Daniel Pereira (footballer, born 2000)

Daniel Pereira Gil (born 14 July 2000) is a Venezuelan professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Major League Soccer club Austin FC and the Venezuela national team. He played two seasons of college soccer with the Virginia Tech Hokies before being selected with the first overall pick by Austin FC in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Pereira and the second or maternal family name is Gil.
Daniel Pereira
Personal information
Date of birth (2000-07-14) 14 July 2000
Place of birth Caracas, Venezuela
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Austin FC
Number 6
Youth career
2016–2019 Virginia Blue Ridge Star
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2020 Virginia Tech Hokies 26 (6)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021– Austin FC 87 (2)
International career‡
2012–2013 Venezuela U14
2014–2015 Venezuela U17
2023– Venezuela 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:35, 22 October 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 03:27, 23 June 2023 (UTC)

Early life

Pereira was born in Caracas, Venezuela, but at the age of 15 emigrated to the United States, where he settled in the Roanoke metropolitan area of Southwest Virginia.[1] Prior to emigrating to the U.S., Pereira played for the Venezuelan U-14 and U-17 national teams.[1]

In high school, Pereira played club soccer for Virginia Blue Ridge Star and high school soccer for Northside High School. While at Northside, Pereira was named the 2019 Virginia High School League Class 3 Boys' Soccer Player of the Year.[2]

Ahead of the 2019 NCAA Division I men's soccer season, Pereira signed a National Letter of Intent to play college soccer for Virginia Tech. During his freshman season, Pereira started in all 19 matches, scoring five goals and providing five assists.[3] During the season, the Hokies were ranked as high as ninth in the United Soccer Coaches poll. Virginia Tech reached the third round of the 2019 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament, before falling to Stanford.[4]

His sophomore season was more truncated due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.[5] Nevertheless, during the fall segment of the season, Pereira started in all seven of the team's matches, providing a goal and an assist.[6][7]

Club career

Following the fall segment of the 2020 NCAA Division I men's soccer season, Pereira was tabbed as a potential top draft pick for the 2021 MLS SuperDraft. On 30 December 2020, Pereira waived his final two years of collegiate eligibility and signed a Generation Adidas contract with Major League Soccer. On 21 January 2021, he was selected as the first overall selection in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft,[8][9][10] being drafted by expansion team, Austin FC.[11][12] Pereira is the first Venezuelan and first South American to be selected first overall in the MLS Draft, as well as the first player from Virginia Tech to be selected first overall.[13] After a successful 2022 season and with continuing success in the 2023 he was called up to the national team to play friendlys in the United States

International career

Pereria received his first international call-up in June 2023.[14] Dani's first cap came on 15 June 2023. He was subbed in during the 46th minute of a 1-0 victory against Honduras.[15]

Career statistics
As of 21 October 2023[16][17]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League League Cup[lower-alpha 1] National Cup[lower-alpha 2] Continental[lower-alpha 3] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Austin FC 2021 MLS 250———250
2022 3023000—332
2023 320002020360
Club Total 872302020942
Career total 872302020942
  1. Appearance(s) in MLS Cup Playoffs
  2. Appearance(s) in U.S. Open Cup
  3. Appearance(s) in CONCACAF Champions League

References
  1. "Daniel Pereira, of requesting political asylum to professional soccer player in the MLS". Reutir. 21 January 2021. Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  2. Petersen, Don (20 June 2019). "Northside's Pereira honored as VHSL Class 3 boys soccer player of the year". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  3. "2019 Men's Soccer Cumulative Statistics". Hokie Sports. Virginia Tech Athletics. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  4. The Roanoke Times (1 December 2019). "Virginia Tech falls at Stanford in NCAA men's soccer tournament". The News & Advance. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  5. "ACC announces Fall 2020 soccer schedule with games set to begin September 10". Soccerwire. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  6. "2020 Men's Soccer Cumulative Statistics". Virginia Tech Athletics. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  7. "Daniel Pereira - Men's Soccer". Virginia Tech Athletics. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  8. Carlisle, Jeff (21 January 2021). "Austin FC selects Daniel Pereira first in MLS SuperDraft". ESPN. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  9. @ACCMSoccer (January 21, 2021). "𝗡𝗨𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟𝗟. @AustinFC selects Daniel Pereira with the first overall pick in the MLS #SuperDraft!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  10. Williamson, Jeff (21 January 2021). "Roanoke native Daniel Pereira selected #1 overall in MLS SuperDraft". WSLS-TV. Graham Media Group. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  11. Liljenwall, Ari (21 January 2021). "Austin FC select Virginia Tech midfielder Daniel Pereira at No. 1 in 2021 MLS SuperDraft". MLS. Major League Soccer. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  12. Winters, Scott (21 January 2021). "Austin FC selects Daniel Pereira with the No. 1 pick in the SuperDraft". The Athletic. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  13. "Pereira goes No. 1, Strickler No. 30 in MLS SuperDraft". Hokie Sports. Virginia Tech Athletics. 21 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  14. @SeleVinotinto (June 2, 2023). "#Convocatoria" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  15. "Venezuela 1–0 Honduras (15 June 2023)". www.ESPN.com. ESPN. 15 June 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  16. Daniel Pereira at Soccerway
  17. Daniel Pereira at Major League Soccer
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