A professional of recognized competence, who changed the capital and made Invicta his mother city. Maxi Pereira only hung up his boots last season, playing for River Plate in Uruguay, the player’s home country, but he maintained his residence in the city of Porto, which he fell in love with, and returned as soon as he played his last match. Now he is taking new directions, this time on the bench, something that was not expected so soon, as he was interested in areas other than football. The young coach, Daniel Sousa, has started preparing for the next season at Braga, and sees the Uruguayan as a strong bridge between the squad and the technical team.
The troubled origins
It was on the streets of Montevideo that he chose to make football his life’s work. He joined Defensor Sporting’s youth team at the age of 12, at the same time his father passed away, he went under, but his mother gave him strength and invested in her son’s future. He began to be called “El Mono” by his friends, due to his peculiar way of running, a nickname that remained with him for life.
At 17, he fulfilled his dream. He began to gain recognition, playing as a professional for the club where he formed, as a right wing midfielder, and captured the attention of European clubs. In 2006, he was called up to the Uruguayan national team, before heading to Europe, setting the tone for the foreseeable future.
Arrival in Europe via Benfica
He arrived at Benfica, in 2007/08, in a phase of change and did not establish himself in the position that gave him the most prominence in South America. With a lack of options on the right flank, and with the drive and determination that he is known for, he said- in the position that best adapted to Maxi’s qualities. He played against the mythical AC Milan, and helped the Reds draw against the European champion at the time, with a great goal that beat Dida.
It was in the second season that he became Portuguese champion for the first time. The undisputed titleholder, he showed extraordinary physical aptitude and was one of the key players in the red and white team.
With the arrival of Jorge Jesus, the Uruguayan maximized his qualities and gained new skills. He added a goalscoring streak to his resume, especially in the most difficult games. And so, he won over the incarnated associative mass. It wasn’t just at club level that Maxi established himself. As part of the national team, he won the Copa América in 2011, the most prestigious trophy in South America.
The unexpected betrayal
At the end of the 2014/15 season, without a contract in his hands, he dropped the bomb. He revealed that he was considering accepting the proposal from Benfica’s biggest rival, FC Porto, and so it was. A decision that went down badly on both sides, with the Benfica fans feeling betrayed by the departure of their vice-captain and the Porto fans being wary of the player who would wear João Pinto’s number two.
It didn’t take long to put an end to Porto’s mistrust. He took the place of Danilo, who left for Real Madrid, and launched the motto: “The objective is to be champion”. It didn’t happen in the first two years, seeing the old club win the trophy, but always close.
With the arrival of Sérgio Conceição and the revelation of Ricardo Pereira, he lost prominence and the passing of the years did not favor Maxi Pereira. However, he was champion with FC Porto and did not hold back in his celebrations.
In the following season, the last in Portugal, the difficulties in getting minutes on the field continued. He ended it without renewing, and opted for a sabbatical year, after rumors that he was going to join clubs in the north, which did not happen.
The experienced full-back returned to Uruguay to play for his favorite club and become national champion. He ended his playing career at River Plate and was a certainty, he didn’t stand out for his technical quality, but he always enchanted the coaches with his desire and drive, characteristic of “El Mono” Maxi Pereira.
More recently, he revealed Jorge Jesus’ premonition, saying that Ruben Amorim was going to be coach and praised Braga’s very competitive squad. He already has the technical skills to be Daniel Sousa’s assistant coach and the geographical proximity to Invicta makes the proposal perfect for Maxi’s new life in football.
He spent 12 seasons in Portugal, 13 titles won with Portuguese teams, and also recognition from his home country, with a Copa América won.
