The Ipswich Town midfielder left the national team after a confrontation with Córdova, having been left out of the friendly against the United States. The Chilean federation announced that Núñez had been released for “personal reasons”.
According to La Tercera, Núñez felt his experience and status as a player in the Premier League deserved greater consideration. His frustration was compounded by Córdova’s public comments about individual players after Chile’s defeats.
The report says players within the squad believe the coach has gone too far in publicly exposing members of the team. In the dressing room, criticism of individuals in press conferences can be viewed as a breach of established footballing codes.
Córdova has also been criticised for distancing himself from the players after poor results. The Chile coach pointed to the international level of previous generations when explaining the difficulties facing the current squad.
“When Chile was at its best, our best players played for the best clubs in the world,” Córdova said.
He added that the squad needed new leaders and voices inside the dressing room.
Jean Beausejour challenged that argument by pointing to the Chile side that began qualifying for the 2010 World Cup. He noted that roughly 70 per cent of that squad were playing in Chile at the time, while future stars such as Arturo Vidal, Claudio Bravo and Alexis Sánchez had yet to establish themselves at the biggest European clubs.
The dispute has therefore become bigger than Núñez’s decision not to play against the United States. Córdova is already working as an interim coach of the senior side, while his permanent role remains within Chile’s youth structure.
He has also acknowledged that he would welcome Manuel Pellegrini taking charge of the senior team in the future.
Another episode has added to the pressure. Córdova and national teams manager Felipe Correa travelled to Rio de Janeiro to try to persuade Erick Pulgar to join Chile for the North American tour, but the Flamengo midfielder chose to remain with his club.
The accumulation of issues has left Córdova facing questions about his authority and communication at a difficult point for Chile. Núñez’s departure has brought those concerns into sharper focus, with the national team still preparing for its final match of the tour against Mexico.