El Conejo visits OKC ahead of final season
When Oscar Perez made his professional debut with Mexico City club Cruz Azul in 1993, an Oklahoma City soccer club was still in its infancy.
No, not the Oklahoma City Energy. Trythe Oklahoma City Slickers of the former U.S. Interregional Soccer League.
Almost everything with Oklahoma City professional soccer has changed in the quarter-century since Perez, best known as “El Conejo” (the rabbit), started as Cruz Azul’s goalkeeper.
But Perez’s skills and vibrancy have remained the same during those 25 years, a career that has transpired from the founding (and folding) of the Slickers to the emergence of the Energy.
Ahead of what Perez says is his last season, he visited Oklahoma City on Tuesday for the friendly between his Pachuca club and the Energy. The match ended regulation time in a 0-0 draw, but Pachuca won 3-1 in penalty kicks.
Perez, 44, is the oldest player in Liga MX but continues to bring exuberance to the Pachuca squad that won the CONCACAF Champions League in April, North America’s biggest club tournament.
“I’m a die-hard soccer player. I live for soccer,” Perez said. “Every morning I wake up looking forward to every practice session and being in the locker room with my teammates. Having young, 20-year-old players forces me to push myself more.”
Unfortunately for Oklahoma City fans, Perez did not play vs. the Energy. Tuesday was Pachuca’s first match of its preseason tour, and older players such as Perez often rest during the preseason opening weeks.
Perez did take time to sign autographs both at Monday’s open training session and before Tuesday’s match. He also represented Pachuca at Oklahoma City City Hall on Tuesday, which Mayor Mick Cornett proclaimed as Pachuca Day.
Even with his vitality, Perez decided that the end of the upcoming season would be the best time for him to step away from the game.
“I feel great, and it’s the right time,” Perez said. “I think it will be a good year. I want to finish my legacy. I want people to remember me as a good player even at my age.”
Energy coach Jimmy Nielsen, a fellow goalkeeper himself, has long admired Perez from afar. Nielsen, who played 19 years professionally, is five years younger than Perez, another sign of the Mexican goalkeeper’s longevity.
“He’s a fantastic goalkeeper who has had a helluva career,” Nielsen said. “When you see the top goalkeepers in the world, they are not necessarily making the most impressive saves, but they always are at the right place at the right time, and their position is spot on. They make tough shots look easy because they are in the right place. He is one of those keepers.”
Perez’s illustrious career includes starting for the Mexican National Team at the 2002 and 2010 FIFA World Cups and being part of the Mexican squad that won the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup.
He also became Liga MX’s oldest scorer April 29, quite a feat for a goalkeeper. Trailing 2-1 vs. Cruz Azul, his former club, Perez ran up for a corner kick and headed in the equalizing goal in the final seconds of the match.
“It was a happy moment and something I shared with my family and friends,” Perez said. “This is one of the moments I will never forget. I made history being a goalkeeper and scoring a goal.”
Perez will have the opportunity to win multiple championships during his swan song. Pachuca will be one of seven clubs at the FIFA Club World Cup in December. The tournament features champions from each continent, most notably Real Madrid from Spain.
Pachuca is also one of the contenders for the Liga MX Apertura and Clausura championships as well as the Copa Mexico Tournament.
“I’m still competitive,” Perez said. “Hopefully I can win a championship and people can see me leave as a champion.”