Jonathan Pereira (footballer)

This article is about the footballer. For the pharmacologist, see Jonathan Pereira.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Pereira and the second or maternal family name is Rodríguez.

Jonathan Pereira Rodríguez (born 12 May 1987), sometimes known simply as Jonathan, is a Spanish retired footballer. A forward, his main asset was his incredible speed.^[1][2]

Jonathan Pereira

Pereira training with Betis in 2011
Personal information
Full name	Jonathan Pereira Rodríguez
Date of birth	(1987-05-12) 12 May 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth	Vigo, Spain
Height	1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
	Santa Mariña
2002–2004	Villarreal
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2004–2007	Villarreal B	73	(51)
2006–2010	Villarreal	10	(1)
2007–2008	→ Racing Ferrol (loan)	39	(11)
2008–2009	→ Racing Santander (loan)	32	(5)
2010–2012	Betis	77	(16)
2013–2015	Villarreal	50	(11)
2014–2015	→ Rayo Vallecano (loan)	3	(0)
2015	→ Valladolid (loan)	20	(6)
2015–2016	Lugo	35	(9)
2016–2017	Oviedo	14	(2)
2017–2019	Alcorcón	63	(7)
2019–2021	Gimnàstic	16	(1)
International career
2004	Spain U17	9	(1)
2007	Spain U20	1	(0)
2008–2009	Spain U21	3	(0)
2006–2007	Galicia	2	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23 February 2020

Club career

Pereira was born in Vigo, Province of Pontevedra. After having completed his footballing education at Villarreal CF, he made his first-team – and La Liga – debut against Levante UD on 21 October 2006: he entered the pitch with 25 minutes to go and scored after only two minutes on the field,^[3] going on to total four league appearances throughout the season.

For 2007–08, Pereira was loaned to Segunda División club Racing de Ferrol, and finished the season at 11 goals, although the Galician team would be relegated.^[4] He returned to Villarreal in July 2008 and had his contract extended until 2013, being immediately loaned for the campaign to fellow top-flight side Racing de Santander.^[5] On 13 September, he scored a 77th-minute equaliser at the Camp Nou in a 1–1 draw with FC Barcelona;^[6] mainly used from the bench, he totalled eight goals in 41 matches (adding two in the UEFA Cup).^[7][8]

Pereira returned to Villarreal subsequently but, despite netting seven goals in a preseason friendly,^[9] he was very rarely used during the first months of 2009–10. In mid-January 2010, he left for second-tier Real Betis on a five-year deal,^[10] scoring in his debut on the 31st, the game's only at Andalusia neighbours Córdoba CF.^[11]

On 10 December 2012, Pereira returned to the Yellow Submarine,^[12] contributing four goals from 30 appearances in the second season in his second spell to help the team to finish in sixth position straight out of division two and qualify for the UEFA Europa League.^[13] On 5 August 2014 he moved to Rayo Vallecano for the season^[14] but, in the next transfer window, joined Real Valladolid also on loan.^[15]

After being released by Villarreal, Pereira went on to represent, always in the second division, CD Lugo,^[16] Real Oviedo^[17] and AD Alcorcón.^[18] On 28 July 2019, he signed a two-contract with Gimnàstic de Tarragona, recently relegated to Segunda División B.^[19]

Pereira terminated his contract with Nàstic on 1 February 2021, after failing to feature a single minute for the club in 2020–21 due to a hip injury.^[20] After this he retired from professional football and joined his childhood club Santa Mariña first as a coach for two years and later as team coordinator.^[21]

Career statistics

As of 5 June 2011^[22]

Club performance			League		Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Spain			League		Copa del Rey		Europe		Total
2006–07	Villarreal B	Tercera División
2006–07	Villarreal	La Liga	4	1	-	-	-	-	4	1
2007–08	Racing Ferrol	Segunda División	39	11	?	?	-	-	39	11
2008–09	Racing Santander	La Liga	32	5			5	2	37	7
2009–10	Villarreal		6	0					6	0
2009–10	Betis	Segunda División	22	9					22	9
2010–11	Betis	Segunda División	18	3	2	0			20	3
Total	Spain
Career total

Honours

Betis

• Segunda División: 2010–11^[23]

References

1. La electricidad de Pereira, un recurso para un Betis apagado (Pereira's electricity, asset for sleeping Betis); El Desmarque, 31 March 2012 (in Spanish)
2. Jonathan Pereira es el elegido (Jonathan Pereira is the chosen one); Marca, 27 December 2014 (in Spanish)
3. Beckham finds bench duties 'frustrating' Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine; The Independent, 23 October 2006
4. Jonathan Pereira vuelve a empezar (Jonathan Pereira starts all over) Archived 8 October 2020 at the Wayback Machine; Los Otros 18, 16 September 2015 (in Spanish)
5. Jonathan Pereira, cedido al Racing (Jonathan Pereira, loaned to Racing); Diario AS, 2 July 2008 (in Spanish)
6. Barcelona 1–1 Racing Santander; ESPN Soccernet, 13 September 2008
7. El Racing se olvida de sentenciar (Racing forget to kill match); El Mundo, 18 September 2008 (in Spanish)
8. Racing Santander 3–1 Man City; BBC Sport, 18 December 2008
9. Villarreal hammer Spanish minnows; BBC Sport, 20 July 2009
10. Jonathan Pereira ficha por el Real Betis por cinco años (Jonathan Pereira signs with Real Betis for five years); El Mundo, 19 January 2010 (in Spanish)
11. El Córdoba C.F. mereció mas (0–1) (Córdoba C.F. deserved more (0–1)); ABC, 31 January 2010 (in Spanish)
12. Jonathan Pereira regresa al Villarreal CF (Jonathan Pereira returns to Villarreal CF) Archived 8 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Villarreal CF, 10 December 2012 (in Spanish)
13. Villarreal CF 2013/14: Delantera (Villarreal CF 2013/14: Forwards); Vavel, 28 May 2014 (in Spanish)
14. Acuerdo con el Villarreal para la cesión de Aquino y Jonathan Pereira (Agreement with Villarreal for the loan of Aquino and Jonathan Pereira) Archived 8 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Rayo Vallecano, 5 August 2014 (in Spanish)
15. Jonathan Pereira, cedido hasta final de temporada al Valladolid (Jonathan Pereira, loaned to Valladolid until end of the season); Marca, 1 January 2015 (in Spanish)
16. Jonathan Pereira ficha por el Lugo (Jonathan Pereira signs for Lugo); Estadio Deportivo, 15 September 2015 (in Spanish)
17. Jonathan Pereira ficha por el Oviedo de Fernando Hierro (Jonathan Pereira signs for Fernando Hierro's Oviedo); Marca, 8 July 2016 (in Spanish)
18. Jonathan Pereira firma dos temporadas por el Alcorcón (Jonathan Pereira signs for two seasons with Alcorcón); Mundo Deportivo, 8 July 2017 (in Spanish)
19. "Jonathan Pereira fitxa pel Nàstic" [Jonathan Pereira signs for Nàstic] (in Catalan). Gimnàstic Tarragona. 28 July 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2019.
20. "Jonathan Pereira finalitza la seva etapa a Tarragona" [Jonathan Pereira ends his period in Tarragona] (in Catalan). Gimnàstic Tarragona. 1 February 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
21. "La nueva vida de Jonathan Pereira". 10 August 2023.
22. "Jonathan Pereira". Soccerway. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
23. Un ascenso de portería a portería (A promotion from goal to goal); ABC, 12 May 2011 (in Spanish)

External links

• Jonathan Pereira at BDFutbol
• Jonathan Pereira at Futbolme (in Spanish)