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You would be forgiven for assuming the Estadio Muncipal de Calama, a multi-use stadium based in the everlasting Atcama Desert, was paved with gold, ironic for a region dependent on copper. The Estadio Muncipal de Calama is home to Cobreloa, one of Chilean football’s most prominent clubs and the producers of a plethora of Chilean talent which grace Europe today.
Eduardo Vargas, Queens Park Rangers’s effervescent and versatile attacker, is one Cobreloa’s most vaunted products, in tandem with Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez, Lucas Barrios and Jean Beausejour. Now, after a rollercoaster career, Vargas is intent on plotting Chelsea’s demise at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
A career of so much promise
Vargas could, however, have been plying his trade at Premier League leaders Chelsea. Featuring for Cobreloa B in the Chilean Third Division, Club Universidad de Chile acquired the winger for approximately £700,000. The Chile international excelled at one of Chile’s most venerated clubs, scoring 19 goals in 54 appearances and producing individual performances of a high calibre.
It was then when a young Vargas captured the interest of Europe’s prominent clubs. The Chilean was nominated as a candidate for South American Footballer of the Year, ultimately a runner-up to Barcelona sensation Neymar, and secured the title of Chilean Footballer of the Year for 2011.
Chelsea and Internazionale were reportedly interested in the promising, fearless and slick Vargas but Napoli’s interest was more genuine, or so he assumed, moving to the Italian Serie A in a transfer worth £11.5 million.
Intent on resurrecting his career
For Vargas, the move to Napoli, a move he hoped would provide him a platform in which to impress in Europe, derailed a career of so much promise. He struggled to assert his genius at the Sao Paulo Stadium, with loan spells at Gremio and Valencia comprising of a mixed 2013/14 season. The 24 year-old excelled for Valencia in the latter part of the season, registering two goals and three assists as the Spanish club advanced to the semi-finals of the Europa League but now Vargas finds himself in the humble surroundings of Loftus Road, intent on resurrecting his career.
It is not, though, the worst setting in which to assert his recognised brilliance, the mercurial talent which earned him genuine comparisons with Neymar in South America. He now has Harry Redknapp’s faith, having started Monday evening’s victory over Aston Villa as a rewarding repurcusion for a stellar cameo appearance against Liverpool.
The Chilean is, after all, as Redknapp now acknowledges, a potent goalscorer. four goals in six appearances for the Chile U20s and 17 in 35 for the senior team, with one, to eliminate Spain at the FIFA World Cup, registered in Brazil.
He didn’t start in QPR’s naive defeat to Liverpool but graced an enthralling match. With a mere 11 minutes remaining, Vargas replaced Bobby Zamora, instructed to partner, support and impact the game in and around Charlie Austin. He scored twice, the first a move he started and culminated with an effervescent run into the box and an accomplished cushioned finish. The second was a powerful header, his intelligent movement bewildering the static Liverpool defence.
“I've got no doubts we'll be okay and that we'll stay up,” said Redknapp, buoyed by Vargas's brief excellence. “And the little boy Vargas has given me even more confidence. To see him come on and get two goals, when he got two for Chile as well in midweek: he's a goalscorer. And he nearly scored another at the end with Skrtel, when he was coming in to dive in and head it.He'll score goals and he's going to be a big asset for us. It's going to be difficult to leave him out of the team.'”
And difficult it was. Vargas started at Loftus Road against Villa and shimmered with danger, providing a superb assist for Austin’s second that evening. He is intent on extending this impressive run of form. And his next target? Premier League leaders Chelsea.
But for Vargas, there is also a long-term target, a burning desire to commit long-term to QPR and sign on a permanent basis. It is a perfectly viable suggestion but the Chilean knows his performances will have a bearing on the plausibility of such a commitment.
But his first target is plotting Chelsea’s demise on Saturday at Stamford Bridge, where he could have been plying his mercurial trade.
