Hernán Godoy

Hernán Humberto Godoy Véliz (14 May 1941 – 19 March 2025), better known by his nickname Clavito Godoy, was a Chilean footballer and later football manager.

Career

A product of Deportes La Serena youth system, he made his debut at the age of 16. The matches against the traditional opponent, Coquimbo Unido, are well remembered, especially duels versus Arturo Canilla Díaz and Alfonso Pocho Morales. In Chile he also played for Santiago Wanderers, Palestino, Audax Italiano, Magallanes and Trasandino. Abroad he played for Comunicaciones in Guatemala, Motagua in Honduras, Alianza in El Salvador and Unión Magdalena in Colombia.

He made coaching courses in both Italy and France, becoming a prolific football manager who was Chilean who coached more teams in his career with 25 different clubs in five countries: Chile, the United States, Guatemala, Vietnam and Indonesia. In addition he worked as an assistant coach in Audax Italiano (1974), General Manager in San Antonio Unido (2009) and sports advisor in Independiente de Cauquenes (2012). On 1 August 2018, he joined San Marcos de Arica. As a football manager, he was well known by using a whiteboard to make the tactics.

Personal life and death

Godoy was well known by his nickname Clavito (Little Nail). He published two books: "La pizarra de Clavito" (The Little Nail's whiteboard) and "Un Clavo saca otro clavo" (A Nail removes another nail).

He and his wife, Juana Paredes, had four children, three daughters and a son. Godoy died from liver cancer on 19 March 2025, at the age of 83.

His grandsons, Emanuel López and Alejandro Muñoz, are professional footballers who made their professional debuts playing for Santiago Morning in 2017, when Godoy was the manager.