Fred Pereira
Encyclopedia
Fred “Fredy” Pereira is a former Portuguese-American soccer forward
who spent three seasons in the North American Soccer League
and earned six caps with the U.S. national team
in 1977.
in Ludlow, Massachusetts
and completed a post-graduate year at Suffield Academy
, Suffield, Connecticut
. In 2007 Ludlow High School
inducted Pereira into its Athletic Hall of Fame. At Suffield, along with Gambian team mate Daniel Njie, Pereira led the team to the New England Prep Championship. After high school, he attended Brown University
where he played as a forward
on the men’s soccer team from 1973 to 1976. In 1974, Pereira set a Brown record with twenty-four goals and seven assists as Brown won the Ivy League
title. The next season, Brown went to the NCAA Final Four where it fell to the University of San Francisco
. In 1974 and 1976, Pereira was named a first team All American
.
and Olympic team games in 1977. On September 15, 1977, Pereira earned his first caps when he came on for Steve Ralbovsky
in a 2-1 win over El Salvador
. He continued to play somewhat regularly, usually as a substitute, for the next two months. On October 10, 1977, he scored his only goal with the national team, the gamewinner in a 1-0 victory over China
. His last cap came six days later when he came on for Ralbovsky in a 2-1 victory over China.
(NASL) selected Pereira in the first round (second overall) of the NASL College Draft. While he began the season with the Strikers, scoring three goals in nine games, the team traded him mid-season to the Connecticut Bicentennials
. At the end of the 1977 season, the Bicentennials moved to Oakland, California
, but Pereira moved to the Colorado Caribous
. At the end of the 1978 season, the Caribous also moved, but this time Pereira went with his team, spending the 1979 season with his team, now known as the Atlanta Chiefs
. He left the NASL at the end of the 1979 season. In 1980, he signed with the Baltimore Blast of the Major Indoor Soccer League
. The Blast traded him to the Phoenix Inferno
during the season. Suffering from a sting of injuries, Pereira retired at the end of the season and moved his family back to Ludlow where he continued to play amateur soccer with Gremio Lusitano
.
Pereira now serves as an NCAA college soccer referee.
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
who spent three seasons in the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
and earned six caps with the U.S. national team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
in 1977.
High school and college
Born in Valdanta, Portugal, Pereira moved with his family to the United States when he was twelve. He attended Ludlow High SchoolLudlow High School
Ludlow High School is the public high school of Ludlow, Massachusetts, United States, located at 500 Chapin Street. It is next to Ludlow Town Hall. The high school is the only public high school in the town and services all of its residents...
in Ludlow, Massachusetts
Ludlow, Massachusetts
Ludlow is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,103 as of the 2010 census. It is located in western Massachusetts, north of Springfield, east of Chicopee, southeast of Granby, southwest of Belchertown, west of Wilbraham and is considered part of the...
and completed a post-graduate year at Suffield Academy
Suffield Academy
Suffield Academy is a private coeducational preparatory school located in Suffield, Connecticut, USA. It was founded in 1833. The Headmaster is Charles Cahn III.-Overview:...
, Suffield, Connecticut
Suffield, Connecticut
Suffield is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It had once been within the boundaries of Massachusetts. The town is located in the Connecticut River Valley with the town of Enfield neighboring to the east. In 1900, 3,521 people lived in Suffield; and in 1910, 3,841. As of the...
. In 2007 Ludlow High School
Ludlow High School
Ludlow High School is the public high school of Ludlow, Massachusetts, United States, located at 500 Chapin Street. It is next to Ludlow Town Hall. The high school is the only public high school in the town and services all of its residents...
inducted Pereira into its Athletic Hall of Fame. At Suffield, along with Gambian team mate Daniel Njie, Pereira led the team to the New England Prep Championship. After high school, he attended Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
where he played as a forward
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
on the men’s soccer team from 1973 to 1976. In 1974, Pereira set a Brown record with twenty-four goals and seven assists as Brown won the Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
title. The next season, Brown went to the NCAA Final Four where it fell to the University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
. In 1974 and 1976, Pereira was named a first team All American
Division I First-Team All-American (soccer)
The Division I First-Team All-Americans are the best eleven U.S. college soccer players as selected by the NCAA.-1970–1983:From 1970 to 1983 the NCAA only named defenders and forwards in addition to one goalkeeper.-1983–present:...
.
National team
His scoring exploits with Brown led to his selection for several U.S. nationalUnited States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
and Olympic team games in 1977. On September 15, 1977, Pereira earned his first caps when he came on for Steve Ralbovsky
Steve Ralbovsky
Steve Ralbovsky is a retired Yugoslav-American soccer player. He was the 1975 Hermann Trophy winner as the outstanding collegiate soccer player of the year. He then had an extensive professional career including time in the North American Soccer League and the American Soccer League II and...
in a 2-1 win over El Salvador
El Salvador national football team
El Salvador's national football team represents El Salvador in international football and is sanctioned by the Federación Salvadoreña de Fútbol . In 1899, Santa Ana and San Salvador met for the first hosted football game in El Salvador...
. He continued to play somewhat regularly, usually as a substitute, for the next two months. On October 10, 1977, he scored his only goal with the national team, the gamewinner in a 1-0 victory over China
China national football team
The China PR national football team is the national association football team of the People's Republic of China and is governed by the Chinese Football Association...
. His last cap came six days later when he came on for Ralbovsky in a 2-1 victory over China.
Professional
In 1977, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the North American Soccer LeagueNorth American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
(NASL) selected Pereira in the first round (second overall) of the NASL College Draft. While he began the season with the Strikers, scoring three goals in nine games, the team traded him mid-season to the Connecticut Bicentennials
Connecticut Bicentennials
The Hartford Bicentennials was a soccer team based out of Hartford, Connecticut that played in the North American Soccer League. The team played at Dillon Stadium....
. At the end of the 1977 season, the Bicentennials moved to Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, but Pereira moved to the Colorado Caribous
Colorado Caribous
The Colorado Caribous was a professional soccer team based in Denver, Colorado, that played in the North American Soccer League...
. At the end of the 1978 season, the Caribous also moved, but this time Pereira went with his team, spending the 1979 season with his team, now known as the Atlanta Chiefs
Atlanta Chiefs
The Atlanta Chiefs were a soccer team based in Atlanta, Georgia that played in the NPSL and NASL from 1967 to 1972. Their home fields were Atlanta Stadium and Tara Stadium . The club was the brainchild of Dick Cecil, then Vice President of the Atlanta Braves baseball franchise who were the Chiefs'...
. He left the NASL at the end of the 1979 season. In 1980, he signed with the Baltimore Blast of the Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
. The Blast traded him to the Phoenix Inferno
Phoenix Inferno
The Phoenix Inferno was an American indoor soccer team based out of Phoenix, United States, that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 1980 to 1983. In 1983 new ownership renamed the team the Phoenix Pride. The Pride folded at the end of the 1983-1984 season...
during the season. Suffering from a sting of injuries, Pereira retired at the end of the season and moved his family back to Ludlow where he continued to play amateur soccer with Gremio Lusitano
Gremio Lusitano
Gremio Lusitano is an amateur soccer team from Ludlow, Massachusetts.Founded in 1922 in a garage on Franklin Street, the team had competed for several seasons during the 1930s in the New England Division of the American Soccer League, but for most of its existence it has been an amateur or...
.
Pereira now serves as an NCAA college soccer referee.