María José Rojas
Cote Rojas | |
|---|---|
| Born | María José Alondra Rojas Pino December 17, 1987 |
| Nationality | Chilean, Australian |
| Occupation | Professional footballer |
| Known for | First Chilean female footballer to secure an international contract; leading scorer for Chile women's national team |
María José Alondra Rojas Pino (born 17 December 1987), widely recognized as Cote Rojas, is a professional footballer of Chilean-Australian nationality currently playing for the Australian team Flinders United.[1][2] With a national team career spanning 13 years, she has become one of the leading scorers for Chile’s La Roja, netting 11 goals across 44 caps.[3][4]
Rojas holds the distinction of being the first Chilean female footballer to secure an international contract, setting a precedent that opened doors for compatriots such as Tianne Endler and Yanara Aedo. Her extensive professional journey has taken her across four continents and six nations, including stints in Germany, the United States, Japan, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, and Australia. This broad international exposure has enhanced her playing versatility and established her as a prominent goal scorer and influential figure on the global stage.[2][5]
According to FIFA, Rojas is a forward distinguished by her speed, technical ability, and dribbling prowess, bringing both leadership and offensive threat to the Chilean squad. Among her notable achievements is scoring the winning goal against Uruguay during the 2018 Copa America, which marked Chile’s inaugural victory in the tournament and played a crucial role in their qualification for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup in France.[3]
Her club career highlights include appearances in the UEFA Women's Champions League with Gintra SK in 2018 and Slavia Praha in 2019. Rojas has secured two championship titles: she scored the decisive goal that delivered UTSA Roadrunners their first-ever US championship and was instrumental in Santiago Morning’s 2019 league triumph by scoring six goals in five matches. Additionally, Santiago Morning advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2019 Copa Libertadores Femenina, where Rojas recorded a hat-trick in one fixture.[6][7]
In Australia, Rojas has represented Canberra United within the W-League and was granted a distinguished talent visa by the Australian Government. She obtained Australian citizenship in 2025 and is regarded as a role model for emerging players aspiring to compete internationally.[8][9]
For the 2022/23 season with Melbourne City, Rojas was honored with the A-Leagues Fan Player of the Year award, a testament to her impactful performance featuring five goals over eleven appearances and strong support from fans.
Outside her athletic pursuits, Rojas actively champions women’s rights within football, leveraging her influence to advocate for fellow athletes and address challenges facing women’s soccer.[1]
Club career
Rojas has showcased her talents in premier football leagues spanning Chile (Primera División, Copa Libertadores), Germany (Bundesliga), the United States (W-League), Lithuania (A Lyga, Champions League), Japan (J2 League), and Australia (W-League, WNPL).
During 2019, she featured as a forward for SK Slavia Praha competing in the Czech First Division, as well as for Santiago Morning in Chile’s Primera División and Copa Libertadores. Santiago Morning achieved consecutive Chilean league titles in 2018 and 2019.
Her tenure with Canberra United began in the 2018-19 W-League season. In South Australia’s WNPL, Rojas demonstrated remarkable goal-scoring ability, netting 65 goals throughout the 2016 and 2017 campaigns and earning two golden boot awards. In 2020, representing Salisbury Inter in the WNPL, she scored 27 goals over 18 matches and was honored with the Shirley Brown Medal as Player of the Year. Later that year, she returned to the W-League by signing with Adelaide United.
In September 2021, Rojas joined Sydney FC. By August 2022, she had signed with Cypriot outfit Apollon Ladies. She then returned to Australia in November 2022 to play for Melbourne City as an injury replacement.
In May 2023, Rojas transferred to Flinders United competing in South Australia’s NPL Women. She re-signed with Canberra United in September 2023 but left the club in March 2024 to return to Chile and rejoin Santiago Morning. In January 2025, she resumed playing for Flinders United in Australia.
International career
Rojas was a member of the Chilean squad that earned the silver medal at the 2014 South American Games. At the 2018 Copa América Femenina, she scored twice, playing a pivotal role in securing Chile’s maiden qualification for the FIFA Women's World Cup.
During the 2019 Women's World Cup, Rojas was recognized as Chile’s principal player and leading scorer, regarded by coach Letelier as the team’s most potent offensive threat.
International goals
Scores and results list Chile's tally first
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 October 2011 | Estadio Omnilife, Zapopan, Mexico | Template:Fbw | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2011 Pan American Games |
| 2 | 10 April 2018 | Estadio La Portada, La Serena, Chile | Template:Fbw | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2018 Copa América Femenina |
| 3 | 12 April 2018 | Template:Fbw | 5–0 | 5–0 |
Honours
Chile
- Silver medalist at the 2014 South American Games
- Runner-up medal at the 2018 Copa América
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- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedwomenssoccerunited.com - ↑ "Santiago Morning advances to Copa Libertadores quarter-finals". October 20, 2019.
- ↑ "Hat trick by Coté Rojas leads Santiago Morning to victory".
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedadelaidenow.com.au - ↑ Migliaccio, Val (March 6, 2020). "South Australian Women's National Premier League prepares for Round One".