For the first time, a goalkeeper born in Arica packed his bags to pursue the American dream. Benjamín Puente was recruited by the Los Angeles Huskies and is eagerly counting the hours until his debut in U.S. soccer.
Puente’s signing in the United States is entirely due to his exceptional skills for the position and the experience he gained in 2024 as a player for San Marcos de Arica, which earned him a call-up to the Chile U-20 National Team.
“He is a goalkeeper with leadership, a strong personality, and intelligence. I am confident he will perform at a high level as a student-athlete,” said East Los Angeles College (ELAC) coach William Da Silva.
“We had been looking for a goalkeeper with Benja’s qualities since last November. In Los Angeles, I recruited and couldn’t find a keeper with his height and skills,” Da Silva added.
ELAC’s talent scout admitted that when they saw the former San Marcos de Arica goalkeeper in action, “we fell in love immediately, contacted his agent, and brought him here as fast as possible.”
Benjamín Puente has already passed all physical tests and is ready to debut in the Huskies jersey. He carries the responsibility of defending the colors of a team with 11 championship titles in its history.
To understand the passion the Los Angeles Huskies inspire, it is worth noting that their fans fill a stadium with a capacity of 22,355 spectators. At Weingart Stadium, the story will begin of the first goalkeeper from Arica determined to take his city’s name to the highest level.
