Melissa Deanna Bustos Pepe (born 12 May 1999) is a footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Universidad de Chile. Born in Canada, she plays for the Chile women's national team.

Melissa Bustos
Bustos with Santiago Morning in 2023
Personal information
Full name Melissa Deanna Bustos Pepe
Birth name Melissa Deanna Bustos
Date of birth (1999-05-12) 12 May 1999 (age 25)
Place of birth Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Height 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)[1]
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
Universidad de Chile
Number 21
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2019 UBC Thunderbirds
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020 Colo-Colo
2021–2022 Fernández Vial
2023 Santiago Morning
2024– Universidad de Chile
International career
2023– Chile 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 5 December 2023

Club career

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In her country of birth, Bustos played for two consecutive years for UBC Thunderbirds. In 2019, she suffered a serious knee injury.[2] In 2020, she moved to Chile and joined Colo-Colo.[3]

After playing for Colo-Colo, she spent two years with Fernández Vial.[4]

In May 2022, she was selected by the Brazilian international Neymar Jr. for the friendly tournament Red Bull Neymar Jr's Five in Qatar, after he watched a video on Instagram about her skills.[5]

In 2023, she signed with Santiago Morning.[6][7] In 2024, she switched to Universidad de Chile.[8]

International career

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In 2019, she trained with the Chile national team and, later, she was called up to a training microcycle.[9]

In 2023, she was called up to a training microcycle of the national team at under-23 level.[10]

At senior level, she made his debut in a 1–0 win against Peru on 1 December 2023.[11]

Personal life

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Born in Canada, her father, Alex, is Chilean and her mother is Canadian of Italian descent.[9][12] She holds three nationalities: Canadian by birth and both Chilean and Italian by descent.[13]

Her father used to organize soccer championships for academies when she was a child. As a child, she also played volleyball, basketball and did track and field.[14]

Her older brother, Marco, is a Canada international footballer.[15] They both organized a soccer camp, Marco & Melissa Bustos Soccer Camp, in their hometown, Winnipeg, and gave Fernández Vial shirts to the children.[16]

References

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  1. ^ "Melissa Bustos :: ceroacero.es". www.ceroacero.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  2. ^ Escudero, Eloisa (11 May 2021). "Melissa Bustos se une a su hermano Marco en el escenario del fútbol profesional". ElDemocrata (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  3. ^ Munizaga, Sebastián (23 May 2022). "Melissa Bustos, la ex Colo Colo que está en Qatar y que fue elegida por Neymar para formar parte de su Global Five Squad en el Red Bull Neymar Jr's Five". Dale Albo (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  4. ^ Molina, Geraldine (3 February 2023). "Melissa Bustos confirma su salida de Fernández Vial para 2023". Contragolpe (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  5. ^ Salas, Cristian (16 May 2022). "La chilena que clasificó a Qatar: "Quiero hacerme un nombre"". AS Chile (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  6. ^ Molina, Geraldine (8 February 2023). "Santiago Morning Femenino confirma el estelar fichaje de Melissa Bustos para 2023". RedGol (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  7. ^ "Golpetazo en el fútbol femenino: Melissa Bustos llegó a un grande". AS Chile (in Spanish). 8 February 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  8. ^ "¡Bombazo! Melissa Bustos tiene nuevo equipo en Chile". Diario AS (in Spanish). 11 January 2024. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  9. ^ a b Silva, Felipe (3 April 2023). "Nació en Canada y ahora fue llamada a la Roja: "Me siento más chilena que los porotos"". AS Chile (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  10. ^ "La Roja Femenina inicia su microciclo con jugadoras Sub 23". laroja.cl (in Spanish). FFCh. 4 April 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  11. ^ "Amistoso Internacional: Chile venció por 1-0 a Perú en La Florida". GolMaster (in Spanish). 2 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  12. ^ Marco Bustos at the Canadian Soccer Association
  13. ^ "Fernández Vial renueva a sus figuras en el fútbol femenino". sabes.cl (in Spanish). 30 November 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  14. ^ Salas, Cristian (7 May 2021). ""Mi sueño es jugar por Chile... Quiero que se haga realidad"". AS Chile (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  15. ^ silva, Felipe (17 October 2020). ""Me gustaría jugar en Colo Colo porque estaría con mi hermana"". AS Chile (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  16. ^ Molina, Geraldine (8 January 2023). "Melissa Bustos llevó uniformes de Fernández Vial a su escuelita de futfem en Canadá". RedGol (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 August 2023.
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