Riera was born in
Santiago, Chile. As a footballer, he played for
Chile in the
1942,
1947 and
1949 Copa Américas. He also played at the
1950 FIFA World Cup, and managed them on home soil to a third place in the
1962 World Cup. In 1962–63, Riera led Portuguese side
Benfica to the
Primeira Liga title. He returned to the club in 1966 and led them to another
champions title. it was the first FIFA XI team in the history of the game. In Chile, he left a legacy with disciple coaches such as
Arturo Salah and
Manuel Pellegrini, leaving a tradition and an identity for Chilean football. ==Personal life==