Matheus Pereira (footballer, born 1996) explained

Matheus Pereira
Full Name:Matheus Fellipe Costa Pereira[1]
Birth Date:5 May 1996[2]
Birth Place:Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Height:1.75 m
Position:Attacking midfielder, winger
Currentclub:Cruzeiro
Clubnumber:10
Youthyears1:2007–2010
Youthclubs1:Trafaria
Youthyears2:2010–2015
Youthclubs2:Sporting CP
Years1:2014–2017
Caps1:42
Goals1:17
Years2:2015–2020
Caps2:15
Goals2:1
Years3:2017–2018
Clubs3:Chaves (loan)
Caps3:27
Goals3:7
Years4:2018–2019
Clubs4:1. FC Nürnberg (loan)
Caps4:19
Goals4:3
Years5:2019–2020
Clubs5:West Bromwich Albion (loan)
Caps5:42
Goals5:8
Years6:2020–2021
Caps6:33
Goals6:11
Years7:2021–2024
Caps7:28
Goals7:2
Years8:2023
Clubs8:Al Wahda (loan)
Caps8:10
Goals8:1
Years9:2023–2024
Clubs9:Cruzeiro (loan)
Caps9:33
Goals9:5
Years10:2024–
Caps10:0
Goals10:0
Club-Update:15:00, 5 June 2024 (UTC)

Matheus Fellipe Costa Pereira (born 5 May 1996) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or right winger for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Cruzeiro.

Club career

Sporting CP

Born in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Pereira moved to Portugal at a young age, joining Sporting CP's youth system at the age of 14. On 18 January 2014, whilst still a junior, he made his debut as a senior with the B team, coming on as a 46th-minute substitute for Cristian Ponde in a 1–1 away draw against C.D. Trofense in the Segunda Liga.[3] He scored his first goal in the competition on 7 March of the following year, contributing to a 4–3 home win over C.D. Tondela.[4]

Early into the 2015–16 season, Pereira was first called to the main squad by newly appointed manager Jorge Jesus.[5] His first competitive appearance took place on 1 October, as he started in a 1–1 draw at Beşiktaş J.K. in the UEFA Europa League.[6] Late in the same month he scored his first goals as a professional, helping defeat U.D. Vilafranquense in the Taça de Portugal (4–0, away)[7] and KF Skënderbeu Korçë in the Europa League (5–1, home),[8] being subsequently selected for the latter competition's team of the week.[9]

Pereira was loaned to fellow Primeira Liga club G.D. Chaves in the 2017–18 campaign.[10] He scored seven league goals during his spell (eight overall), helping them to a sixth-place finish.[11]

On 31 August 2018, the last day of the summer transfer window, Pereira joined 1. FC Nürnberg on loan until the end of the season[12] [13] after criticising José Peseiro's choice of not selecting him to the first match against Moreirense F.C. on social media.[14] He made his Bundesliga debut 16 days later, playing 61 minutes in a 1–1 away draw against SV Werder Bremen.[15]

Pereira scored his first league goal on 30 March 2019, helping the hosts defeat FC Augsburg 3–0.[16] He was nominated for the Bundesliga Rookie of the Season award, but his team suffered relegation after finishing last.[17]

West Bromwich Albion

On 8 August 2019, Pereira joined West Bromwich Albion on an initial season-long loan with a view to a permanent move.[18] He scored his first goal in the Championship on 28 September, in a 2–0 away win against Queens Park Rangers.[19]

On 20 June 2020, after the player had appeared in the required number of matches, a buyout clause was triggered, obligating the club into Pereira’s purchase.[20] The following month, he won the Supporters’ Player of the Season award after collecting 65% of the votes.[21]

Despite the buyout clause being met months earlier, it took until 17 August 2020 for Pereira to be officially announced as an Albion player, eventually signing a four-year contract.[22] To ensure the player’s focus remained on the field, the board decided to leave the negotiations until after the season had ended.[23]

Pereira made his Premier League debut on 13 September 2020, playing the entire 0–3 home loss against Leicester City.[24] He scored his first goal six days later, through a direct free kick in a 5–2 away defeat to Everton.[25]

On 3 April 2021, Pereira scored a brace in first-half stoppage time in an eventual 5–2 win at Chelsea; this sealed Albion's first victory at Stamford Bridge since 1978, and handed Thomas Tuchel his first loss as the opposition's head coach.[26] On 9 May, his tenth goal of the season – becoming the first club player to get on double digits since Saido Berahino in 2014–15 – amounted to nothing because his team lost 3–1 at Arsenal and confirmed their relegation.[27]

On 1 August 2021, recently appointed manager Valérien Ismaël announced that Pereira would leave the club before the end of the transfer window, accusing him of "not being committed".[28] The following day, the latter released a statement on his social media accounts, confirming that he wished to leave but also expressing anger at the former's comments, branding them "disrespectful".[29]

Al Hilal

On 6 August 2021, Pereira agreed to a deal with Al Hilal SFC for an undisclosed fee.[30] He scored his first goal for the club the following 6 February, in a 6–1 rout of Al Jazira Club in the second round of the FIFA Club World Cup.[31]

Pereira was loaned to Al Wahda FC of the UAE Pro League in January 2023, until June.[32] In July that year, also on loan, he joined Cruzeiro Esporte Clube.[33]

Career statistics

[34]

ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Sporting CP B2013–14Segunda Liga4040
2014–15121121
2015–16128128
2016–17148148
Total4217000000004217
Sporting CP2015–16Primeira Liga80223053185
2016–1771101091
Total15132405300276
Chaves (loan)2017–18Primeira Liga2771021308
Nürnberg (loan)2018–19Bundesliga19320213
West Bromwich Albion (loan)2019–20Championship4280010438
West Bromwich Albion2020–21Premier League331111003412
Al Hilal2020–21Saudi Pro League4040
2021–22212203041303
2022–2370100080
Total282307041423
Al Wahda (loan)2022–23UAE Pro League101000011112
Cruzeiro2023Série A151000000151
20241561111062369
Total3071111083624810
Career total24456214811238428168

Honours

Al Hilal

2021–22[34]

2021[35]

2021[36]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Notification of shirt numbers: West Bromwich Albion. English Football League. 75. 28 October 2019.
  2. Web site: Matheus Pereira. Mais Futebol. pt. 17 July 2020.
  3. News: Trofense-Sporting B, 1–1: Equilíbrio dá empate. Trofense-Sporting B, 1–1: Balance equals draw. Record. pt. 18 January 2014. 31 March 2020.
  4. News: Sporting B vence Tondela com bis de Rubio. Sporting B defeat Tondela with Rubio brace. Record. pt. 7 March 2015. 31 March 2020.
  5. News: Matheus preserva estatuto. Matheus preserves status. Record. pt. 9 September 2015. 26 October 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150911213035/http://www.record.xl.pt/futebol/nacional/1a-liga/sporting/detalhe/matheus-preserva-estatuto-973764.html. 11 September 2015.
  6. Web site: Beşiktaş and Sporting share spoils in Istanbul. UEFA. Çetin. Cem Yılmaz. 1 October 2015. 26 October 2015.
  7. News: Sporting vence Vilafranquense por 4–0. Sporting defeat Vilafranquense 4–0. Expresso. Helena. Bento. pt. 17 October 2015. 7 March 2023.
  8. Web site: Sporting see off Skënderbeu in style. UEFA. 22 October 2015. 26 October 2015.
  9. Web site: UEFA Europa League team of the week. UEFA. 23 October 2015. 25 January 2016.
  10. Web site: Sporting empresta Matheus Pereira ao Chaves. Sporting loan Matheus Pereira to Chaves. Rádio Renascença. pt. 26 July 2017. 14 September 2018.
  11. News: SAD do Chaves está atenta a Matheus Pereira. Chaves PLSC keeping an eye on Matheus Pereira. Record. Paulo. Silva Reis. pt. 15 August 2018. 14 September 2018.
  12. Web site: Club holt Matheus Pereira aus Lissabon. Club gets Matheus Pereira from Lisbon. 1. FC Nürnberg. de. 31 August 2018. 31 August 2018.
  13. Web site: Nürnberg verpflichtet Misidjan und Matheus Pereira. Nürnberg acquire Misidjan and Matheus Pereira. Kicker. de. 31 August 2018. 31 August 2018.
  14. News: Insatisfação de Matheus Pereira levou resposta de Peseiro. Matheus Pereira dissatisfaction got reply from Peseiro. Diário de Notícias. Rui. Frias. pt. 12 August 2018. 14 September 2018.
  15. Web site: Joker Misidjan vermiest Sahin das Werder-Debüt. Joker Misidjan spoils Sahin's Werder debut. Kicker. de. 16 September 2018. 16 September 2018.
  16. Web site: Nürnberg schlägt Augsburg 3:0 – die Hoffnung lebt. Nürnberg beat Augsburg 3:0 – there's still hope. Bayerischer Rundfunk. de. 30 March 2019. 30 July 2019.
  17. Web site: Ozan Kabak ist der Rookie der Saison 2018/19. Ozan Kabak is the 2018/19 season rookie. Bundesliga. de. May 2019. 30 July 2019.
  18. Web site: Pereira signs for the Baggies. West Bromwich Albion F.C.. 8 August 2019. 8 August 2019.
  19. Web site: Queens Park Rangers 0–2 West Bromwich Albion. BBC Sport. 28 September 2019. 30 September 2019.
  20. News: West Brom trigger Matheus Pereira clause to confirm permanent signing. Birmingham Mail. Joseph. Chapman. 20 June 2020. 17 July 2020.
  21. Web site: Pereira picks up Ideal Boilers Supporters' Player of the Season award. West Bromwich Albion F.C.. 30 July 2020. 30 July 2020.
  22. Web site: Pereira pens permanent deal at The Hawthorns. West Bromwich Albion F.C.. 17 August 2020. 17 August 2020.
  23. News: Matheus Pereira signs four year deal with West Brom. Express & Star. Joseph. Masi. 17 August 2020. 20 August 2020.
  24. Web site: West Bromwich Albion 0–3 Leicester City. BBC Sport. Simon. Stone. 13 September 2020. 21 January 2021.
  25. Web site: Everton 5–2 West Bromwich Albion: Dominic Calvert-Lewin scores hat-trick in big win. BBC Sport. Gary. Rose. 19 September 2020. 19 January 2021.
  26. Web site: Chelsea 2–5 West Brom: Baggies thump five past 10-man Blues. BBC Sport. Saj. Chowdhury. 3 April 2021. 3 April 2021.
  27. Web site: Arsenal 3–1 West Bromwich Albion: Baggies relegated after defeat. BBC Sport. Alex. Bysouth. 9 May 2021. 9 May 2021.
  28. News: Matheus Pereira dismisses claims he is ‘not committed’ to West Brom. The Independent. 2 August 2021. 6 August 2021. subscription. live. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220512/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/matheus-pereira-west-brom-transfer-b1895386.html. 12 May 2022.
  29. Web site: Matheus Pereira: West Brom boss Ismael not fazed by impending exit. BBC Sport. Rob. Gurney. Ged. Scott. 3 August 2021. 8 August 2021.
  30. Web site: Matheus Pereira joins Saudi club Al Hilal from West Brom. Sky Sports. 6 August 2021. 6 August 2021.
  31. News: Al-Hilal overwhelm Al-Jazira to set up FIFA Club World Cup semi-final against Chelsea. Arab News. John. Duerden. 6 February 2022. 7 February 2022.
  32. News: الهلال يعير بيريرا إلى الوحدة الإماراتي. Al-Hilal loan Pereira to Al Wahda. Arriyadiyah. ar. 22 January 2023. 23 January 2023.
  33. Web site: Cruzeiro anuncia a contratação de Matheus Pereira. Cruzeiro announce signing of Matheus Pereira. Globo Esporte. pt. 24 July 2023. 26 July 2023.
  34. Web site: Matheus Pereira. Soccerway. 26 October 2015.
  35. News: Al-Hilal defeat Al-Faisaly to win Saudi Super Cup after dramatic penalty shootout. Arab News. John. Duerden. 7 January 2022. 7 January 2022.
  36. Web site: Al Hilal power past Pohang Steelers to create history. Asian Football Confederation. 23 November 2021. 24 November 2021.