Bernardo Araya
Chilean futsal player (born 1993)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bernardo Jesús Araya Ponce (born 5 June 1993) is a Chilean futsal player who plays as a defender for Spanish club Peñíscola FS [es]. Besides Chile, he has played in Spain, Argentina, France and Brazil.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Bernardo Jesús Araya Ponce | ||
| Date of birth | 5 June 1993 | ||
| Place of birth | Puente Alto, Santiago, Chile | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Peñíscola FS | ||
| Number | 4 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Colo-Colo (football) | |||
| Universidad de Chile (football) | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2012 | Deportes Tocopilla (football) | ||
| 2013 | Palestino | ||
| 2013–2014 | Deportes Concepción | ||
| 2018–2021 | Newell's Old Boys | ||
| 2021 | Nantes Métropole | ||
| 2022 | San Lorenzo | ||
| 2023 | Yeesco Sercesa | ||
| 2024–2024 | Umuarama | ||
| 2024–2025 | Burela FS | 30 | |
| 2025– | Peñíscola FS | ||
| International career | |||
| 2013–2015 | Chile U23 | ||
| 2015– | Chile | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Career
As a youth footballer, Araya was with both Colo-Colo and Universidad de Chile at under-17 and under-18 level, respectively. Next he spent a season with Deportes Tocopilla.[1]
In 2013 he switched to futsal after a trial to join Chile national futsal team alongside his best friend. Having played for both Palestino and Deportes Concepción in his homeland,[1] in 2018 he moved to Argentine side Newell's Old Boys.[2]
As a member of Newell's Old Boys, he got three consecutive promotions and played at all categories of the Argentine futsal.[1]
In 2021, he moved to French side Nantes Métropole [fr], becoming the first Chilean futsal player to be transferred to Europe.[3]
Due to a serious knee injury, he returned to Argentina in 2022[4] and joined San Lorenzo [es], winning the league title and the Copa Argentina.[5]
In 2023, he joined Brazilian club Yeesco Sercesa in the Liga Gaúcha, becoming the first Chilean to play in the Brazilian futsal[6] and winning the Série Ouro of the Federação Gaúcha.[7] The next season, he switched to Umuarama [pt], becoming the first Chilean to play in the LNF, the premier brazilian futsal league.[8]
In August 2024, Araya joined Spanish club Burela FS in the Primera División de Futsal becoming the first Chilean to play in the Spanish futsal.[9][10] On 2 July 2025, he switched to Peñíscola FS [es].[11]
International career
Araya has taken part of the Chile national futsal team since under-23 level, becoming the team captain at senior level.[12]
Personal life
Araya is the younger brother of Karen Araya, a Chilean professional footballer.[1]
Honours
Yeesco Sercesa
- Copa dos Campeões: 2023
- Taça Farroupilha: 2023
- Série Ouro - Federação Gaúcha: 2023[13]