Ricardo Jérez Jr.

Ricardo Jérez
	Jérez with Guatemala in 2013
Personal information
Full name	Ricardo Antonio Jérez Figueroa
Date of birth	4 February 1986 (age 38)
Place of birth	Guatemala City, Guatemala
Height	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team	Chattanooga Red Wolves
Number	12
Youth career
	Comunicaciones
Senior career*
Years	Team
2005–2006	Cobán Imperial
2006–2007	Municipal
2007–2008	Comunicaciones
2008–2009	Rentistas
2009–2010	Jalapa
2010	Club Comunicaciones
2011–2012	Marquense
2013–2021	Alianza Petrolera
2017	→ Deportivo Cali (loan)
2021–2023	Municipal
2023–	Chattanooga Red Wolves
International career‡
2008	Guatemala U23
2006–2023	Guatemala
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 October 2023; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12:20, 6 June 2022 (UTC)

Ricardo Antonio Jérez Figueroa (born 4 February 1986) is a Guatemalan professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for USL League One club Chattanooga Red Wolves and the Guatemala national team.

Club career

Jerez is the son of the also former national team goalkeeper Ricardo Jérez who played in the 1988 Olympics.^[1]

Jerez Jr. came through the youth ranks of local giants CSD Comunicaciones before joining Cobán Imperial and C.S.D. Municipal.

Rentistas (2008–2009)

On early August 2008, he was sent to Uruguay to participate in some tests with Peñarol, which he failed but he was able to stay in the country to play for the Rentistas team which competed in the Uruguayan Segunda División.^[2] He made his debut on 13 September against local rivals Cerrito, match which his team lost 2–1, but he was able to save a penalty shot by Richard Requelme and was named man of the match.^[3] Later, in the third round of the tournament, he saved again a penalty now against Boston River.

Back to Guatemala (2009–2010)

He then returned to Guatemala in September 2009 to play for Deportivo Jalapa^[4]

In the summer of 2010, he joined Argentinian third division side Club Comunicaciones.^[5] He remained six months on the club and could not play due to problems with his documents.

Later, Jerez returned to Guatemala where he played for USAC in a campaign that saw them suffer relegation.

Deportivo Marquense (2011–2012)

He then was signed by Deportivo Marquense in mid-2011, where between the playoffs of the 2011 Apertura and the 2012 Clausura tournament has set a new CONCACAF club record with 941 consecutive minutes without allowing a goal, a streak put to an end by Eliseo Quintanilla of Municipal.^[6]

Alianza Petrolera (2013–2022)

Jerez joined Alianza Petrolera in January 2013, at the time being the only non-domestic player in the squad. He recorded a clean sheet in his first league match in Colombia, in a 1–0 win against La Equidad on 8 January 2013.^[7] Throughout his time at the club, he has been regarded as an important figure in the team's success. In October 2013, the club announced the extension of Jerez's contract, which would end after the 2016 season. He's the first player to have played at least 100 games in the top division with the club.

Chattanooga Red Wolves (2023–present)

Jérez signed with USL League One club Chattanooga Red Wolves on 10 January 2023.^[8]

International career

Jerez made his debut for Guatemala in a January 2006 friendly match against the United States. He has represented his country in 2 FIFA World Cup qualification processes and at the 2009 UNCAF Nations Cup.^[9]

In 2008, he was selected for the Guatemala U-23 squad to participate in the 2008 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying where they could not qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics.

He played in all of his team's matches at the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, and was the starting goalkeeper for Guatemala in 11 of Guatemala's 12 matches during the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification.

Honours

Municipal

Liga Nacional de Guatemala: Apertura 2006

Career statistics

Club	Season	League		Domestic Cup		International		Total
Club	Season	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Marquense	2011–12	44	—	—	—	—	—	44	—
	2012–13	20	—	—	—	—	—	20	—
	Total	64	—	—	—	—	—	64	—
Alianza Petrolera	2013	35	—	3	—	—	—	38	—
	2014	31	—	3	—	—	—	34	—
	2015	38	—	—	—	—	—	38	—
	2016	39	—	2	—	—	—	41	—
	2017	20	—	4	—	—	—	24	—
	2018	32	—	1	—	—	—	33	—
	2019	36	—	2	—	—	—	38	—
	2020	16	—	2	—	—	—	18	—
	2021	2	—	0	—	—	—	2	—
Total		249	—	17	—	—	—	266	—
Career total		313	—	17	—	—	—	330	—