The Peruvian striker ranks among the most prolific World Cup strikers of all time and remains the only man to score five goals in two different tournaments.
Cubillas combined typically quick South American feet with bullying physical strength and incredible shooting power and was twice voted South America's player of the year.
As a precocious 21-year-old, Cubillas enjoyed a memorable tournament in Mexico in 1970. He scored the wining goal as Peru rallied from two goals down to beat Bulgaria 3-2 in its opening game and was also on target against Morocco and West Germany as his country advanced to the quarterfinals. Although Peru lost 4-2 to Brazil, Cubillas scored one of the goals of the tournament.
In Argentina eight years later Cubillas may have been slower but his skills were now complemented by experience. Five more goals followed -- a memorable freekick among two against Scotland and a hat trick against Iran. But the goals dried up against sterner opposition in the second round. Peru failed to score and departed the tournament in controversial fashion with a 6-0 loss to host Argentina.
Peru returned to the finals in Spain but went home early after a disappointing first round performance. Cubillas failed to score and won the last of his 117 caps in a 5-1 defeat by Poland.
