Matheus Fellipe Costa Pereira (born 5 May 1996) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or right winger for Saudi Professional League club Al Hilal.
![]() Pereira scoring for 1. FC Nürnberg | |||
Personal information | |||
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Full name | Matheus Fellipe Costa Pereira[1] | ||
Date of birth | (1996-05-05) 5 May 1996 (age 26)[2] | ||
Place of birth | Belo Horizonte, Brazil[2] | ||
Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[2] | ||
Position(s) | Attacking midfielder, winger | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Al Hilal | ||
Number | 15 | ||
Youth career | |||
2007–2010 | Trafaria | ||
2010–2015 | Sporting CP | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2014–2017 | Sporting CP B | 42 | (17) |
2015–2020 | Sporting CP | 15 | (1) |
2017–2018 | → Chaves (loan) | 27 | (7) |
2018–2019 | → 1. FC Nürnberg (loan) | 19 | (3) |
2019–2020 | → West Bromwich Albion (loan) | 42 | (8) |
2020–2021 | West Bromwich Albion | 33 | (11) |
2021– | Al Hilal | 21 | (2) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13:06, 28 June 2022 (UTC) |
Born in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Pereira moved to Portugal at a young age, joining Sporting CP's youth system at the age of 14. On 18 January 2014, whilst still a junior, he made his debut as a senior with the B-team, coming on as a 46th-minute substitute for Cristian Ponde in a 1–1 away draw against C.D. Trofense in the Segunda Liga.[3] He scored his first goal in the competition on 7 March of the following year, contributing to a 4–3 home win over C.D. Tondela.[4]
Early into the 2015–16 season, Pereira was first called to the main squad by newly appointed manager Jorge Jesus.[5] His first competitive appearance took place on 1 October, as he started in a 1–1 draw at Beşiktaş J.K. in the UEFA Europa League.[6] Late in the same month he scored his first goals as a professional, helping defeat U.D. Vilafranquense in the Taça de Portugal (4–0, away)[7] and KF Skënderbeu Korçë in the Europa League (5–1, home),[8] being subsequently selected for the latter competition's team of the week.[9]
Pereira was loaned to fellow Primeira Liga club G.D. Chaves in the 2017–18 campaign.[10] He scored seven league goals during his spell (eight overall), helping them to a sixth-place finish.[11]
On 31 August 2018, the last day of the summer transfer window, Pereira joined 1. FC Nürnberg on loan until the end of the season[12][13] after criticising José Peseiro's choice of not selecting him to the first match against Moreirense F.C. on social media.[14] He made his Bundesliga debut 16 days later, playing 61 minutes in a 1–1 away draw against SV Werder Bremen.[15]
Pereira scored his first league goal on 30 March 2019, helping the hosts defeat FC Augsburg 3–0.[16] He was nominated for the Bundesliga Rookie of the Season award, but his team suffered relegation after finishing last.[17]
On 8 August 2019, Pereira joined West Bromwich Albion on an initial season-long loan with a view to a permanent move.[18] He scored his first goal in the Championship on 28 September, in a 2–0 away win against Queens Park Rangers.[19]
On 20 June 2020, after the player had appeared in the required number of matches, a buyout clause was triggered, obligating the club into Pereira’s purchase.[20] The following month, he won the Supporters’ Player of the Season award after collecting 65% of the votes.[21]
Despite the buyout clause being met months earlier, it took until 17 August 2020 for Pereira to be officially announced as an Albion player, eventually signing a four-year contract.[22] To ensure the player’s focus remained on the field, the board decided to leave the negotiations until after the season had ended.[23]
Pereira made his Premier League debut on 13 September 2020, playing the entire 0–3 home loss against Leicester City.[24] He scored his first goal six days later, through a direct free kick in a 5–2 away defeat to Everton.[25]
On 3 April 2021, Pereira scored a brace in first-half stoppage time in an eventual 5–2 win at Chelsea; this sealed Albion's first victory at Stamford Bridge since 1978, and handed Thomas Tuchel his first loss as the opposition's head coach.[26] On 9 May, his tenth goal of the season – becoming the first club player to get on double digits since Saido Berahino in 2014–15 – amounted to nothing because his team lost 3–1 at Arsenal and confirmed their relegation.[27]
On 1 August 2021, recently appointed manager Valérien Ismaël announced that Pereira would leave the club before the end of the transfer window, accusing him of "not being committed".[28] The following day, the latter released a statement on his social media accounts, confirming that he wished to leave but also expressing anger at the former's comments, branding them "disrespectful".[29]
On 6 August 2021, Pereira agreed to a deal with Al Hilal SFC for an undisclosed fee.[30] He scored his first goal for the club the following 6 February, in a 6–1 rout of Al Jazira Club in the second round of the FIFA Club World Cup.[31]
Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
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Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Sporting CP B | 2013–14 | Segunda Liga | 4 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 4 | 0 | ||||
2014–15 | Segunda Liga | 12 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 12 | 1 | |||||
2015–16 | Segunda Liga | 12 | 8 | – | – | – | – | 12 | 8 | |||||
2016–17 | Segunda Liga | 14 | 8 | – | – | – | – | 14 | 8 | |||||
Total | 42 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 17 | ||
Sporting CP | 2015–16 | Primeira Liga | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 3 | – | 18 | 5 | |
2016–17 | Primeira Liga | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 9 | 1 | |||
Total | 15 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 6 | ||
Chaves (loan) | 2017–18 | Primeira Liga | 27 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | – | – | 30 | 8 | ||
Nürnberg (loan) | 2018–19 | Bundesliga | 19 | 3 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | 21 | 3 | |||
West Bromwich Albion (loan) | 2019–20 | Championship | 42 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 43 | 8 | ||
West Bromwich Albion | 2020–21 | Premier League | 33 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 34 | 12 | ||
Al Hilal | 2020–21 | Saudi Pro League | – | – | – | 4[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | – | 4 | 0 | ||||
2021–22 | Saudi Pro League | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | 2[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 4[lower-alpha 2] | 1 | 25 | 2 | ||
Total | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | 6 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 29 | 2 | |||
Career total | 194 | 47 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 224 | 55 |
Al Hilal
Al Hilal SFC – current squad | |
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