Blas Pérez

PROFILE
A rangy striker with finishing abilities, Blas Pérez was acquired by Vancouver Whitecaps FC for Mauro Rosales in February 2016 after four successful seasons with FC Dallas. Nicknamed Super Raton, the Panama City native scored 36 goals for FC Dallas, tying for ninth-most in MLS during the four-year span. Prior to joining MLS, the 6-foot-1, 174-pound forward played professionally in Panama, Uruguay, Colombia, Spain, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates after making his debut in 1998. Pérez is among the all-time leaders in senior international caps and goals for Panama with over 100 appearances and over 40 goals in his career.

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
2016: Pérez finished his first MLS season with Whitecaps FC with two goals and one assist in 22 regular season appearances, including five starts. He made his presence felt instantly, drawing a foul inside the box to set up Pedro Morales’ game-winning penalty kick goal in the 2-1 victory at Seattle Sounders FC in his first start on March 19. Pérez recorded his first assist for WFC in their Week 8 win over his former team FC Dallas. Pérez scored both of his goals in the Week 10 win over Chicago Fire, including a last-minute bicycle match-winner to earn MLS Team of the Week and MLS Goal of the Week honours. 2015: Perez started 14 of his 23 regular season appearances, scoring five goals and assisting once to help FC Dallas to a first-place finish in the Western Conference. In the MLS Cup Playoffs, he recorded one goal and one assist in three substitute appearances. 2014: Perez had a banner year in 2014, starting 24 of his 29 regular season appearances, scoring 11 goals (including three match-winners), and six assists, and finishing as his team’s top goal-scorer for the third consecutive season. On September 13, he recorded a brace in a 2-1 win against Whitecaps FC, including a right-footed wonder-strike from a difficult angle and long range on the right to the top-left corner of the goal. 2013: Perez started 21 games and appeared in 25 for FC Dallas, scoring a team-best 11 goals and chipping in three assists in 2,019 minutes of action. He notched a brace in two occasions - versus the LA Galaxy on August 11 and at Colorado on June 1. 2012: In his first season with FC Dallas, Perez led the club in scoring with nine goals while adding four assists, two of which led to game-winning goals. Perez finished the season with 1,705 minutes, starting in 19 of his 20 appearances.

CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
2016: Pérez made three appearances in the Champions League, scoring a goal in his lone start against Central FC on September 28.

AMWAY CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIP
2016: Pérez made two substitute appearances in his first year competing in the ACC.

LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP
2014: Perez scored three goals in his four starts in the U.S. Open Cup, where FC Dallas reached the semifinal of the tournament. 2013: Perez found the net in each of his two appearances for FC Dallas.

MEXICO / UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
2010-11: While still under contract with Tigres, Perez played on loan with San Luis (five goals, 17 games played), Club León (19 goals, 28 games played) and Indios (three goals, 12 games played). 2009: Perez joined Pachuca on loan during the Clausura, scoring eight goals in 15 matches. He was also loaned to Al Wasi (Dubai) during the 2009 season, scoring four goals in eight matches. 2008: Perez signed with Tigres UANL on January 18, scoring eight goals in 31 matches in his first year in Mexico. 

SPAIN
2007-08: Perez was acquired by Hércules CF of the Spanish Second División on May 29, then proceeded to score four goals in 16 matches with the club. 

COLOMBIA
2006-07: Perez joined Cúcuta, winning the Copa Mustang in 2006. He made his debut in Copa Libertadores with Cúcuta, scoring eight goals, the second-most in the tournament that year, including two against Argentina's Boca Juniors. 2005-06: Perez signed with Deportivo Cali, scoring 20 goals in 54 appearances. 2004: Perez joined Centauros and went on to score 29 goals in 37 matches, catching the attention of one of Colombia's top clubs Deportivo Cali. 2003: Perez signed with Envigado and scored six times in 29 appearances in his first season in Colombia. 

URUGUAY
2002: Perez joined top Uruguayan side Nacional, but made only two appearances. 

PANAMA
2001: Perez joined Árabe Unido and continued his goal-scoring pace with 10 goals in 36 games. 1998-00: Pérez began his career in his native Panama with Panamá Viejo, scoring 27 goals in 56 matches.

INTERNATIONAL
Perez made his debut for the Panama senior international team in 2001 against El Salvador at the age of 20. He played for Panama at the 2007 Gold Cup, helping his side reach the quarterfinals and finishing with a team-high three goals, while adding one assist and a 2007 Gold Cup Best XI selection. In the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Perez scored three goals in four matches. He followed that up by scoring nine goals in 18 appearances for Panama during the 2014 World Cup Qualifying cycle. As of November 2, 2016, Pérez holds the third-most senior international caps for Panama with 109 appearances and is Panama’s second all-time leading scorer with 41 goals in his career. He also represented Panama in the 2016 Copa América Centenario and the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying. Pérez most recently scored against Bolivia in the Copa América, scoring both of their goals in the 2-1 win.

PERSONAL
Perez was born in the district of St. Miguelito, Panama. He considers his father as his best friend, celebrating each goal with a horns-up gesture in tribute of his father, who was called “The Bull.” Perez himself is nicknamed Super Raton (spanish translation of the cartoon character, Mighty Mouse). Perez has 30 tattoos, all of which have significant meaning to him, including one of his dad on his chest. He enjoys watching telenovelas and playing PlayStation and considers his mother’s arroz con pollo as his all-time favorite dish. His first job was washing cars for two years when he was 15 years old.