Rafael Ernesto Barrientos Cruz (born May 12, 1979) is a retired Salvadoran footballer.
Nicknamed el Chele, Barrientos started his career at FAS, where he played alongside talented teenagers Gilberto Murgas and Eliseo Quintanilla.
In 2004, he moved to Alianza F.C., only to leave them after a year for Once Municipal with whom he would win the 2006 Apertura.
[1] Barrientos made his debut for El Salvador in a July 2000 friendly match against Mexico and has earned a total of 12 caps, scoring no goals.
[3] His final international was the June 2001 UNCAF Cup match against Costa Rica.