Blas Pérez

Blas Antonio Pérez Ortega (born 13 March 1981) is a former Panamanian footballer who played as a forward.

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Pérez and the second or maternal family name is Ortega.

Blas Pérez
Pérez playing for Panama at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Full name Blas Antonio Pérez Ortega
Date of birth (1981-03-13) 13 March 1981
Place of birth Panama City, Panama
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Playing position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2000 Panamá Viejo 56 (37)
2001–2002 Árabe Unido 36 (10)
2002 Nacional 2 (0)
2003 Envigado 29 (6)
2004 Centauros 37 (29)
2005–2006 Deportivo Cali 54 (20)
2006–2007 Cúcuta Deportivo 33 (15)
2007–2008 Hércules 16 (4)
2008–2012 UANL 31 (8)
2009 → Pachuca (loan) 19 (7)
2009 → Al Wasl (loan) 8 (4)
2010 → San Luis (loan) 16 (5)
2010–2011 → León (loan) 30 (19)
2011 → Indios (loan) 12 (3)
2012–2015 FC Dallas 103 (37)
2016 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 22 (6)
2017 Árabe Unido 2 (2)
2017 Blooming 10 (4)
2017–2018 Municipal 39 (15)
2018 Árabe Unido 11 (1)
Total 556 (232)
National team
2001–2018 Panama 122 (43)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Pérez began his career in his native Panama with Panamá Viejo. He made his debut with the club in 1998 and went on to score 27 goals in 56 matches. In 2001, he joined Árabe Unido and continued his goal scoring form. In 2002, he joined top Uruguayan side Nacional. The following season, he left for Colombia signing with Envigado, scoring a goal on his debut against Independiente Medellin in the process.[2] After one season at the club he joined Centauros and went on to score 29 goals in 37 matches, catching the attention of one of Colombia's top clubs Deportivo Cali. For the 2005 season he signed with Cali[3] and remained at the club for two years in which he continued with his goal scoring form. In 2006 Perez joined Cúcuta. With Cúcuta, Perez won the Copa Mustang in 2006 against Deportes Tolima. In 2007 Cúcuta and Blas Perez made their debut in Copa Libertadores, in which Blas scored eight goals, including two against Argentina's Boca Juniors. The eight goals were the second-most in the tournament.

On 29 May 2007 Spanish Segunda División team Hércules CF signed Super Ratón on a four-year contract in which they acquired 50% of the players rights.[4] It was valued at US$2.7 million, with Blas Perez earning 60 thousand dollars per month. Perez enjoyed a brief stay in Spain in which he scored four goals in 16 matches.

On 18 January 2008 he signed with UANL Tigres, his seventh club in his career and first in Mexico.[5] He played for Pachuca for the 2009 Clausura in a loan deal after Miguel Sabah's transfer to Pachuca did not work out.[6] He scored eight goals in 15 matches with Pachuca.

After his impressive display in the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Al Wasl FC of Dubai was able to secure Blas Pérez services to play in the UAE League[7] based on Al Wasl's new coach Alexandre Guimarães recommendation. He stayed there only for the first half of the 2009–10 season before moving back to Mexico to play for San Luis.[8] After having played 17 games in the Torneo Bicentenario and 2 in the 2010 edition of the Copa Libertadores and having scored 5 goals in both tournaments, he was released at the end of the season.[9] He was later signed by Club León from the Liga de Ascenso in the 2010 edition of the Mexican draft.[10] he rediscovered his goal scoring form with Club León with 19 goals in 28 matches. For the second half of the 2011 season he was again sent on loan this time to Indios. For the 2012 Major League Soccer season, he signed with FC Dallas.[11] On 2 December 2015, it was announced that FC Dallas would not be renewing Perez's contract.[12]

On 16 February 2016, Perez was traded to Vancouver Whitecaps FC for Mauro Rosales.[13] At the conclusion of the 2016 season Perez's contract was not renewed. On 31 January 2017, Pérez signed with Panamanian club, C.D. Árabe Unido.

On 25 November 2018, Pérez retired from playing professional football.[14]

International career

Pérez made his debut for Panama in a March 2001 friendly match against El Salvador and has, as of 6 June 2016, earned a total of 106 caps, scoring 41 goals.[15] He is Panama's third all-time record cap behind Gabriel Gómez and Jaime Penedo and second all-time leading goalscorer after Luis Tejada. He represented his country in 22 FIFA World Cup qualification matches[16] and played for Panama at the 2007 Gold Cup,[17] in which they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by the U.S. He ended up as Panama's top scorer, with three goals and one assist. Blas Perez was also named in the 2007 Gold Cup "Best XI". He also played at the 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015 Gold Cups and Copa América Centenario.

In May 2018 he was named in Panama's preliminary 35 man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.[18]

International goals
Scores and results list Panama's goal tally first.[19]
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.24 April 2001Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City Haiti
1–0
2–0
Friendly
2.6 September 2006Estadio Mateo Flores, Guatemala City Guatemala
2–0
2–1
3.8 June 2007Giants Stadium, East Rutherford Honduras
2–1
3–2
2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
4.10 June 2007 Cuba
2–1
2–2
5.16 June 2007Gillette Stadium, Foxborough United States
1–2
1–2
6.31 March 2009Estadio Agustín Sánchez, La Chorrera Haiti
2–0
4–0
Friendly
7.
3–0
8.
4–0
9.7 June 2009National Stadium, Kingston Jamaica
1–0
2–3
10.9 July 2009Reliant Stadium, Houston Mexico
1–1
1–1
2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup
11.12 July 2009University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale Nicaragua
1–0
4–0
12.18 July 2009Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia United States
1–0
1–2
2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup
13.3 March 2010Estadio José Pachencho Romero, Maracaibo Venezuela
2–0
2–1
Friendly
14.11 August 2010Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City Venezuela
2–1
3–1
15.8 October 2010 El Salvador
1–0
1–0
16.21 January 2011 Costa Rica
1–1
1–1
2011 Copa Centroamericana
17.7 June 2011Ford Field, Detroit Guadeloupe
1–0
3–2
2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup
18.6 September 2011Estadio Nacional de Fútbol, Managua Nicaragua
2–1
2–1
2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
19.7 October 2011Windsor Park, Roseau Dominica
3–0
5–0
20.11 October 2011Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City Nicaragua
1–0
5–1
21.
2–0
22.
5–0
23.11 November 2011 Costa Rica
1–0
2–0
Friendly
24.15 November 2011 Dominica
3–0
3–0
2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
25.1 June 2012 Jamaica
1–0
2–1
Friendly
26.8 June 2012Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula Honduras
1–0
2–0
2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
27.
2–0
28.11 September 2012Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City Canada
2–0
2–0
29.13 January 2013 Guatemala
2–0
2–0
Friendly
30.25 January 2013Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica, San José Guatemala
1–0
3–1
2013 Copa Centroamericana
31.26 March 2013Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City Honduras
2–0
2–0
2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
32.20 July 2013Georgia Dome, Atlanta Cuba
4–1
6–1
2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup
33.
6–1
34.24 July 2013Cowboys Stadium, Arlington Mexico
1–0
2–1
35.7 September 2014Cotton Bowl, Dallas Costa Rica
1–0
2–2
2014 Copa Centroamericana
36.10 September 2014BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston Nicaragua
1–0
2–0
37.31 March 2015Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City Costa Rica
1–0
2–1
Friendly
38.13 July 2015Sporting Park, Kansas City United States
1–0
1–1
2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup
39.8 January 2016Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City Cuba
4–0
4–0
Copa América Centenario qualification
40.6 June 2016Camping World Stadium, Orlando Bolivia
1–0
2–1
Copa América Centenario
41.
2–1
42.13 June 2017Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City Honduras
1–1
2–2
2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
43.10 October 2017Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City Costa Rica
1–1
2–1

Assault attempt

On 23 July 2009, two cars chased Perez's car early at the morning while he was travelling along the La Chorrera highway. The assaulting cars intercepted his Nissan 350z when one of them collided with it forcing it to stop. Perez managed to escape from the attackers and sustained no injuries but his car was heavily damaged.[20]

Personal life

Pérez holds a U.S. green card which qualifies him as a domestic player for MLS roster purposes.[13]

Honours and awards

Club

Deportivo Cali

Cúcuta Deportivo

gollark: ++eval 5 * 8 + 3
gollark: ++eval 2 + 3
gollark: ++ eval
gollark: ++ eval
gollark: ++ ping

References
  1. "2018 FIFA World Cup Russia – List of Players" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 4 June 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 June 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  2. Pérez anotó un gol en su debut con el Envigado - Panamá América (in Spanish)
  3. Blas Pérez jugará en Colombia con el Cali - Panamá América (in Spanish)
  4. "Blas: A Panamanian trailblazer". FIFA.com. 2 August 2007.
  5. Blas Pérez es Tigre Archived 21 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  6. "Miguel Sabah ya no irá a Pachuca, Blas Pérez es el bueno". Archived from the original on 30 December 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  7. "Blas Pérez Moves to AlWasl". Tanto Futbol (in Spanish). 17 July 2009. Archived from the original on 8 April 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2009.
  8. Llega Blas Pérez al San Luis - ESPN (in Spanish)
  9. Blas Pérez fue dado de baja por el San Luis Archived 16 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  10. Blas Pérez y Juan Roldán, nuevos jugadores esmeraldas Archived 28 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  11. Blas Pérez jugará con el FC Dallas - Mediotiempo (in Spanish)
  12. "Panama forward Blas Pérez writes farewell message to FC Dallas fans". MLS. 2 December 2015. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  13. "Whitecaps FC acquire striker Blas Pérez from FC Dallas". Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  14. "Panamanian World Cup Blas Pérez retires from professional soccer". www.panamatoday.com. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  15. Blas Antonio Miguel Pérez - International Goals Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine - RSSSF
  16. Blas Pérez – FIFA competition record
  17. CONCACAF Championship, Gold Cup 2007 - Full Details Archived 24 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine - RSSSF
  18. "Revealed: Every World Cup 2018 squad - 23-man & preliminary lists & when will they be announced? - Goal.com". Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  19. Roberto Mamrud. "Blas Antonio Miguel Pérez - International Goals". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  20. "Perez targeted in robbery attacks". Panama Star. 24 July 2009. Archived from the original on 25 July 2009.
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