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Christian “Chucho” Benitez 1986-2013
News has broken that former Birmingham City striker Christian “Chucho” Benitez has died in Qatar at the age of 27. The Ecuadorian international striker had signed for Qatari club El Jaish from Club America of Mexico just over three weeks ago.
Chucho spent the 2009-2010 season on loan at St Andrews, playing 36 games and scoring four goals. Short in stature, but terrier-like in nature, Chucho’s contribution to the Blues team as a creative player was massive but he found it difficult to score in the Premier League, with just three goals in 30 top flight appearances and only one of those coming at St Andrews.
Benitez leaves behind a wife, Liseth (daughter of former Ecuadorian teammate Cleber Chala) and three year old twins. My thoughts are with his family at this time.
Tags: Christian Benitez, Chucho
64 Responses to “Christian “Chucho” Benitez 1986-2013”
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Sad Sad news…..never a goalscores but such a willing workhorse….his contribution to the long unbeaten run should not be forgotten….RIP Chucho
Sad news and so young!
Any idea what caused his death.
RIP Chucho.
Trying to clarify, I understand it was peritonitis caused as a complication of a car accident.
Sad. RIP!
RIP Chucho from the Cole family
RIP ,Chucho.
r.i.p chucho thanks for the memories
Gutted!
As someone mentioned, never got the goals for us, but what he freed the likes of Cameron Jerome up to do was something special. Certainly hit goalscoring form when he left Blues again, top scorer for 3 seasons in a row in mexico (which is no tinpot league).
Sad news.
Sad news indeed. I’m convinced Blues made a massive mistake not signing him, I think in his second year the goals would have come, and you can’t deny Blues as an attacking force were far weaker without him the following season. Lack of goals cost us our Premier Spot – how different things might have been if we’d kept him.
I had just posted the news on your previous blog, !!.
Thank god you had picked it up yourself, You present it much better, !!.
Thanks for the memory Chucho, Great player, but only 3, goals, — Shame, !!.
Very sad news, I remember his debut at Man Utd, as me, my son and my mate all had VIP seats at Old Trafford and got very stern looks for standing up and singing KRO in the executive area :-)
RIP Chucho
I was in with the Plastics that day, Giubbsy.. I was off my seat when he forced Foster to that one-handed save.
tears, im afraid would have loved to keep him but coudnt afford him.
so sad.” rip chucho forever legend, loved by all blues fans.”
RIP. KRO.
R.I.P chucho, u r always in the memory of every bluenose, my thoughts go out to his wife, children and other family kro
R.I.P chucho thanks for the memories will not forget your workrate in a blue shirt to young to pass away thoughts with your family very sad day….
It really doesnt matter if he scored none or 50 for Blues. He is a young man who has been taken away from his family at the age of 27. May God Bless your family for the strength to continue and may Chucho Rest in Peace.
My thoughts exactly and a fine response about some comments made on on here.
RIP Chucho my condolences with your family and friends. I hope BCFC do something like a minutes applause before the Watford game.
RIP Chucho! An honouree brummie!!
KRO.
sad news – saw him tear Southampton apart in a League Cup game at St Mary’s, played for the team, fond memories :(
Sad news to read and respects to his family and friends. Glad that I got to see him play. RIP Chucho
So terribly terribly sad, my heartfelt condolences to Chuchos wife and family, a sentiment that should be from all true Bluenoses.
RIP, never ever forgotten
There wasn’t a team in the league who weren’t terrified at the sight of Chucho and Cameron. He was a great player for us and he helped bring bluenoses one of the happiest memories in recent history with that unbeaten run in the BPL. What a waste.
Rest in peace.
In shock at the moment. R.I.P Chucho
Sad news at any age but so young. Condolences to his family who must be devastated
RIP chucho – truly tragic, so young
RIP Chucho. My thoughts are with your family.
You were a key component of the ‘unbeatables’
Sad news indeed. So hard for his family.
According to the BBC, “Birmingham will mark the player’s death ahead of Saturday’s Championship match against Watford at St Andrew’s.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23492978
Terrible news ,for a young fit man to pass in this manner brings home how vulnerable we all are.
Chucho had the rare ability to get people of their seats in anticipation of something happening, most of the time it did not ,he ran down a cul de sac but there was always the chance with him.
He always gave his all, unlike some of recent years who were clearly here for the money RIP Chucho you will be fondly remembered.
RIP Chucho – sad news my thoughts are with his family.
R.i.p. Chucho great player and such a tragic shame, thoughts and prayers for all his friends and family
Ooooooooo Chucho Benitez.
So sad to hear the news today. Chucho may not have scored may goal but worked like a Trojan.
RIP.
Always liked him. In the same category as Mauro Zarate for me, just get on with it and run at them. Would have loved him to stay as I felt he was just finding his feet when he left. Such a tragic tale that an athlete dies so young.
I liked the bloke…. the game came alight when he came on. defenders were visibly in awe of his presence. Scoring goals? He’d have got there, he was willing, capable and very exciting. I’ll remember the man with a feeling of a sad loss.
I think we should do a Club Brugges style tribute with a minutes applause on 11 minutes
Good lord no.
No no no no no.
Absolutely no way.
Can I stress how much I dislike this idea?
Minutes applause pre game, maybe spontaneous singing of his name and THAT’S IT. No mawkish displays of sentiment, just a dignified respectful tribute.
Is that a definite No…? :-)
I agree with you, Dan. It was great for Bruges and I have no worries about joining in with them to do it but it seems a tad tawdry when other Teams do it.
Seconded! That’s just for little clubs
Iggy
RIP Chucho :(
Why no Dan?? anything that gives a tribute to a former player is in my eyes a massive mark of respect!
I for one will be chanting his name through the whole 90 mins on Saturday, lets give the respect he deserves
I totally agree with not clapping at 11 minutes,
a couple of reasons ,1, he wore at least3 different shirts while with us
2, Apart from Brugge it is just been copycats
3, save all the applause for the current team
Cucho gave us many fond memories ,much appreciated by us all
thoughts go out to his family at this sad time
KRO
Its a yes yes yes yes yes from me.
I love the idea. VERY MUCH SO
Looks like you lost…. http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/christian-benitez-tribute-planned-birmingham-5384214
Great idea Chris
RIP Chucho. Once a Bluenose, always a Bluenose. KRO
A Box of tricks that never stopped trying in a Blue shirt…Proper Player
R.I.P Chucho.Very fond memories of that great season and your contribution. Codolancies and prayers for family and friends at this sad,sad news
Sad news, what ever people want to do to remember him is cool with me. Liked him as a player, hard working and made space for others. KRO
Very sad to hear about the sad death of Chuco – he was a player that had you on your feet as there was always the chance of something special happening when he had the ball.. I shall always remember that great second half performance inspired by Chuco at Wigan when we won 3 – 2 when he scored one of his 4 goals for Blues. I had travelled with my son from Essex to see the game and driving back we never stopped talking about Chuco.
R I P Chuco my heart goes out to your family
So very sad. I loved watching Chucho in action on the Foxtel relays over here; a real dynamo and all heart, I wished he had stayed. Respectful condolences to his family, RIP ‘Ermano’
RIP Christian ‘Chucho’ Benítez . . :'(
Its a very sad news …. we lost a pure tallent…
may his soul rest in peace . . .
http://www.planetpc.in/2013/07/christian-chucho-benitez-died-at-27.html
How very sad when a life is taken from this world, it was a penalty against chelsea. Your efforts and endeavour will alway be remembered. From a big bluenose family. Rip. May your family fine peace…..kro
RIP Chucho, marvellous little character and great talent.
Pity it couldn’t have been Pannu !
What a disgusting , small minded thing to say.
With you chas on this one mate, true blues fans dont need to sink that low……..
Thanks Mark.
Very sad – RIP.
it makes the game saturday even more important than it already was, 3 points and
3 cheers for chucho, those of you who saw him play in the premier league should
get there backsides down there now if they werent going originally and join in the
resrect to a man who was part of our record unbeaten run in the top flight of 12
games, 15 in total. one of the unbeatables.KRO.
So so gutted to hear this news. For me, he was my favourite player to pull on a blues shirt that I saw with regularity. Mcliesh was a muppet for letting him go and changing a winning formula.
RIP chucho. You will always be a bluenose to me. KRO Chucho
Such sad news, thoughts go to his family and friends. A quality little player who played a massive part in Blues’ most successful premier league year! RIP Chucho, way too soon :(
one of the unbeatables who went on that 15 game unbeaten run, 12 in the premier league
makes in a legend in his short time with us, now lets all get down there plus the armchair
fans and give him a good send off and a rousing round of applause because if your
picking your games this ones a must.KRO.
He brought a great deal of fun to St Andrews. He will be sadly missed by many.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2383680/Christian-Benitez-funeral-pictures.html