. In 2007, he was loaned to C.D. Cobreloa, playing in 29 matches and scoring 10 goals. These early experiences helped shape his development as a prominent forward.
2.2. Club career
After his initial period with Santiago Morning and various loan spells, Esteban Paredes made a significant move in 2009, joining Chilean football giant Colo-Colo on a three-year contract. During his first stint with Colo-Colo (2009-2012), he made 101 appearances and scored 58 goals. During the 2009 Torneo Clausura, Paredes became an influential player, playing a pivotal role in leading the team to victory. He was particularly instrumental in the final against Universidad Católica, where he scored two crucial goals past goalkeeper Paulo Garcés, securing the title for Colo-Colo.
Paredes also had a stint in Mexican football, playing for Atlante from 2012 to 2013, where he netted 17 goals in 30 appearances. He later moved to Querétaro in 2013, scoring 6 goals in 19 appearances. He returned to Colo-Colo in 2014, enjoying another successful period with the club until 2021, where he added 103 goals in 165 appearances.
Throughout his career, Paredes established himself as one of Chilean football's most prolific goalscorers. He is notably the first player to claim the Primera División de Chile top goalscorer title five times. He accumulated a total of 286 league goals over his career. A significant highlight was his record of 217 goals in the Chilean first-tier tournaments, which made him the all-time top goalscorer in the history of the Chilean first division. This historic achievement occurred on October 5, 2019, when he surpassed the long-standing record held by Francisco Valdés in a 3-2 victory for Colo-Colo against Universidad de Chile in the highly anticipated Chilean Superclásico. In 2021, he joined Coquimbo Unido, making 33 appearances and scoring 7 goals, helping the club win the Primera B title.
2.3. Retirement and returns
In May 2022, after a distinguished career and having scored 367 goals across all competitions, Esteban Paredes announced his retirement as a professional footballer while playing for Coquimbo Unido in the Chilean Primera División. However, his retirement was short-lived, as he returned to football in June 2023, signing with San Antonio Unido in the Segunda División Profesional de Chile. After another period of play, he retired once more, only to make another return to his first club, Santiago Morning, in August 2024. He subsequently announced his definitive retirement at the end of the 2024 season.
3. International career
Esteban Paredes proudly represented the Chile national team in various competitions throughout his career, contributing to their efforts in both friendly matches and major international tournaments.
3.1. Major tournaments
Paredes was an integral part of the Chile national squad in two World Cups: the 2010 FIFA World Cup held in South Africa and the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He also participated in the 2011 Copa América, which took place in Argentina. Across his international career, Paredes made 42 appearances for the national team and scored 12 goals between 2006 and 2018.
3.2. International goals
Scores and results list Chile's goal tally first.
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | August 12, 2009 | Brøndby Stadium, Brøndby, Denmark |  Denmark | 1-0 | 2-1 | Friendly |
| 2. | November 4, 2009 | CAP Stadium, Talcahuano, Chile |  Paraguay | 2-1 | 2-1 | Friendly |
| 3. | November 19, 2009 | Stadium Pod Dubňom, Žilina, Slovakia |  Slovakia | 2-1 | 2-1 | Friendly |
| 4. | January 20, 2010 | Estadio Francisco Sánchez Rumoroso, Coquimbo, Chile |  Panama | 1-0 | 2-1 | Friendly |
| 5. | 2-0 | |||||
| 6. | May 30, 2010 | Estadio Nelson Oyarzún, Chillán, Chile |  Northern Ireland | 1-0 | 1-0 | Friendly |
| 7. | January 23, 2011 | The Home Depot Center, Los Angeles, United States |  United States | 1-0 | 1-1 | Friendly |
| 8. | July 4, 2011 | Estadio del Bicentenario, San Juan, Argentina |  Mexico | 1-1 | 2-1 | 2011 Copa América |
| 9. | March 21, 2012 | Estadio Carlos Dittborn, Arica, Chile |  Peru | 1-0 | 3-1 | Friendly |
| 10. | March 26, 2013 | Estadio Nacional, Santiago, Chile |  Uruguay | 1-0 | 2-0 | 2014 World Cup qualifier |
| 11. | March 29, 2017 | Estadio Monumental David Arellano, Santiago, Chile |  Venezuela | 2-0 | 3-1 | 2018 World Cup qualifier |
| 12. | 3-0 |
4. Post-playing career
Following his professional playing career, Esteban Paredes transitioned into various roles within the football world and other public engagements.
4.1. Management and administrative roles
In February 2024, Paredes returned to his roots by assuming the role of sport manager for Santiago Morning, the club where he began his illustrious playing career. This move marked his foray into football administration. Further cementing his commitment to the sport, Paredes graduated as a football manager in December 2024 from the National Institute of Football, Sports and Physical Activity of Chile (Instituto Nacional del Fútbol, Deporte y Actividad FísicaINAFSpanish), equipping him with the formal qualifications for coaching and leadership roles.
4.2. Other activities
Beyond his direct involvement in football management, Paredes has also ventured into media and endorsements. In August 2022, he joined TNT Sports Chile as a co-host for the cooking and talk show Sabor a Gol, sharing the screen with chef Tomás Olivera. Additionally, he serves as the public face for a sport betting application called Juega en Linea.
5. Personal life
Esteban Paredes is known to have a son, Esteban Paredes Lastra, who followed in his father's footsteps by joining the youth ranks of Colo-Colo. Later, when his father departed from Colo-Colo, his son also moved to Palestino. Paredes earned the popular nickname Nukdo Panieli, a Chilean Spanish phrase translating to King of the Beasts, reflecting his dominant presence and impactful performances on the football field throughout his career.
6. Honours
Esteban Paredes accumulated numerous honours throughout his distinguished career, both at the club level with various teams and through individual accolades recognizing his exceptional goalscoring abilities and overall contributions to Chilean football.
6.1. Club honours
- Puerto Montt
- Primera B: 2002
- Pachuca Juniors
- Torneo de Ascenso: 2004 Apertura
- Santiago Morning
- Primera B: 2005
- Colo-Colo
- Primera División: 2009-C, 2014-A, 2015-A, 2017-T
- Copa Chile: 2016, 2019
- Supercopa de Chile: 2017, 2018
- Coquimbo Unido
- Primera B: 2021
6.2. Individual honours
- Primera B de Chile Top Scorer: 2005
- Primera División de Chile Top Scorer (5): 2009-A, 2011-C, 2014-C, 2014-A, 2015-C
- El Gráfico Ideal Team (4): 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015
- ANFP Golden Ball Ideal Team (3): 2011, 2014, 2015
- ANFP Golden Ball Golden Boot: 2011, 2014
- Liga MX Golden Boot (Shared): 2012-A
- El Gráfico Golden Boot: 2014
- ANFP Golden Ball Best Player: 2015
- Copa Chile Top Scorer (2): 2015, 2016
- El Gráfico Best Copa Chile Player: 2016
- Medalla Bicentenario: 2010