Jesus Ferreira grew up in a family with Colombian roots, in a household revered by the football community due to his father, David Ferreira, being a soccer celebrity. From a young age, Jesus has always wanted to carve out his own identity and achieve more than just following in his dad’s footsteps. For his father, it was about shaping Jesus in his own football image and likeness. Every spare moment spent with his father was precious to young Jesus. When his dad left the USA for Colombian soccer in 2014, Jesus would stream his dad’s games on YouTube.
This article delves into the story of Jesus Ferreira, a boy whose second biggest dream, aside from football, is to become a zoologist. Many football fans don’t know that Jesus once bought a large farm with his first football wage. He plans to pursue a veterinary assistant program and has high hopes for his farm when his football career is over. Despite these dreams, which could have been a distraction, Jesus rose to become one of the USA’s most celebrated male strikers. This article explores his roots, how his father shaped his football destiny, and the challenges he faced in his quest to become a top striker for the US men’s national soccer team.
Inside Jesus Ferreira’s Journey: How a Future Zoologist Became a US Soccer Gem
Our Jesus Ferreira Biography tells you Facts about his Childhood Story, Early Life, Parents – David Ferreira (Father), Mandy Ferreira (Mother), Siblings – Santiago Ferreira (Brother), Matthew Ferreira (youngest Brother), Family Background, Ethnicity, Colombian Origin, etc.
This article also includes facts about Jesus Ferreira’s Lifestyle, Cars, Personal Life, Net Worth, etc. Not forgetting, our memoir covers information about his religious belief, salary breakdown, Net worth, and other untold facts.
Preamble:
Our version of Jesus Ferreira’s Biography begins by telling you facts that relate to his boyhood years.
We’ll tell you how famous his Dad was as a midfielder and how that triggered Jesus Ferreira’s quest to become greater than his Father.
Then, finally, you will see video highlights of the fantastic goals he scored in his academy days and how he rose to become the USMNT’s bona fide Number 9.
To whet your autobiography appetite as you read through Jesus Ferreira’s Biography, we present to you his Boyhood to Rise gallery.
No doubt, the son of David Arturo Ferreira Rico (his Dad’s name) is living the family dreams. From his childhood years to when he became USA’s hero, the great Jesus has come a long way.
The Biography of Jesus Ferreira – From his Childhood Years to the moment he became famous.
Born in Colombia and thriving in the US soccer national team, fans in the country are proud to have Jesús Ferreira as one of the saviors of US Soccer.
The US Striker predicament has long existed since the exit of Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore.
Thankfully, there is now an abundance of strike force – all in this man. Here is a collection of Jesus’ goals for the USA.
In the course of writing, we notice a knowledge gap regarding inquiries about the FC Dallas-raised Striker.
We found that not many fans have read an in-depth version of Jesus Ferreira’s Biography. This is why we have prepared it, so without further ado, let’s tell you his story.
Jesus Ferreira Childhood Story:
For Biography starters, he bears the nickname Spice Boy and the full name – Jesús David Ferreira Castro.
The USMNT Forward was born on the 24th day of December 2000 to his Mother, Mandy Ferreira, and Father, David Ferreira, in Santa Marta, Colombia.
The Colombian-born US Soccer Striker came to the world as his parents’ first child and son.
Jesus Ferreira is one among three children (himself and two other brothers) born to the marital union between his Dad (David) and Mum (Mandy), whom we have pictured here.
Meet Jesus Ferreira’s Parents – David and Mandy.
Growing-Up:
Altogether, Jesus Ferreira has two siblings: they are two brothers and no sister. Santiago Ferreira Castro is the name of Jesus’ immediate younger brother. Matthew Ferreira Castro is the name of his youngest brother.
All Ferreira siblings grew up in their US Hometown of McKinney, Texas. Now, here is a photo of Jesus Ferreira’s siblings alongside their mother in what looks like their family home in Texas.
At the forefront, we have Matthew Ferreira Castro, the youngest of the family. Santiago Ferreira Castro is in between Jesus and his Mum (Mandy).
Jesus Ferreira Early Life:
As a little boy, it was a great feeling of joy watching his Dad, who was a big celebrity, on and off the soccer pitch.
Back then, Jesus Ferreira, alongside his two younger brothers and Mom, hardly missed any of their dad’s soccer games. David Ferreira featured in the game for 20 years in three countries – Brazil, Colombia, and the United States.
Watching the magic his Dad made on the pitch sparked little Jesus’ love for the beautiful game.
While he watched his Father on match days at the stadium, young Jesus could regularly hear Brazil soccer lovers sing a special song that praised his Father.
Seeing thousands of fans singing a song for his Dad was such a wonderful feeling, one that always sent shivers down his spine. In Ferreira’s words…
I enjoyed hearing the fans sing for my Dad in Brazil. Hearing them in a tenth of a thousand stream my Dad’s name was the one that really shook me the most.
Hearing the fans, and the whole stadium, chanting my dad’s name, was a great feeling that. Since then, I told myself that I wanna be like my Dad one day.
Jesus Ferreira Family Background:
Many talented football stars loved the idea of living locally in South America. Rather than move to Europe, they prefer to stay in the MLS. Jesus Ferreira’s Dad was a typical example.
He was among the highly valued Athletes who lived comfortably and enjoyed his football in South America, notably in Colombia and Brazil.
A few years after David married beautiful Mandy, he (with his entire family) relocated to McKinney, Texas, in the United States.
Let’s introduce you to the members of Jesus Ferreira’s Family.
Just as George Weah did, David Ferreira loved the idea of his children being raised in the United States. The great midfielder is an ideal family man who currently lives above the middle class.
David Ferreira began his US career with FC Dallas, the club that went on to groom his son. He (who played alongside Walker Zimmerman) was a midfield magician who rose so high to become both a captain and club legend.
This is Jesus Ferreira’s Dad during his career days with FC Dallas.
Jesus Ferreira’s Dad was part of the Colombian national team that won the Copa América in 2001. David Ferreira also took part in Copa América tournaments in 2004 and 2007.
Have you ever seen a video of Jesus Ferreira’s Dad during his career days? He assisted a lot like Kevin De Bruyne, and his style resembles that of Andres Iniesta.
Inquiry on his Family Origin – Where is Jesus Ferreira from?
To start with, the American professional soccer player has two nationalities. First, Jesus Ferreira is a Colombian by virtue of his birth and family ancestry.
Secondly, playing for the US Men national team implies Jesus Ferreira has US citizenship. As earlier said, his parents, David and Mandy, raised both him and his siblings in McKinney, a Dallas suburb.
Regarding the part of Colombia Jesus Ferreira’s family comes from, our research points to Santa Marta. This is a city situated on the Caribbean Sea and in the country’s department of Magdalena.
Where Jesus Ferreira’s parents come from (Santa Maria) houses the first Spanish settlement in Colombia. Now, here is a map that portrays Jesus Ferreira’s family origin from Colombia and Dallas, the US city that has his hometown.
This is Jesus Ferreira’s Dad during his career days with FC Dallas.
Jesus Ferreira Ethnicity:
The USMNT forward identifies with the Hispanic and Latino American ethnic groups. This ethnicity describes US citizens who have full, partial Hispanic, or Latino family origins.
From a more specific point of view, Jesus Ferreira is a Colombian American. This sub-ethnic group relates to US citizens who trace their family history or ancestry to Colombia.
Jesus Ferreira Education:
After his parents relocated to the US, they enrolled him at Lone Star High School. Jesus Ferreira attended this public high school in Frisco, Texas.
During his high school days, Jesus Ferreira didn’t find it easy to juggle between his studies and focusing on his football career.
Aside from his parents (David Ferreira and Mandy Benedicta Ferreira), one woman shaped his childhood. This woman is Abby Cole, and she was Jesus Ferreira’s school guidance counselor.
Because of the support he received from her, Jesus, one day, decided to reward her. Here, the homegrown star excitedly visited his high school (Lone Star) to deliver gifts and a great hug to Abby Cole.
Because of the strong desire to make a name for himself, Jesus Ferreira did not complete his high school education. While many view him as a kid at that time, he is hungry to shake that label.
It was his dream to pursue his father’s legacy, a man who won the MLS MVP (2010). This idea of making a name for himself explains why Jesus Ferreira stopped high school education at 15 years old. Afterward, he combined more soccer and part-time schooling via online classes.
Career Buildup:
In 2008, when the 8-year-old arrived in the United States with his family, speaking the English language was a big problem. The transition from Colombian culture to that of the US proved difficult for the boy.
As of then, he would only speak Spanish and Portuguese. The same language issue goes for all members of his family. Even things like going out grocery shopping were difficult for the Ferreira family because of the English language barrier.
During that time (when he was 8), David Ferreira (his father) played at FC Dallas. Every day, before Jesus Ferreira’s Father went to soccer practice at the Toyota Center, he would drop off his son at the club’s front desk.
He left little Jesus with the FC Dallas office manager for an English language tutoring session. That helped the boy learn English perfectly within two years.
Jesus Ferreira Biography – Untold Soccer Story:
As a child, any alone time with his father was the most valuable. Even at normal family dinners, little Jesus would steal his Dad’s football brain.
He was very used to peppering his Dad with questions about the things he needed to do to become a successful soccer player.
When his dad goes on the field to practice, little Jesus and his brother would join him and then begin to kick the ball around. Much later, he learned from his Dad how to sprint and refine his dribbling, finishing, and other technical skills.
Early Career Life:
The journey to becoming a pro (like his Dad) began at the age of 8. Shortly after Jesus Ferreira’s parents settled in McKinney, Texas, he joined Dallas’ academy.
Within two years after his son enrolled at their academy, David Ferreira (his Dad) had just won the MLS Best XI and MLS MVP.
From the onset, everyone saw that Jesus possessed a pedigree equal to that of his Dad. According to Gonzalez, his academy coach, all the youngster wanted was to create his own path, which would be different from his Dad.
David Ferreira never forced his son to go for training. Jesus was the one who pushed to get there first, and that speaks volumes. While at training, everyone saw that the little kid was too energetic for his age.
Everyone could tell that he was destined to be a great soccer player because they saw this drive within him.
Successfully, Jesus Ferreira kept on going through the stages of FC Dallas Academy.
He matured, became consistent with his humility, kept his feet on the ground, and kept working hard. To everyone, it was clear that David and Mandy’s son was heading in the right direction.
Road to Fame Story:
A new chapter in the boy’s life came in a few years later. It happened when Jesus Ferreira’s Dad left FC Dallas to continue his football in his country of origin (Colombia).
At that time, young Jesus Ferreira had to rely on streaming his Dad’s game on his laptop.
When his Dad left his Mum and brothers behind, Jesus Ferreira began acting like a father figure. And on the field, the little boy (the new head of his family) also displayed his maturity.
Here, little Ferreira had begun to transform into one of FC Dallas’ biggest homegrown prospects.
As his dad dominated on the MLS main stage, Jesus Ferreira began doing so from the FC Dallas Academy standpoint.
The youngster found success with the Under-16 FC Dallas Academy team. He netted 48 goals in 50 games, which helped the FC Dallas Under-16 team to a prestigious US Soccer Development Academy championship title.
This is perhaps the most significant achievement of his FC Dallas Academy career.
In another completion, the Generation Adidas Cup in Kansas City, Ferreira scored ten goals in three matches.
Did you know?… Jesus Ferreira played Lionel Messi, and we have this video demonstrating the kind of goals he scored. Truly, when your Dad is so famous, people would expect you to score these kinds of goals.
Jesus Ferreira Bio – Success Story:
Following his rapid rise in academy football, FC Dallas decided to reward him in 2016. The US Forward signed a homegrown contract with the American club, with whom his dad won the prestigious 2010 MLS MVP.
On this beautiful day he signed the contract, Jesus Ferreira became the 16th homegrown player in FC Dallas History.
Following his professional contract, young Jesus Ferreira became more goal-hungry, like a lion. In order to get uninterrupted minutes to prove his worth, the youngster agreed to go on loan.
That loan move to Tulsa Roughnecks came after he scored on his pro debut with FC Dallas. Jesus Ferreira exploded with goals while on loan, and his parent club was forced to call him back.
When the American Forward returned to FC Dallas, he became equipped with a new post-practice routine. This mastered a technique that includes wind sprints, free-kicks, one-on-ones, etc.
With a formidable partnership with Ricardo Pepi, another FC Dallas superstar, the boy who excelled so much at the academy level began enjoying a meteoric rise.
Together with Ricardo Pepi, Jesus Ferreira enjoyed a meteoric rise.
There were moments FC Dallas coaching staff remembers telling Ferreira to take things easy with his body during training.
They begged him to rest his body a little and save his energy for another day. The kid from a Colombian family background refused such pleas from his coaches.
Ferreira enjoys a solid partnership with Paul Arriola at FC Dallas. More importantly, Jesus rose to become a goal machine with the club that gave his Dad fame.
Joining the USMNT:
For as long as Jesus Ferreira could remember, his initial dream was to represent the native country of his family origin, Colombia.
Sadly, Colombia never gave him a call to play with their national team. He missed out on playing alongside top-class strikers like Carlos Bacca Alfredo Morelos, Luis Diaz, Cali’s very own Duvan Zapata, Luis Muriel, etc. In Ferreira’s words,
I was just hoping I would get the call-up from the country of my parents, Colombia. If I had the Colombian opportunity, I would gladly play for them.
Colombia was where I was born, and that’s what my dad played for. But I never got the opportunity, no sign of a call-up.
When the United States showed interest, calling Ferreira to their U17 squad as early as 2016, he began to think about changing his soccer nationality.
At the time Gregg Berhalter was hired, the coach had one goal in his mind. It was to resolve the country’s shortage of clinical strikers. Jesús Ferreira’s goals represented a big glimmer of hope for the United States.
At the moment of writing Jesus Ferreira’s Biography, he has super-ready to prove his worth to the world at the forthcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
There is a huge possibility he would be on the FIFA 2022 World Cup USMNT roster. And it is only a matter of time before the big European and English giant club begins to fight for the signature of the USMTN star. The rest, as we say, is now history.
Jesús Ferreira Girlfriend:
To start with, there is a school of thought that believes the soccer athlete IS NOT SINGLE. Jesús Ferreira once took a picture with his lady, whom fans believe could be his girlfriend.
While the media are scrutinizing his relationship status, Jesus does nothing more than just concentrate on his professional occupation. Now, here is the family photo that got soccer lovers talking.
Could this lady be Jesús Ferreira’s wife-to-be? It is only a matter of time before the world finds out.
Personal Life:
Jesús Ferreira is known for being the son of former footballer David Ferreira. He is a grown man who is always looking to prove a point and, just like Tim Weah, doesn’t want to be under his dad’s shadow. But away from everything related to football, who is Jesus Ferreira?
First thing first, he is a soccer player with the business dream of Farming Animals. That will be Jesús Ferreira’s ultimate focus after he retires from soccer.
Even as a football, he has taken the initial step to begin rearing animals. Here is a photo of Jesus Ferreira at his farm, posing with his horse and looking at his chicken.
The USMNT star sees rearing animals as the right career choice after soccer.
Secondly, as regards his personal life, Jesus is someone who loves eating Lucky Charms cereal for breakfast. Next, he prefers his native Colombian candies and Takis chips as a midday snack.
Jesus Ferreira loves the American ragtime dance, shimmy. Bad Bunny, the Spanish rapper, is one of his favorites. Fortnite is Ferreira’s favorite online game. He loves to recite trending Tik-Tok dances and always loves the company of his dogs.
The USMNT forward loves to have his dogs around him.
Jesus Ferreira Workout Routine:
The Soccer striker has a huge likeness for the giant ropes exercise. Put simply, Jesus Ferreira is a huge fan of the battle rope workout routine.
Almost every day, he performs each battle rope exercise before moving on to the next workout routine. Battle rope exercises help elevate the heart rate and improve the Striker’s athletic performance.
This is one of the secrets to the Forward’s muscle-building.
Jesus Ferreira Lifestyle:
Speaking of the way he lives his life, one thing is certain about the forward: his deep love for luxurious cars. On the 8th day of December 2020, Jesus Ferreira revealed to his supporters a view of his luxurious car.
In that Instagram post, he thanked the company responsible for helping him make his dream car come to life. In the words of Ferreira;
Jesus Ferreira Car.
Huge shoutout to @boosted8 @hardparkedperformance for helping me make my dream car come to life. Every detail and idea I gave you, you made it 10x better than I would’ve imagined. Thank you for killing it and making my dream car become everything and more… Tesla project coming soon.
From his last statement, it is clear that Jesus Ferreira is not done with acquiring luxurious cars.
From the look of things, it appears the son of Soccer Legend David Ferreira loves the Mercedes Benz. Here is the Soccer forward as he dresses to match his Mercedes-Benz.
Jesus Ferreira loves cars.
Jesus Ferreira Family Life:
As the breadwinner of the household and the man to re-live his father’s dream, he knows the gigantic responsibilities on his shoulders.
What makes this quest easy is the love and support he gets from members of his household, including Jesus Ferreira’s relatives in Colombia. This section of the Soccer Player’s Bio tells more about these persons.
Jesus Ferreira Father:
His full name is David Arturo Ferreira Rico, and he was born on the 9th day of August 1979 in Santa Marta, Colombia. There is a lot more about Jesus Ferreira’s Dad than about him being an MLS Legend.
First, David Ferreira is a man who loves to have heart-to-heart conversations with all of his children – Jesus, Santiago, and little Matthew. The proud Dad, who has since retired from professional soccer, is pictured here with his sons.
Jesus Ferreira Mother:
According to her social media, she goes by the names Mandy and Mama Benecida. There is another school of thought that says Jesus’ Mum’s name is Yudelmira Ferreira.
Mandy, just like her husband, was born and raised in Colombia. Jesus Ferreira’s Mum also appears to be a private person, a woman who dedicates the most of her time to managing her family.
Jesus Ferreira’s Mother had him when she was in her early 20s. Mandy is still young and beautiful.
Santiago Ferreira Castro – Jesus Ferreira Brother:
Few soccer lovers know that Jesus Ferreira’s brother, Santiago, is also a professional footballer in the making.
According to our findings, Santiago Ferreira plays for the North Texas Soccer club. This is a professional soccer (football) club that plays at the MLS Next Pro, a third-division league of American soccer.
Santiago Ferreira (Jesus’ Brother) is another soccer player in the family.
Just like his big brother, Jesus, Santi enjoys a good career nurtured by his Dad, David. He also enjoys a strong bond with Mandy, his Mum. Have you noticed that Santiago Ferreira is the perfect replica of his Dad in terms of resemblance?
Jesus Ferreira’s parents are pictured alongside his little brother, Santiago.
Matthew Ferreira Castro – Jesus Ferreira Brother:
When Jesus Ferreira’s Dad left FC Dallas for Colombian soccer in 2014, he immediately resumed the role of a father figure to Mathew.
Matthew Ferreira, pictured below, is the last born of David and Mandy. Jesus Ferreira’s brother, who celebrates his birthday every 7th of November, is a proud winner of the Squirt Gun Award.
Aside from shooting Squirt Guns, Matthew Ferreira Castro also takes a likeness to golf. At the moment of putting up this Bio (2022), there are no signs of a sporting career path for him.
We are yet to know if Mathew Ferreira would follow his two brothers and father’s choice of sport. As noticed here, a golfing career might just be a choice for Mathew.
Jesus Ferreira Grandparents:
Our research has it that the American Striker’s grandmamma is a confectioner. Jesus Ferreira finds it hard to resist his grandmum’s empanadas — which are packed with potatoes and minced meat.
Back then, he took her food with him in a plastic baggy every morning into the FC Dallas locker room.
Jesus Ferreira Relatives:
The 5 foot 9 Striker connects with some of his relatives abroad, who make up his greatest fans in Colombia. Back in the United States, there are a few of Jesus Ferreira’s Relatives.
There are also those like Atiba Harris, whom he considers as family. Did you know?… Atiba played alongside Jesus Ferreira and his Dad, David (during his days with FC Dallas).
Untold Facts:
In the final phase of Jesus Ferreira’s Bio, we’ll tell you a few extra pieces of information that you might not know about him. Without further ado, let’s begin.
Salary Breakdown:
In the country of Jesus Ferreira’s parent’s nationality (Colombia), he is a billionaire. When his $1,300,000 annual salary was converted, we found he makes around 5,502,900,000 pesos every year. Find below a breakdown of Jesus Ferreira’s salary with FC Dallas – as of 2022.
[table id=590 /]
How rich is the Striker, as compared to the average US Citizen?
Did you know?… An employee in the USA who earns $75,000 annually would need seventeen years and two months to make Jesús Ferreira’s annual wages with FC Dallas.
How tall is Jesus Ferreira compared to his Dad?
As revealed by his profile on the FC Dallas website, the American soccer player holds a height of 5 feet 9 inches which is approximately 1.75 meters.
Jesus Ferreira’s father, on the other hand, has a height of 1.66 meters OR 5 feet 5 inches. So, therefore, a difference of 0.4 or 1.3 meters separates both father and son.
Jesus Ferreira Profile (FIFA):
The Athlete’s ability to make smart runs makes him a fan’s favorite attacking player in video games.
Jesus Ferreira deserves an around upgrade on FIFA, including his overall and potential ratings. As observed from Jesus’ SOFIFA card, he possesses similar movement abilities like Brennan Johnson, England’s Noni Madueke, and Christian Pulisic.
Jesus Ferreira Religion:
The Colombia-born American identifies with the Christian faith. Further research reveals Jesus Ferreira’s parents raised him as a devout Roman Catholic.
As a sign of his religious beliefs, the American striker never fails to make a sign of the cross and point his fingers to the sky in appreciation of God whenever he scores a goal.
EndNote:
Nicknamed Spice Boy, Jesús Ferreira was born a day before Christmas, on the 24th day of December 2000. The American soccer forward was born to his Mum, Mandy Ferreira, and Dad, David Ferreira, in the city of Santa Marta, Colombia.
His boyhood years were spent with his two brothers, Santiago and Matthew Ferreira. Regarding Jesus Ferreira’s ethnicity, he is Hispanic and Latino-American. His family origin also suggests he is a Colombian American.
Jesus Ferreira’s parents’ nationality is Colombia. However, every member of his family has US citizenship. His Dad, a retired footballer, brought his family to the US after he got a transfer to FC Dallas in 2008. As a boy, Jesus aspired to follow in his Dad’s footsteps. His Dad (David) was very famous during his career days. The 2001 Copa America was among the Notable trophies David won in his days, including the MLS MVP honor of 2010.
When he reached school age, Ferreira received a sound education in both Colombia and the US. For his secondary school, research has it he attended Lone Star High School in Frisco, Texas.
Abby Cole, his school’s guardian counselor, shaped his schooling days. Because of the need to focus totally on soccer, Jesus Ferreira dropped out of high school education at the age of 15.
Upon Jesús Ferreira’s parents’ relocation to the States, he (at age 8) began featuring for FC Dallas Academy. He successfully went through the academy stages, scoring lots of goals – and winning the US Soccer Development Academy championship title.
Jesus Ferreira, in 2016, became a professional in soccer, and in 2020, he joined the USMNT. At the moment of concluding the Bio, the son of David and Mandy hopes to have a successful World Cup.
Appreciation Note:
We appreciate you for reading our version of Jesus Ferreira’s Biography. Our team strives for accuracy and fairness in our quest to deliver you United States Soccer Stories. The history of Jesus Ferreira is part of our North and South American Soccer Category.
Dear readers, please leave a comment if you find anything that doesn’t look right in the life history of the American Forward. Please stay tuned for more Related Soccer Stories as they are shown on this page.
The Life History of Giovanni Reyna, Weston McKennie, and Tim Ream (Timothy Ream) would interest you. Finally, please let us know what you think about Ferreira and his fantastic story.
