Carlos Santiago Pereira

Carlos Santiago Pereira (born 7 September 1951) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

He made 125 La Liga appearances over the course of a decade for Valencia, Racing de Santander, Atlético Madrid and Celta Vigo. With the first of those clubs, he won the Copa del Rey, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and UEFA Super Cup in successive seasons.

Career Early career Born in Marín in Galicia, Pereira began his career with Rápido de Pereiró in before joining the youth ranks of Pontevedra in the Segunda División. His first season as a senior was with the B-team in the regional leagues in 1970–71.

Valencia In May 1974, Pereira transferred to Valencia for a fee of 5.75 million Spanish pesetas and the buying club's promise to take part in Pontevedra's pre-season tournament. He made his La Liga debut on 6 October in the fourth game of the season, a 5–2 loss away to Barcelona at the Camp Nou, conceding the first goal from Johan Cruyff after three minutes; he did not play again for the rest of the campaign.

After spending 1975–76 on loan to Alavés in the second tier, Pereira returned to the Valencian first team. In the following season's UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, he played the final on 14 May 1980 against Arsenal, keeping the game goalless after 120 minutes. In the penalty shootout, he overcame the miss by Valencia's star player Mario Kempes by saving the attempts from Liam Brady and Graham Rix to win the trophy at Heysel Stadium.

In December 1981, Pereira was loaned to fellow top-flight team Racing de Santander for the rest of the season. He took a cut in basic rate of pay from 100,000 pesetas a month at Valencia to 70,000 at the Cantabrians, who could afford the detail due to becoming the first Spanish club with shirt sponsorship, by home appliances Teka.

Later career Pereira transferred to Atlético Madrid in August 1982, for a fee of 15 million pesetas and a salary of 6 million annually for two years. The club had lost goalkeeper José Navarro to injury, while back-ups Ángel Mejías and Abel Resino were inexperienced. He won another Copa del Rey in 1985, playing both legs of a 6–3 aggregate win over Deportivo de La Coruña in the last 16.

In September 1985, with his opportunities at the Vicente Calderón Stadium limited by Argentine Ubaldo Fillol, Pereira moved to Celta Vigo of his home province. He arrived at a club where regular goalkeeper Javier Maté was injured and reserve , known as Chuco, was playing.

Personal life Pereira was identifiable for wearing a red goalkeeper's jersey, and for his thick beard.