A closer look at FC Dallas' Jesus Ferreira

Jesus Ferreira is unstoppable. 

The forward stands as a product of the FC Dallas academy, working himself up through the ranks before reaching the senior team in 2017. He made his first appearance with the club on June 3 against Real Salt Lake at only 16 years and 161 days old, and managed a goal in the 89th minute of the match to become the youngest in team history to debut and second youngest in MLS to score. 

He became a regular for the Texas team in 2019, recording eight goals and six assists in 33 appearances. His potential led Jesús Ferreira to become the first Homegrown figure in FC Dallas history to sign as a Designated Player.

But it wasn't until 2022 that Ferreira unleashed his true capacity in Major League Soccer. 

This campaign, Ferreira tied the club’s single-season record for goals in a season with 18, a title  jointly held by Kenny Cooper (18 in 2008) and Jason Kreis (18 in 1999). His five multi-goal games in 2022 are also tied for the second most in the league, which included his first career hat trick against the Portland Timbers on March 19. He scored all three  goals in the span of 10 minutes, becoming the first player in club history and the 10th in MLS history to accomplish the feat. 

His 2022 accomplishments led Ferreira to earn the title MLS Young Player of the Year, an honor previously held by Clint Dempsey, Carlos Bocanegra and Ricardo Pepi.

“He has carried the team. He has shown a lot of mentality with his effort. And I think he's a complete player,” said FC Dallas head coach Nico Estevez added of Ferreira. “If we keep working hard with him, he will be a player that will leave a lot of good memories for the club.”

Ferreira’s Major League Soccer success has also propelled him to several international appearances under US men’s national team head coach Gregg Berhalter. The forward is currently slated to make the 26-player World Cup roster headed to Qatar after playing a crucial role in the Concacaf qualifying cycle. 

He’s recorded 10 goals and seven assists for the American side, inspiring Berhalter to confide in the player as the team prepares to take on England, Wales and Iran in the World Cup’s group B. 

“He checks all those boxes in terms of what his skill set is,” Berhalter said of Jesus Ferreira. 

Whether it’s international duty or Major League Soccer, Jesus Ferreira is leaving an impact on the pitch to become a figure to watch.