Danilo Pereira

Footballer (born 1991) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Danilo Pereira

Danilo Luís Hélio Pereira CvIH ComM (Portuguese pronunciation: [dɐˈnilu pɨˈɾɐjɾɐ]; born 9 September 1991), sometimes known as simply Danilo, is a professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or centre-back for Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad.

Quick Facts Personal information, Full name ...
Danilo Pereira
Pereira playing for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021
Personal information
Full name Danilo Luís Hélio Pereira[1]
Date of birth (1991-09-09) 9 September 1991 (age 33)[1]
Place of birth Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position(s) Defensive midfielder, centre-back
Team information
Current team
Al-Ittihad
Number 2
Youth career
1999–2005 Arsenal 72
2005–2008 Estoril
2008–2010 Benfica
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2013 Parma 5 (0)
2011Aris (loan) 5 (2)
2012–2013Roda (loan) 31 (1)
2013–2015 Marítimo 57 (4)
2015–2021 Porto 135 (15)
2020–2021Paris Saint-Germain (loan) 23 (2)
2021–2024 Paris Saint-Germain 86 (7)
2024– Al-Ittihad 16 (0)
International career
2009 Portugal U18 5 (1)
2009–2010 Portugal U19 17 (0)
2010–2011 Portugal U20 19 (3)
2012 Portugal U21 3 (0)
2015–2024 Portugal 74 (2)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Portugal
UEFA European Championship
Winner2016 France
UEFA Nations League
Winner2019 Portugal
FIFA Confederations Cup
2017 Russia
FIFA U-20 World Cup
Runner-up2011 Colombia
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:11, 2 March 2025 (UTC)
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He came through Benfica's youth academy, before signing with Italian Serie A side Parma in 2010. He was consecutively loaned to various clubs, before being signed by Marítimo in 2013. In July 2015, he joined Porto for a reported fee of €4.5 million, winning two Primeira Liga titles and one Taça de Portugal while being part of the squad that won a domestic double in 2020, making 202 official appearances for them. In October 2020, he moved to French side Paris Saint-Germain on an initial one-year loan deal, which was made permanent at the end of the season.

Born in Guinea-Bissau, Pereira represented Portugal at youth level at under-18, under-19, under-20 and under-21 levels, reaching the final of the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He made his senior international debut in 2015, and was part of the squads that won UEFA Euro 2016 and the 2019 UEFA Nations League Finals on home soil.

Club career

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Perspective

Early career

Born in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau as the oldest child of Quinta Djata, a nurse, Pereira and his family moved to Portugal when he was five. He played his youth football with three clubs in the Lisbon area, finishing his development with Benfica.[2]

Benfica subsequently decided against signing Pereira to a professional contract, and Italian side Parma acquired him on a free transfer.[3] He spent the second half of the 2010–11 season on loan to Aris in Greece and, upon his return to the Stadio Ennio Tardini, made his first appearance in Serie A on 21 December 2011, coming on as a late substitute in a 3–3 home draw against Catania.[4]

Pereira was loaned again for 2012–13, spending the campaign with Roda in the Eredivisie[5] and being first choice to help his team narrowly avoid relegation.

Marítimo

On 1 August 2013, Pereira returned to Portugal, signing with Marítimo.[6] He made his Primeira Liga debut 17 days later in a 2–1 home victory over his former club Benfica,[7] and scored his first goal on 19 December in the 2–2 home draw with Braga.[8] He made 32 competitive appearances during the season, helping his team to a sixth-place finish to narrowly miss out on qualification for the UEFA Europa League.[9]

Pereira played his last match for the Madeirans on 29 May 2015 in the final of the Taça da Liga, lost 2–1 against Benfica.[10][11]

Porto

On 2 July 2015, Pereira agreed to a four-year contract with Porto for a transfer fee of €4.5 million, the highest sale in Marítimo's history, with a buyout clause of €40 million.[12][13] He scored a career-best six goals – from 33 appearances – in his first year, in a runner-up finish.[14] In October 2016, he was named Porto's footballer of the year after winning the "Dragão de Ouro" award.[15]

Pereira was elected the Primeira Liga's midfielder of the month in September 2017, a feat he replicated in December.[16] He suffered a calf injury during a League Cup game at Sporting CP on 24 January 2018, going on to be sidelined for several months.[17]

In the final of the Taça de Portugal, on 25 May 2019 against Sporting, following a 2–2 draw after extra time and despite Pereira converting his attempt, Porto lost the penalty shootout 5–4.[18][19] After the departure of Héctor Herrera for Atlético Madrid, he became the captain.[20] His team won the league title that season, and he opened the scoring in the 2–0 home win over Sporting that sealed the crown on 15 July 2020.[21]

Paris Saint-Germain

On 5 October 2020, Pereira joined Paris Saint-Germain on a one-year loan for a reported fee of €4 million with a conditional obligation to buy at the end of the season for €16 million.[22][23] He made his debut 15 days later, in a 2–1 home loss against Manchester United in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.[24] His Ligue 1 bow was also that month, in the 4–0 rout of Dijon also at the Parc des Princes, where he featured as a central defender.[25] His first goal came in the reverse fixture against the latter adversary on 27 February 2021, when he headed in a cross from a corner (same score).[26]

PSG eventually finished second to Lille in the league.[27] This triggered the obligation to make the move permanent, and Pereira therefore became linked to the club until 2025.[28] On 6 February 2022, he scored a brace for the first time in his career to help his team to a 5–1 away win over Lille,[29] and won his first league title that campaign contributing five goals.[30][31]

On 22 August 2023, Pereira was elected vice-captain by his teammates.[32]

Al-Ittihad

Having fallen out of favour in PSG and having not featured in any of Luis Enrique's matchday squads for the new season, on 2 September 2024 Pereira was signed by Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad for a reported fee of €5 million.[33]

International career

Pereira chose to represent Portugal internationally. He was part of the under-20 side that finished second at the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia,[34] playing all seven games (six complete) and scoring in the 2–0 semi-final win over France.[35][36]

Pereira made his senior international debut on 31 March 2015, replacing fellow debutant Bernardo Silva after 62 minutes of an eventual 0–2 friendly defeat to Cape Verde in Estoril.[37] He was also selected for the UEFA Euro 2016 squad by manager Fernando Santos,[38] scoring his first goal in the last warm-up game, a 7–0 victory against Estonia in Lisbon on 8 June.[39] He made five appearances for the champions in the finals in France.[40]

Having missed the 2018 FIFA World Cup due to injury,[41] Pereira was earlier picked for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup[42] and later Euro 2020[43] and the 2022 World Cup.[44] In the latter tournament, he fractured a rib in the first group fixture against Ghana, taking part in no further games.[45]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 26 February 2025[46][47]
More information Club, Season ...
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Parma 2010–11 Serie A 000000
2011–12 Serie A 500050
Total 500050
Aris (loan) 2010–11 Super League Greece 5252
Roda (loan) 2012–13 Eredivisie 311104[c]0361
Marítimo 2013–14 Primeira Liga 2812020321
2014–15 Primeira Liga 2934050383
Total 5746070704
Porto 2015–16 Primeira Liga 33650007[d]0456
2016–17 Primeira Liga 284201010[e]0414
2017–18 Primeira Liga 19132206[e]1304
2018–19 Primeira Liga 262413010[e]000433
2019–20 Primeira Liga 26230209[f]0402
2020–21 Primeira Liga 3000000030
Total 13515173804210020219
Paris Saint-Germain (loan) 2020–21 Ligue 1 2326012[e]01[g]0422
Paris Saint-Germain 2021–22 Ligue 1 275207[e]01[g]0375
2022–23 Ligue 1 332307[e]01[g]0442
2023–24 Ligue 1 260514[e]000351
Total 10991613003015810
Al-Ittihad 2024–25 Saudi Pro League 15010160
Career total 357314141507217049236
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  1. Includes Taça da Liga
  2. Appearances in Eredivisie relegation play-offs
  3. Six appearances in UEFA Champions League, one appearance in UEFA Europa League
  4. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  5. Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, seven appearances in UEFA Europa League

International

More information National team, Year ...
Appearances and goals by national team and year[48]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Portugal 201570
2016101
2017100
201840
201961
202070
2021110
202290
202360
202440
Total742
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Score and results list Portugal's score first, score column indicates score after each Pereira goal.[48]
More information No., Date ...
List of international goals scored by Danilo Pereira
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 8 June 2016Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal12 Estonia4–07–0Friendly
2 25 March 201932 Serbia1–11–1UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
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Honours

Porto

Paris Saint-Germain

Portugal U20

Portugal

Individual

Orders

References

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