Orlando Pride Sign Brazilian International Defender Camila

The Orlando Pride continued to bolster the team’s roster with today’s signing of Brazilian defender Camila Martins Pereira. “Camila,” as she’s known, will join the club pending receipt of her P-1 visa and International Transfer Certificate. Further details of the contract were not disclosed.

Camila, 22, played with Brazilian club Tiradentes last season. She was previously a member of the Houston Dash, appearing in 12 matches (six starts), and playing 511 minutes during the 2015 NWSL season without registering a goal or an assist, and tallying seven shots (one on target). The São Grande de Sul native took four corner kicks, committed 11 fouls, and received two yellow cards. The Dash waived Camila in January.

Still, the Pride add a fullback/winger to the roster who has yet to tap into her full potential.

“Camila is exactly the type of player we are looking to bring to the Pride,” Pride Head Coach Tom Sermanni said in a club press release.  “She is a young, dynamic and versatile player who we believe will be a valuable asset to our team. We’re excited to bring someone with her skill and potential to the club.”

"I am really happy to become a member of the Pride family,” Camila said in the club release. “As soon as Orlando was announced as an expansion team, I knew I wanted to become a part of it and the wonderful city. I know the team is still young, but I hope that I can help bring a championship to both the club and the fans. I look forward to helping the Pride in any way I can, inside and outside the lines."

Camila made her professional debut at age 18 with Kindermann, a club located in Caçador, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Kindermann has supplied such players to the Brazilian national team as Bárbara and Andressinha. The newest Pride player scored five goals with Kindermann from 2012-2015, before moving to Ferroviária, where she helped the club finish second in the 2015 Copa do Brasil.

The 5-foot-3 wide player also played for the Brazilians in the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, starting three matches and playing all 180 minutes of the group stage.

In the international arena, Camila was a member of Brazil’s 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup side, making three starts and playing all 180 minutes of the group stage. However, Brazil finished fourth in its group, drawing with China and falling in a pair of one-goal games to the U.S. and Germany – with the latter two advancing to the knockout round.