Wilfredo Rivera (footballer)
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Wilfredo Aramat Rivera Cepeda | ||
Date of birth | October 14, 2003 | ||
Place of birth | San Juan, Puerto Rico | ||
Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) | ||
Position(s) | Winger, forward | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Orlando City B | ||
Number | 32 | ||
Youth career | |||
2008–2010 | Academia Quintana | ||
2010–2017 | Clay County Soccer Club | ||
2017–2018 | Jacksonville FC | ||
2018–2020 | Orlando City | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2020– | Orlando City B | 55 | (10) |
2021–2023 | Orlando City | 0 | (0) |
2022 | → Indy Eleven (loan) | 11 | (0) |
International career‡ | |||
2018 | United States U16 | ||
2019 | Puerto Rico U17 | 3 | (0) |
2021–2022 | Puerto Rico U20 | 5 | (3) |
2021– | Puerto Rico | 22 | (5) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of May 15, 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of November 19, 2024 |
Wilfredo Aramat Rivera Cepeda (born October 14, 2003) is a Puerto Rican professional footballer who plays as a winger for the Puerto Rico national team and MLS Next Pro club Orlando City B.
Club career
[edit]Youth
[edit]Rivera grew up in the Quintana barrio of San Juan, Puerto Rico and began playing soccer for the Academia Quintana team.[1][2] His family moved to Florida, United States in 2010 and he joined Clay County Soccer Club.[3] After seven seasons at Clay County SC, Rivera moved to Jacksonville FC before joining the SIMA/Orlando City DA program at Montverde Academy.[4][5]
Orlando City
[edit]In March 2020, Rivera signed an academy contract with Orlando City B, Orlando City's USL League One affiliate.[6] He made his debut in the season opener on August 1, 2020, starting against South Georgia Tormenta[7] and scored his first goal for the club the following week in a 2–0 victory over New England Revolution II.[8] He started in all 15 games and finished the season as the team's top scorer with three goals.[9]
Having originally committed to playing college soccer for South Florida Bulls beginning fall 2021,[10] Rivera joined the Orlando City senior team's preseason camp ahead of the 2021 season and on March 22, 2021, signed a professional three-year homegrown contract. He became the club's ninth homegrown and second youngest player to sign a first-team contract after Tommy Redding in 2014.[9]
Rivera continued to play for Orlando City B during the inaugural 2022 MLS Next Pro season until July 25, 2022, when he joined USL Championship side Indy Eleven on loan for the remainder of the season.[11]
In December 2023, as part of the end of season roster moves, it was announced Rivera had his option declined and released as a free agent.[12]
International
[edit]In September 2018, Rivera was called-up to the United States under-16 training camp.[3]
Rivera made his Puerto Rico under-17 debut in 2019 during 2019 CONCACAF U-17 Championship qualifying and later represented the team during the knockout stage, starting in a 2–1 loss to Mexico in the Round of 16.[13][14]
On January 19, 2021, he made his senior debut with Puerto Rico as an 80th-minute substitute in a friendly 1–0 win over Dominican Republic.[15][16]
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]- As of 15 May 2024
Club | Season | League | Cup | Playoffs | Total | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Orlando City B | 2020 | USL League One | 15 | 3 | — | — | 15 | 3 | ||
2022 | MLS Next Pro | 10 | 1 | — | — | 10 | 1 | |||
2023 | 22 | 3 | — | 1 | 0 | 23 | 3 | |||
2024 | 8 | 3 | — | — | 8 | 3 | ||||
Total | 55 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 56 | 10 | ||
Indy Eleven | 2022 | USL Championship | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | |
Career total | 66 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 67 | 10 |
International
[edit]- As of match played June 11, 2024
- Scores and results list Puerto Rico's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Rivera goal.
No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | November 18, 2023 | ABFA Technical Center, Piggotts, Antigua and Barbuda | Antigua and Barbuda | 1–0 | 3–2 | 2023–24 CONCACAF Nations League B |
2 | 3–2 | |||||
3 | November 21, 2023 | Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium, Bayamón, Puerto Rico | Bahamas | 6–1 | 6–1 | |
4 | June 11, 2024 | Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium, Bayamón, Puerto Rico | Anguilla | 3–0 | 8–0 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
5 | 6–0 |
References
[edit]- ^ Reynoso, Paulo. "Orlando City anuncia la firma de Wilfredo Rivera". Futbol Boricua (in Spanish).
- ^ "Futbolista boricua de 17 años firma en la MLS". El Vocero de Puerto Rico (in Spanish).
- ^ a b "Congratulations Wilfredo Rivera for being called up to the U16 Youth National Team". United Soccer Alliance. September 20, 2018.
- ^ "Wilfredo Rivera Called to the U17 Puerto Rico National Team". Sima Aguilas. April 18, 2019.
- ^ "Orlando City SC". ocsc.ussoccerda.com.
- ^ Poe, Julia (March 3, 2020). "Orlando City B announces roster for 2020 USL League One season". Pro Soccer USA.
- ^ "South Georgia Tormenta FC vs. Orlando City B – August 1, 2020". www.uslleagueone.com.
- ^ "New England Revolution II vs. Orlando City B – August 7, 2020". www.uslleagueone.com.
- ^ a b "Orlando City SC Signs Forward Wilfredo Rivera as Club's Ninth All-Time Homegrown". www.orlandocitysc.com.
- ^ "Orlando City sign homegrown forward Wilfredo Rivera to three-year contract". Orlando Soccer Journal. March 22, 2021.
- ^ "Orlando City SC Loans Homegrown Wilfredo Rivera to Indy Eleven". www.orlandocitysc.com.
- ^ "Orlando City SC announces end-of-season statuses following end of 2023 MLS Season". www.orlandocitysc.com.
- ^ "La Sub17 en busca de cambiar la historia" (in Spanish).
- ^ "2019 CONCACAF U-17 Championship: Mexico v Puerto Rico". www.concacaf.com.
- ^ "Histórica victoria de Puerto Rico ante República Dominicana". Federación Puertorriqueña de Fútbol.
- ^ "Victoria para Puerto Rico en el "Clásico Caribeño"" (in Spanish).
External links
[edit]- Wilfredo Rivera at Soccerway.com
- Wilfredo Rivera at National-Football-Teams.com
- Wilfredo Rivera at FBref.com
- Profile at Orlando City
- 2003 births
- Living people
- Soccer players from Jacksonville, Florida
- Footballers from San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Puerto Rican men's footballers
- Puerto Rico men's international footballers
- Men's association football forwards
- Homegrown Players (MLS)
- Indy Eleven players
- MLS Next Pro players
- Montverde Academy alumni
- Orlando City B players
- Orlando City SC players
- USL Championship players
- USL League One players
- 21st-century American sportsmen