Blas Pérez facts for kids
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Pérez with Panama at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Blas Antonio Pérez Ortega | ||
| Date of birth | 13 March 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | Panama City, Panama | ||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Dallas Sidekicks | ||
| Number | 7 | ||
| 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 | 22 | (6) |
| 2017 | Árabe Unido | 2 | (2) |
| 2017 | Blooming | 10 | (4) |
| 2017-2018 | Municipal | 39 | (15) |
| 2018 | Árabe Unido | 9 | (0) |
| 2022– | Dallas Sidekicks (indoor) | 31 | (24) |
| Total | 556 | (232) | |
| International career | |||
| 2001–2018 | Panama | 123 | (43) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 27 November 2024 | |||
Blas Antonio Pérez Ortega, born on March 13, 1981, is a famous Panamanian footballer. He used to play as a forward, which is a player who tries to score goals. He is currently playing indoor soccer for the Dallas Sidekicks in the Major Arena Soccer League.
Contents
Blas Pérez's Club Journey
Blas Pérez started his football journey in his home country, Panama. He played for Panamá Viejo from 1998 to 2000, scoring 27 goals in 56 games. In 2001, he moved to Árabe Unido and continued to score many goals.
Playing in South America
In 2002, Pérez joined Nacional, a top team in Uruguay. The next year, he went to Colombia to play for Envigado, where he scored in his very first game. After one season, he joined Centauros and scored an amazing 29 goals in 37 matches. This caught the eye of Deportivo Cali, one of Colombia's best clubs.
Pérez played for Deportivo Cali for two years, from 2005 to 2006, and kept scoring goals. In 2006, he joined Cúcuta. With Cúcuta, he helped them win the Copa Mustang in 2006. In 2007, Cúcuta and Blas Pérez played in the Copa Libertadores, a big South American tournament. Pérez scored eight goals, including two against Argentina's famous Boca Juniors. His eight goals were the second-highest in the whole tournament.
Adventures in Europe and Mexico
On May 29, 2007, a Spanish team called Hércules CF signed Pérez. He played in Spain for a short time, scoring four goals in 16 games.
In January 2008, he moved to Mexico to play for UANL Tigres. This was his seventh club! He also played for Pachuca on loan in 2009, where he scored eight goals in 15 matches.
Playing in the Middle East and Back to Mexico
After playing well in a tournament called the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup, a team from Dubai, Al Wasl FC, signed Blas Pérez. He only stayed there for half a season before returning to Mexico. He then played for San Luis and later for Club León. At Club León, he found his scoring touch again, netting 19 goals in 28 matches. In 2011, he was loaned to Indios.
Playing in Major League Soccer
For the 2012 Major League Soccer season, Blas Pérez signed with FC Dallas in the United States. He played there until the end of 2015. In February 2016, he was traded to Vancouver Whitecaps FC. After the 2016 season, his contract was not renewed. In 2017, he signed with C.D. Árabe Unido, a club back in Panama.
Retirement and Return to Indoor Soccer
Blas Pérez officially retired from professional football on November 25, 2018. However, he came out of retirement in 2022 to play indoor soccer for the Dallas Sidekicks in the Major Arena Soccer League. He was even nominated for the league's Newcomer of the Year award. In June 2024, it was announced that he would continue playing for the Dallas Sidekicks for the 2024–25 season.
Blas Pérez's International Career
Blas Pérez played for the Panama national team for many years. His first game was in March 2001 against El Salvador. He played a total of 123 games for Panama and scored 42 goals before he retired from international football in 2018.
He is one of Panama's top players, being the fifth player with the most games played and the second-highest goal scorer, right after Luis Tejada. He played in 35 FIFA World Cup qualification matches, trying to help Panama reach the World Cup.
Gold Cup Appearances
Pérez also played for Panama in several CONCACAF Gold Cup tournaments. In the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup, he was Panama's top scorer with three goals and one assist. He was even named to the tournament's "Best XI" team, which means he was one of the best players in the competition. He also played in the Gold Cup in 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2015, as well as the Copa América Centenario.
World Cup Dream
In May 2018, Blas Pérez was chosen for Panama's team for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. This was a huge moment for him and his country, as it was Panama's first time ever qualifying for the World Cup!
Personal Life of Blas Pérez
Blas Pérez has a U.S. green card. This means he is considered a local player for teams in Major League Soccer (MLS).
Honors and Awards
Blas Pérez has won several awards and championships throughout his career:
- Deportivo Cali
- Categoría Primera A: 2005
- Cúcuta Deportivo
- Categoría Primera A: 2006
- Panama National Team
- CONCACAF Gold Cup runner-up: 2013
- CONCACAF Gold Cup third place: 2015
- Individual Awards
- CONCACAF Gold Cup All-Star Team: 2007
See also
In Spanish: Blas Pérez para niños
- List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps
