Besides anecdotes, teams and much more, Peruvian football is full of players with very curious nicknames. Some of them are even better remembered thanks to their “chapas”. In case of Ryan Salazar applies in this group, but the ‘Soldier’ has the particularity that his memory is marked by his very good technique of hitting the ball with his left foot. He was always a threat to the opposing team’s goalkeeper from midfield or near the penalty area.
Ryan Salazar was educated in the smaller departments of Cantolao Academy. He made his professional debut in 2000 with Alianza Lima and just one season later, at the age of 19, he won his first title of his career. He had a unique and brief experience at Lokomotivi Tbilisi in Georgia and wore several Peruvian football shirts from there. He is a self-confessed Sport Boys fan and was only able to defend his colors in 2016.
Ryan Salazar played with the Peru team in the South American Sub-20 in 2011. Photo: AFP
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Ryan Salazar and his achievements in Peruvian football
Among the different clubs he has gone through, without a doubt we must first highlight what Ryan Salazar did in San Martín. Though he wasn’t the undisputed starter in a midfielder who had an enlightened Pedro García, the ‘Soldado’ was a two-time Peruvian soccer champion in 2007 and 2008 with the Saints. In addition to what he achieved with Alianza, he ended his career with a solid record of three national titles.
Aside from San Martín, Sport Huancayo is another team that Salazar is well remembered for. The “Red Matador” was the club for which he played the most games in his career. On the other hand, he was top scorer for CNI in 2011 and then in 2016 for his beloved boys. Along with Daniel Ferreyra he was the best on the team and had a great season numerically as well.
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What happened to Ryan Salazar?
Unfortunately, Ryan Salazar had a tough time in November 2017 when he was banned for two years for exposing a bribery attempt in the second division audio scandal. In February 2018 justice was pronounced and the “soldier” was acquitted but chose not to return to court. Curiously, between these months he expressed his intention to run for mayor of Callao with Somos Perú.
After retiring from Unión Huaral, Salazar obtained his B license as a coach and was able to work with minors in the Callao area. He was also spotted playing for Los Santos in the F7 Legends Cup a few months ago. Today, however, its best-known facet is linked to gastronomy, since it owns the famous “Huarique del Soldado Ryan” in Callao, a family business characterized by the pink color that delights the residents of the port.
Ryan Salazar usually shares photos with his people and clients at his Huarique in Callao. Photo: Facebook The Soldier’s Huarique