Hugo Pérez (soccer)

For the Argentine football player, see Hugo Pérez.

Hugo Pérez

Personal information
Full name	Hugo Ernesto Pérez
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Position(s)	Midfielder
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22 June 2006

Hugo Ernesto Pérez (born November 8, 1963) is a former Salvadoran American soccer midfielder. He was known as a crafty and creative left-footed midfielder. His left foot was so dominant that it was rare to see him touch the ball with his right foot during a game.

Early life

Perez, born in El Salvador, where both his grandfather and father both played professionally for C.D. FAS, the club with which Perez would finish his career. He migrated with his family to the United States when he was 11 and gained his U.S. citizenship in the mid-1980s. He chose to forego college.

Football career

In 1982 he signed with the Los Angeles Aztecs of the NASL. Perez also spent time with the Tampa Bay Rowdies before ending up with the San Diego Sockers. In 1988, he was the championship MVP when the Sockers won the MISL championship. That summer he joined Ajax during the team's pre-season. Ajax manager Johan Cruyff expressed an interest in signing him, but the Sockers refused to release Perez.

Cruyff then attempted to work a transfer for Perez to Italian club Parma in 1990, but Parma needed Perez to play in the World Cup in order to get him a work permit. Perez was part of the 1990 World Cup Roster, but when U.S. coach Gansler left Perez off the U.S. team that traveled, due to a question of match fitness due to injury, this nixed the move to Italy. Instead, Perez moved to France where he played with Red Star Paris. From France, Perez moved to Swedish First Division club Örgryte IS then Saudi Arabian First Division club Al-Ittihad.

In 1994, he returned to the United States and played in the 1994 World Cup and after played for the Los Angeles Salsa of the American Professional Soccer League. Hugo played with the Salsa while negotiating a contract with C.D FAS. The Salsa folded at the end of the 1994 season and Perez made his last move, to El Salvador First Division Club Deportivo FAS, commonly known as C.D. FAS. In both of Perez' years with the club, 1994-1995 and 1995-1996, C.D. FAS won the El Salvador championship. He retired in 1996 from professional soccer.

World Cups and Olympics

Perez was a member of the American squad that competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics. He also helped the USA qualify for the 1988 Summer Olympics and the 1990 FIFA World Cup, which he missed when he tore ligaments in his leg playing for Red Star Paris, a French Second Division club. He was named U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year in 1991. He played 73 international matches for the US between 1984 and 1994, in which he scored thirteen goals. At the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Perez played in only the second round game against Brazil. Sadly, for such a talented midfielder, this was his only opportunity to play at the game's highest level.

Retirement

After retiring from playing, Perez moved to the San Francisco area where he has served as the principal for the Living Hope Christian School. On March 10, 2008, Perez was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Coaching

In August 2002, he joined the University of San Francisco as an assistant coach to its men's soccer team. On December 7, 2007, the California Victory, a USL First Division expansion franchise, announced that Perez had joined its staff as an assistant coach. Hugo is also a coach for Novato Youth Soccer and in particular the U16 Boys Division 1 team. His son Gerson Perez is also a coach with Novato Youth Soccer.

External links

• BigSoccer discussion board on Hugo Perez
• USSoccerPlayers bio of Perez
• Photo of Perez at 1994 World Cup
• California Victory Story:
• http://origin.marinij.com/sports/ci_5802403