Wilfredo_Rivera_(footballer)
Wilfredo Rivera (footballer)
Puerto Rican footballer
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.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Wilfredo Aramat Rivera Cepeda | ||
| Date of birth | (2003-10-14) October 14, 2003 (age 20) | ||
| 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 | 15 | (3) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of May 15, 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of November 21, 2023 | |||
Youth
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
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]
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]
Club
- 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
- As of match played November 21, 2023
- 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 |
- 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).
- "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.
- "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).
- Profile at Orlando City