João Pereira (footballer, born 1992)

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Gândara and the second or paternal family name is Mendes Pereira.

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

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.

Playing career

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

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

Manager

Alverca

References

  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.