Luis Tejada
Who was Luis Tejada?
Panamanian striker who became his country's all-time leading goalscorer with 43 international goals before his death in 2024.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Luis Tejada (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Luis Carlos Tejada Hansell, nicknamed 'Matador,' was born on March 28, 1982, in Panama City, Panama. He became one of the most celebrated footballers in his country's history, earning fame as Panama's all-time leading international goalscorer with 43 goals in 108 appearances for the national team. His remarkable goal-scoring skills and long career made him a key figure in the growth of Panamanian football internationally.
Before Fame
Luis Tejada grew up in Panama City when Panamanian football was not yet prominent globally. Panama hadn't qualified for a FIFA World Cup, and chances for players to gain international exposure were scarce. Tejada matured in this environment, honing his skills locally before advancing through regional club football. His early career was driven by a desire to show that Panamanian players could compete at top levels. He sought opportunities in clubs across Latin America to improve his game and establish a professional reputation.
Key Achievements
- Panama's all-time leading international goalscorer with 43 goals in 108 appearances
- Member of the Panama squad at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, the country's historic first World Cup appearance
- Represented more than 15 professional clubs across a lengthy career spanning multiple countries and leagues
- Accumulated 108 caps for the Panama national team, one of the highest totals in the country's football history
- Widely credited as a foundational figure in the growth of Panamanian football's international profile
Did You Know?
- 01.Tejada scored 43 international goals for Panama, making him the country's all-time top scorer in the history of the national team.
- 02.He earned the nickname 'Matador,' the Spanish word for bullfighter, reflecting his instinctive and lethal finishing ability in front of goal.
- 03.Tejada represented more than 15 different football clubs during his professional career, making him one of the most widely traveled players of his generation in Central American football.
- 04.He was part of the Panama squad that appeared at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, the first and only World Cup appearance in Panama's football history at the time of his death.
- 05.Tejada made 108 appearances for the Panama national team, a figure that reflects over two decades of service to his country at the international level.