Our 2024 FC Dallas player recaps continue with Designated Player and Homegrown Player Jesus Ferreira.
Ferreira began the year with a wild transfer to a Russian club that got turned down by Major League Soccer. That came on the heels of a few other transfers that never materialized in 2023. Following that, he had a goal and then an injury in the preseason opener against Inter Miami. That injury kept him out of the rest of the preseason. He struggled through injuries for the rest of the year before finally returning for good after the Leagues Cup.
Stat breakdown
Before I get too deep into his 2024 season, let's just take a dive into how drastically different his 2024 season was from his 2023 one.
I thought about going a step further by brining up his 2022 season, the one that saw him score 18 goals and add six assists.
Still, going between 2023 and 2024 is a decent way to show how injuries are such a big deal with Ferreira. If you recall, it wasn't just the injury against Inter Miami that he started the year with, but it was the injury in that season's playoff series with Seattle that I believe started all of his issues in 2024.
Saying all of that, his minutes decreased by nearly 1,000. From that, his goals scored went from 12 to five. His assists went from four to three, which doesn't feel like that huge of a deal, but it is worth mentioning. .
He had 28 shots with ten on target. He had 29 key passes, along with 85 progressive passes, and six goal scoring actions.
The one stat that really stands out to me compared to 2023 was his total touches. He went from 1306 to 828.
Highlight
As down of a year as it felt like for Ferreira, he did score five goals. Some were actually really good and some were vintage Ferreira like his last goal in Salt Lake:
Classic Ferreira, right?
Personally, I enjoyed his goal against Austin back in May. I thought at the time, he was back in his element, but injuries certainly continues to take a bite out of that thought.
What should we expect from him in 2025?
If he is back in 2025, and healthy, because that is the key here for him. I think seeing his output back to his 2023 days would be a good start. If you recall, the last time he had a tough season with injuries, in 2019, he came back with eight goals and eight assists in the covid-shortened 2020 season. So, saying that, at a minimum I'd love to see those exact numbers for him, or better in 2025.
But, I do wonder if the question actually needs to be, do I expect him back in 2025?
Eh, maybe. I know there is a lot of desire out of the Hunts and Andre Zanotta to have him, Alan Velasco and Petar Musa on the field together as much as possible in 2025. I totally get that desire too, I would like to see it happen as well.
Final thoughts
I just wonder if that is what Ferreira wants at this point. There is something to be said about this team not being built around him as much these days that maybe he feels like he can actually move on.
For the longest time, I kept saying and believed that he wanted to leave a massive legacy with this club. As in being the all-time goal scorer, or leading them to a MLS Cup victory. Stuff his dad came close to doing.
As this year has gone on with him, my thoughts and beliefs about him have changed. I don't neccesarily think he doesn't want to be here any more, but I wonder if he has realized that he needs a change of scenery away from Frisco. If the right move comes along in January, will he push to take it?
At this point, it may be good for both sides if he does.
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