Full name Álvaro Daniel Pereira Barragán
Date of birth 28 November 1985 (age 26)
Place of birth Montevideo, Uruguay
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position Wingback
Born in Montevideo, Pereira started his career with Miramar Misiones in 2003, moving to Argentina with Quilmes Atlético Club two years later. After the club's relegation from the first division at the end of 2006–07, he signed with Argentinos Juniors.
In the summer of 2008, Pereira signed with Romania's CFR Cluj, moving for €2.5 million; he started in all the club's matches in their valiant UEFA Champions League debut campaign.
Porto
For €4.5 million, Pereira joined Futebol Clube do Porto in the summer of 2009, with the Portuguese acquiring 80% of the player's rights. In his first year, he mostly operated as a left back, as the northerners finished third and won the domestic cup. He scored his first goal for the club on 21 February 2010, grabbing the second goal in a 5–1 home thrashing of S.C. Braga.[1]
In Pereira's second season at the Estádio do Dragão, he featured in 21 league fixtures (all starts), adding 12 UEFA Europa League appearances as Porto won the treble. He also started in the campaign's Portuguese Cup final, against Vitória de Guimarães on 22 May 2011, scoring an own goal in the 21st minute to bring the sides level, in an eventual 6–2 triumph.[2]
After Porto rejected a deal from English Premier League side Chelsea in the summer for Pereira's services, he signed a new deal on 3 October 2011 to stay at the Estádio do Dragão until 2016.[3] His release clause was maintained at £25.7 million. In late December, he heavily criticised Manchester United's Patrice Evra for reporting alleged racist abuse from Pereira's national team colleague Luis Suárez - including a claim from Evra that Suarez "doesn't speak to black players" - saying that "what happens on the pitch stays on the pitch", adding that the French would have to "wear body armour" if the players' future international friendly was to take place immediately instead of in late 2012.[4][5]
International career
Pereira made his debut for Uruguay against France, on 19 November 2008.[6] He scored his first international goal in his next match, another friendly, against Libya, in Tripoli (3–2 win).[7]
He was an undisputed starter for the nation during the second half of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, also starting in both legs of the successful playoffs against Costa Rica, as the Charrúas returned to the FIFA World Cup. In the finals in South Africa, he played in all the matches except two, scoring through a rare header in a 3–0 group stage win against the hosts.[8]
Pereira was selected to the 2011 Copa América in Argentina, being first-choice and scoring two goals in the group stage, including the game's only against Mexico,[9] as Uruguay won its 15th continental tournament.[10]
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