Sebastián Pérez Cardona

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

Sebastián Pérez Cardona in 2016
Personal information
Full name Sebastián Pérez Cardona
Date of birth (1993-03-29) 29 March 1993
Place of birth Envigado, Colombia
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position Defensive midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Boca Juniors
Number 14
Youth career
2006-2010 Atlético Nacional
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2016 Atlético Nacional 121 (2)
2016– Boca Juniors 6 (0)
National team‡
2011–2013 Colombia U20 16 (0)
2015–2016 Colombia Olympic 7 (0)
2016– Colombia 8 (1)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 5 August 2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 14 August 2016

Sebastian Pérez Cardona (born 29 March 1993) is a Colombian association football midfielder who plays for Boca Juniors in the Argentine Primera División.[1][2]

He is known for his abilities to react quickly and his skills playing both in a defensive and an attacking role. He is often referenced as a highly rated top prospect in Colombia.[3][4]

Club career

Atlético Nacional

On 4 March 2011, Perez made his official debut for Nacional against Atlético Junior replacing Macnelly Torres in the 86th minute. Perez would eventually win the 2011 Torneo Apertura with Los Verdolagas making him the youngest player to win the honour at age 18. The following year, he was part of the Nacional squad that won both the Copa Colombia and the Superliga Colombiana, thus winning every top tier trophy in Colombia before age 20.[5][6]

Following Colombia's exit from the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup, he was invited to Arsenal for a trial in August.[7] He came on as a sub in the 67th minute for Arsenal's friendly against Manchester City wearing the number 32 jersey. Arsenal went on to win the game 3–1. Despite only playing for 26 minutes, Perez was praised for his natural abilities despite being so young. Arsene Wenger stated that he was impressed with Perez during the week trial and decided to add him in the game.[8] Despite impressing both the London club and its fans, Perez was unable to get a work-permit because 'he had yet to play at least 75% of Colombia's international matches'. Thus, he was sent back to Nacional.[9] Despite this, Wenger claimed that he would continue monitoring Perez until an opportunity to sign him comes.[10][11]

Boca Juniors

In 2016, Perez signed with Argentinian club Boca Juniors.

International career

Youth

Pérez first represented the U20 Colombian National team in 2011 where he took part in the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup that took place in his home land. He was then recalled for the 2013 South American Youth Championship where Colombia eventually won the championship and qualified for the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup. There, Perez would give impressive performances, attracting the likes of top European teams.[12][13][14]

Senior

Pérez received his first call-up from the senior Colombian national team under the order of José Pékerman to face Bolivia and Ecuador for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers. He made his first cap against Bolivia being included in the initial eleven and played 62 minutes before being replaced by Edwin Cardona. Colombia went on to win in La Paz 2–3. His first international goal came the next qualifying game against Ecuador in Barranquilla. Assisted by Cardona, Pérez scored a pretty, acrobatic goal, in a match that ended 3–1.

International goals

Scores and results list Colombia's goal tally first.[15]
# Date Venue Opponent Score Final Competition
1. 29 March 2016 Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez, Barranquilla, Colombia  Ecuador
2–0
3–1
 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification

Style of play

"In European football, I admire Éver Banega, Fernando Gago, Sergio Busquets, Xavi, Xabi Alonso and Andrea Pirlo, I am excited about playing in Europe. I want to go there and try to make it, but I am driven by those I grew up with. They had the same dreams as me, but perhaps not the same talent. There's luck involved, but also a lot of discipline. You need that to make the most of the talent you have."

Perez speaking of his opportunity with a trial at Arsenal and his inspirations that led to his playing style.[16]

Perez was an amateur footballer before joining Nacional in 2011, and yet was considered to be a 'pure natural talent' by the Colombian club.[3] Often, Perez is a well-known versatile player mostly because of his equal footing levels with both left and right feet, as well as carrying 'panoramic vision' as shown through his countering attacking with very accurate passing. Despite committing to a defensive midfielder most of the time, Perez has shown that he is capable of shooting on-target goals from great distances.[17][13] Perez is often regarded very high by many top teams such as Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain because of his potential, led to being almost being signed by each respective club at one point.[18][19][20]

Perez also spoke that committing to a defensive midfielder (as well as an overall midfielder in general) role throughout most of his games, was because of his admiration for Xavi, Xabi Alonso and Andrea Pirlo, that inspired him to make a difference in both defending and attacking. One of the reasons why Perez is often seen as a crucial player in counter-attacking.[4]

Career statistics

Club

As of 4 June 2016[21]
Club performance League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Colombia League Cup[n 1] South America Total
2011Atlético NacionalCategoría Primera A3306070460
201217012040330
20131106200172
201429112030441
20152512010281
20166021120201
Career total 12124032701885
Notes
  1. ↑ Includes Copa Colombia and Superliga Colombiana.

Honours

Club

Atlético Nacional

International

Colombia

References

  1. ↑ "Sebastián Pérez Cardona - Goal.com". Goal.com. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  2. ↑ "Sebastin Prez". Footballzz.com. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Arsenal transfers: Spotlight on the Colombian set to go on trial at the Emirates". talkSPORT. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  4. 1 2 Chris Beattie. "Why Arsenal have handed trials to Atletico Nacional starlet Sebastian Perez". Tribal Football. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  5. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20131013133357/http://talentshunter.wordpress.com/2012/12/17/sebastian-perez/. Archived from the original on 13 October 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2016. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ↑ "Sebastián Pérez". Fichajes .com: Noticias y rumores sobre el mercado de fichajes de fútbol. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  7. ↑ "Arsenal take Sebastian Perez on trial". Sports Mole. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  8. ↑ "Trialist Sebastian Perez features in Arsenal friendly win – what do the fans think?". Here Is The City. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  9. ↑ "Arsenal's Perez deal hits major hitch – Deal now off?". Here Is The City. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  10. ↑ "Sebas Pérez: "Arsenal me seguirá de cerca"". Fox Sports. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  11. ↑ "Ingrata pero provechosa experiencia en el Arsenal". Elcolombiano.com. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  12. ↑ "Porto want Arsenal trialist Sebastian Perez – report". Here Is The City. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  13. 1 2 "Arsenal transfer news: Arsenal hand trial to Sebastian Perez ahead of possible summer transfer – Metro News". Metro. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  14. ↑
  15. ↑ "Sebastián Pérez"., Es.soccerway.com Retrieved on 30 March 2016
  16. ↑ "Colombian Starlet Aims to Impress Arsenal Coaches After Earning Trial". International Business Times UK. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  17. ↑ "YouTube". Youtube.com. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  18. ↑ Administrator. "Arsenal hand Under 20 World Cup star a trial – Transfer News". TheSportsCampus.com. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  19. ↑ "Transfer Rumors 2013 – Arsenal Might Sign Sebastián Pérez – Sportige". Sportige.com. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  20. ↑ "Colombian Starlet Aims to Impress Arsenal Coaches After Earning Trial". International Business Times UK. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  21. ↑ Sebastián Perez Cardona profile at Soccerway
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