Joshua Giovanni Pérez Figueroa (born January 21, 1998) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for Miami FC in the USL Championship. Born in the United States, he represents the El Salvador national team. He also has italian citizenship
Personal information | |||
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Full name | Joshua Giovanni Pérez Figueroa[1] | ||
Date of birth | (1998-01-21) January 21, 1998 (age 24) | ||
Place of birth | Montebello, California, United States | ||
Height | 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in) | ||
Position(s) | Forward | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Miami FC | ||
Number | 7 | ||
Youth career | |||
2011–2013 | Chivas USA | ||
2013–2016 | Fiorentina | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2016–2018 | Fiorentina | 1 | (0) |
2017–2018 | → Livorno (loan) | 22 | (0) |
2018–2019 | Los Angeles FC | 15 | (1) |
2018 | → Phoenix Rising (loan) | 1 | (0) |
2019 | → Phoenix Rising (loan) | 1 | (0) |
2020 | Castellón | 0 | (0) |
2020–2021 | UD Ibiza | 7 | (0) |
2021– | Miami FC | 34 | (5) |
National team‡ | |||
2014–2015 | United States U17 | 22 | (7) |
2016 | United States U19 | 2 | (0) |
2016 | United States U20 | 4 | (0) |
2019 | United States U23 | 1 | (0) |
2021 | El Salvador U23 | 3 | (2) |
2021– | El Salvador | 16 | (3) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 October 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 26 July 2021 |
On February 4, 2016, Pérez signed with Fiorentina, having trained with the club regularly since 2013.[2][3] On November 28, 2016, he made his debut against Inter Milan.[4] On August 31, 2017, Fiorentina announced that they would loan Pérez to Serie C club Livorno for the upcoming season.[5]
On August 8, 2018, Pérez returned to the Los Angeles area, signing with Los Angeles FC on a free transfer.[6] Perez and Los Angeles mutually agreed to part ways on February 7, 2020.[7]
On June 25, 2020, Pérez joined Segunda División B side Castellón,[8] but left the club on September 9, as the club was already promoted to Segunda División, without making any appearances.[9] Hours after leaving Castellón, he joined UD Ibiza in the third division.[10]
On July 2, 2021, after helping with seven appearances overall as Ibiza achieved a first-ever promotion to the second division, Pérez reached an agreement with the club to rescind his contract.[11]
On August 26, 2021 Pérez returned to the USL Championship and signed a contract mid-season with Miami FC.[12]
A longtime USA youth international, Pérez switched allegiance to El Salvador in February 2021, accepting a call-up to the U-23 side ahead of the CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship.[13] He made his debut with the El Salvador U23s in a 2–0 loss to the Canada U23s on 19 March 2021.[14] On 25 March 2021, he scored a brace against the Haiti U23s.[15]
On June 5, 2021, Pérez made his debut with El Salvador senior team in a 7–0 victory against the U.S. Virgin Islands and scored one goal.[16]
Joshua Pérez was born in Montebello, California, son of Giovanni Pérez and Susana Figueroa. His father was born in Los Angeles, California to Salvadoran parents, while his mother was born and raised in El Salvador and immigrated to the United States. Giovanni played as a professional soccer player, where he spent time at California Emperors and also played for El Salvador's FAS, a club which Giovanni's father and Joshua's grandfather Hugo Antonio Pérez played.[17] Joshua is the nephew of former professional soccer player and current manager of the El Salvador national team Hugo Pérez.[18] In 2018 he married Silvia Borghini in Florence
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
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El Salvador | 2021 | 16 | 3 |
Total | 16 | 3 |
Number | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
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1 | 5 June 2021 | Bethlehem Soccer Stadium, Upper Bethlehem, U.S. Virgin Islands | ![]() | 4–0 | 7–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
2 | 12 June 2021 | Warner Park, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis | ![]() | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
3 | 16 June 2021 | Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador | ![]() | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
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Miami FC – current squad | |
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El Salvador squad – 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup | ||
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a Lemus replaced Rugamas after the group stage. |