Pereira (footballer, born 1960)

Summarize Timeline Fact Check

Born in Timburi in the Brazilian state of São Paulo, Pereira began his career with Platinense [pt] of Santo Antônio da Platina in Paraná.^[1] In 1981 he joined Ituano, as Platinense could no longer afford to pay his wages after two years with them.^[1] Competing in the Campeonato Paulista Série A2, the team would train at night due to work commitments of the squad, with Pereira finding himself staying near the Estádio Álvaro de Souza Lima, where they trained.^[1]

Ituano's squad grew in strength in 1983, and the club narrowly missed out on promotion to the Campeonato Paulista in 1984. The following year, Pereira was loaned to São Bento, and would have reportedly signed on a permanent basis, were it not for the high fee demanded by Ituano.^[1] Instead, he drew the attention of Série A club Bahia, with whom he signed a contract ahead of the 1986 season.^[1]

Initially a midfielder in his early career, Pereira was converted into a defender at Bahia, due to the club's lack of depth in that area at the time.^[1] He helped the club to three Campeonato Baiano titles, as well as reaching the final of the 1988 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, being named in the Bola de Prata (Silver Ball) squad, an honour given by Placar magazine.^[1] Despite this, he was unable to compete in the final matches of the tournament, as his contract expired before the games were played in February 1989.^[1]

Without a club, Pereira joined Guarani, where his performances in the 1991 Série B helped the club return to Brazil's top flight.^[1] His performances drew the attention of clubs in Japan, where football had begun to establish a foothold on the national sports scene, following the founding of the J.League in November 1991.^[1] Having initially rejected bids from Japanese clubs for Pereira, former Brazilian international footballer Pepe spoke with Guarani club president Beto Zini, convincing him to allow Pereira to join Verdy Kawasaki; the club Pepe was managing at the time.^[1]

Having featured for Verdy at the end of the 1992 season, he helped the club to the inaugural 1993 J.League title the following year, repeating this success the following year.^[1] He adapted well to life in Japan, and was named J.League Most Valuable Player in 1994. After three full seasons with Verdy, he joined newly-formed club Consadole Sapporo ahead of the 1996 season alongside compatriot and teammate at Verdy, Alcindo Sartori.^[1] A fifth place finish in the 1996 Japan Football League was followed by promotion to the J.League after finishing as champions of the 1997 Japan Football League.^[1] After one more season in the J.League, Pereira retired in 1998, following surgery for a knee injury.^[1]

Pereira's son, Leonardo Mantovani Pereira, is a youth football coach, and having worked for Ituano between 2020 and 2023, he joined São Paulo in 2024, taking charge of the under-11 and under-12 teams – a position he held for a year, leaving in July 2025.^[2][3]

Individual Honors

• J. League Most Valuable Player: 1994
• J. League Best Eleven: 1993, 1994
• Japanese Footballer of the Year: 1994

Team Honors

• Campeonato Baiano: 1986, 1987, 1988
• J1 League: 1993, 1994
• J League Cup: 1993, 1994
• Japanese Super Cup: 1994