João Pereira (footballer, born 1992)

João Jorge Gândara Mendes Pereira (born 6 February 1992) is a Portuguese professional football manager and former player who played as a forward. He is the current manager of Primeira Liga side Casa Pia.

João Pereira
Personal information
Full name João Jorge Gândara Mendes Pereira
Date of birth (1992-02-06) 6 February 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth Coimbra, Portugal
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Casa Pia (manager)
Youth career
2003–2009 Académica
2009–2010 Vigor Mocidade [pt]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2012 Mealhada [pt] 1 (0)
Managerial career
2010–2011 Mealhada [pt] (youth)
2012–2014 Mealhada [pt] (assistant)
2018 Académica (youth)
2018–2019 Palmeiras FC (youth)
2019–2021 Mozambique (assistant)
2022–2023 Amora
2023–2024 Alverca
2024– Casa Pia
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

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Born in Coimbra,[1] Pereira represented local sides Académica de Coimbra and GR O Vigor da Mocidade [pt] as a youth. After spending one year as a coach of GD Mealhada [pt]'s under-7 sides, he was assigned as a member of the first team squad ahead of the 2011–12 season, but only featured for six minutes.

In 2013–14, Pereira played for futsal side Atómicos Sport Clube.

Managerial career

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In 2012, Pereira became an assistant of Tó Miranda at Mealhada, before moving to Porto in 2014, as an assistant of the under-15 squad. He was also an assistant at Padroense's under-17 team before being named coach of Académica under-17s in January 2018.[2]

Pereira also coached Palmeiras FC's under-17 team before becoming an assistant of compatriot Luís Gonçalves at the Mozambique national team in August 2019. He left the latter in March 2021, after Gonçalves was sacked.[3]

On 26 June 2022, aged 30, Pereira was appointed manager of Liga 3 side Amora.[4] On 14 June 2023, after missing out promotion in the second stage, he left the club after refusing a contract renewal.[5]

On 24 June 2023, Pereira was announced as manager of Alverca also in the third division.[6] He won the 2023–24 Liga 3 with the side, becoming the youngest manager to win a national title in Portugal at the age of 32, and taking the club back to a professional division after a 19-year absence.[7] On 2 June 2024, however, he departed the side.[8]

On 19 June 2024, Pereira moved straight to Primeira Liga after being named at the helm of Casa Pia.[9] His first professional match occurred on 17 August, a 3–0 away loss to Benfica; he also became the second-youngest manager to debut in the top tier, only months behind André Villas-Boas (who were also 32 at the time of his debut in 2009).[2]

Honours

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Manager

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Alverca

References

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  1. ^ "João Pereira, treinador do Alverca, pode bater recordes de Siska e Juca" [João Pereira, manager of Alverca, may beat Siska and Juca's records] (in Portuguese). O Jogo. 6 February 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  2. ^ a b "João Pereira: «Somos competentes para levar o Casa Pia para a frente»" [João Pereira: "We are competent to bring Casa Pia forward"] (in Portuguese). Jornal Desportivo. 4 September 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Luís Gonçalves despedido do cargo de selecionador moçambicano de futebol" [Luís Gonçalves sacked from the role of manager of the Mozambique national football team] (in Portuguese). Expresso das Ilhas. 31 March 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  4. ^ "AMORA»» Mudanças na estrutura da SAD" [AMORA:: Changes in the structure of the SAD] (in Portuguese). Jornal de Desporto. 26 June 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  5. ^ "João Pereira vai deixar comando técnico do Amora e já tem destino traçado" [João Pereira will leave the technical command of Amora and already have a defined destination] (in Portuguese). Notícias ao Minuto. 14 June 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  6. ^ "João Pereira será o novo comandante" [João Pereira will be the new commander] (in Portuguese). FC Alverca. 24 June 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  7. ^ "Alverca faz história: campeão da Liga 3 com João Pereira aos 32 anos" [Alverca make history: champion of the Liga 3 with João Pereira at the age of 32] (in Portuguese). TV Guadiana. 13 May 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  8. ^ "Alverca confirma saída de João Pereira após a conquista da Liga 3" [Alverca confirm departure of João Pereira after the Liga 3 title] (in Portuguese). Bola na Rede. 2 June 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  9. ^ "Casa Pia oficializa ex-Alverca João Pereira como novo treinador" [Casa Pia turn official former Alverca man João Pereira as new manager] (in Portuguese). Observador. 19 June 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
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