Jonathan Pereira Rodríguez (born 12 May 1987) is a Spanish former professional footballer. A forward, his main asset was his incredible speed.La electricidad de Pereira, un recurso para un Betis apagado (Pereira's electricity, asset for sleeping Betis); El Desmarque, 31 March 2012 (in Spanish)Jonathan Pereira es el elegido (Jonathan Pereira is the chosen one); Marca, 27 December 2014 (in Spanish)

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,Beckham finds bench duties 'frustrating' ; The Independent, 23 October 2006 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.Jonathan Pereira vuelve a empezar (Jonathan Pereira starts all over) ; Los Otros 18, 16 September 2015 (in Spanish) 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.Jonathan Pereira, cedido al Racing (Jonathan Pereira, loaned to Racing); Diario AS, 2 July 2008 (in Spanish) On 13 September, he scored a 77th-minute equaliser at the Camp Nou in a 1–1 draw with FC Barcelona;Barcelona 1–1 Racing Santander; ESPN Soccernet, 13 September 2008 mainly used from the bench, he totalled eight goals in 41 matches (adding two in the UEFA Cup).El Racing se olvida de sentenciar (Racing forget to kill match); El Mundo, 18 September 2008 (in Spanish)Racing Santander 3–1 Man City; BBC Sport, 18 December 2008

Pereira returned to Villarreal subsequently but, despite netting seven goals in a preseason friendly,Villarreal hammer Spanish minnows; BBC Sport, 20 July 2009 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,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) scoring in his debut on the 31st, the game's only at Andalusia neighbours Córdoba CF.El Córdoba C.F. mereció mas (0–1) (Córdoba C.F. deserved more (0–1)); ABC, 31 January 2010 (in Spanish)

On 10 December 2012, Pereira returned to the Yellow Submarine,Jonathan Pereira regresa al Villarreal CF (Jonathan Pereira returns to Villarreal CF) ; Villarreal CF, 10 December 2012 (in Spanish) 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 the second tier and qualify for the UEFA Europa League.Villarreal CF 2013/14: Delantera (Villarreal CF 2013/14: Forwards); Vavel, 28 May 2014 (in Spanish) On 5 August 2014, he moved to Rayo Vallecano for the seasonAcuerdo con el Villarreal para la cesión de Aquino y Jonathan Pereira (Agreement with Villarreal for the loan of Aquino and Jonathan Pereira) ; Rayo Vallecano, 5 August 2014 (in Spanish) but, in the next transfer window, joined Real Valladolid also on loan.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)

After being released by Villarreal, Pereira went on to represent, always in the second division, CD Lugo,Jonathan Pereira ficha por el Lugo (Jonathan Pereira signs for Lugo); Estadio Deportivo, 15 September 2015 (in Spanish) Real OviedoJonathan Pereira ficha por el Oviedo de Fernando Hierro (Jonathan Pereira signs for Fernando Hierro's Oviedo); Marca, 8 July 2016 (in Spanish) and AD Alcorcón.Jonathan Pereira firma dos temporadas por el Alcorcón (Jonathan Pereira signs for two seasons with Alcorcón); Mundo Deportivo, 8 July 2017 (in Spanish) On 28 July 2019, he signed a two-contract with Gimnàstic de Tarragona, recently relegated to Segunda División B.

Pereira terminated his contract with Nàstic on 1 February 2021, after failing to feature a single minute in 2020–21 due to a hip injury. He retired aged 34, and subsequently joined his childhood club UD Santa Mariña as youth system coordinator.La nueva vida de Jonathan Pereira (The new life of Jonathan Pereira); La Voz de Galicia, 10 August 2023 (in Spanish)

Career statistics

Club performance League Cup Continental Total Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Spain League Copa del Rey Europe Total2006–07Villarreal BTercera División2006–07VillarrealLa Liga41----412007–08Racing FerrolSegunda División391100--39112008–09Racing SantanderLa Liga325523772009–10Villarreal60602009–10BetisSegunda División2292292010–11BetisSegunda División18320203 Total Spain Career total

Honours Betis Segunda División: 2010–11Un ascenso de portería a portería (A promotion from goal to goal); ABC, 12 May 2011 (in Spanish)

References

External links