Brayan Cortes

Brayan Josué Cortés Fernández is a Chilean footballer who currently plays for Primera División club Colo-Colo as a goalkeeper. Born on 11th March 1995, Cortés hails from the northern port city Iquique. He won the Chile Cup with Sports Iquique in the 2013-14 season.

Background

Born in Iquique, Chile, he played as a goalkeeper since he was five and joined hometown Deportes Iquique youth set-up at the age of 14. He was promoted to the first adult team in 2013 and his professional debut came one year later on 30th March 2014, where he his team lost 3–0 away to Ñublense.

Debut

On 21st July 2013, he made his debut for the first team of Deportes Iquique in quarterfinals of the 2013-14 Copa Chile against Antofagasta. In that match, he was substituted in the 22nd minute for the injured Rodrigo Naranjo in the 4-0 triumph of his team.

On 30th March 2014, He debuted in the First Division starting in Iquique 3-0 defeat against Ñublense.

At an international level, he played his first official match during the Copa Sudamericana 2014 against University of Sucre of Bolivia, in the 2-0 defeat of Iquique Sports.

Rise to glory

Cortés played for Chile in the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He played one game in the 3–2 group stage win over Paraguay and was awarded the player of the match award.

He made only two appearances in the 2013–14 season in the league.

The injury to first-choice keeper Rodrigo Naranjo gave Cortes the opportunity to shine as he played the tournament’s first five matches, with impressive performances against Colo-Colo in the 2–0 defeat and against Universidad de Chile in a 2–2 draw.

Cortés played some exhibition games, highlighting a 4–4 draw with Uzbekistan where he performed well during the ninety minutes and saved a shoot during the penalties which bring to Chile the victory.[7] On 31 May 2015, Cortés was included by Mario Salas in the 23-man roster to face the category’s World Cup.

Club career

He got his first professional contract with Deportes Iquique in the 2013-14 season after being promoted from the youth team which he joined in 2009. He featured in 38 matches in his 4-year career with the club before being sold to the heavyweights Colo-Colo £306k in the 2018 winter transfer and is yet to make an appearance.