Yeniel Bermúdez

Yeniel Bermúdez Ferrer (born October 8, 1985 in Cienfuegos) is a Cuban footballer who last played for Los Angeles Blues in the USL Professional Division.[1]

Yeniel Bermúdez
Personal information
Full name Yeniel Bermúdez Ferrer
Date of birth (1985-10-08) October 8, 1985
Place of birth Cienfuegos, Cuba
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s) Center backDefender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2008 Cienfuegos
2009–2010 Charleston Battery 30 (0)
2009W Hammerheads (loan) 2 (0)
2011 River Plate Puerto Rico 2 (0)
2011 Los Angeles Blues 6 (0)
National team
2006–2008 Cuba 8 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of September 2, 2010
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of March 30, 2011

Club career

Cuba

Bermúdez began his career in his native Cuba, playing with FC Cienfuegos in the Campeonato Nacional de Fútbol de Cuba.

While playing for the Cuban U-23 national team in the Olympic qualifying tournament in Tampa, Florida in March 2008, Bermudez along with several other members of the team, defected to the United States under the wet foot dry foot scheme that allows Cubans who reach U.S. soil to obtain asylum.[2] After his defection, Bermudez declared his brother was dismissed from Cuba's under-20 team as a result.[3]

United States

Following an unsuccessful trial with Los Angeles Galaxy,[4] Bermudez was signed to a professional contract by Charleston Battery after impressing coach Michael Anhaeuser during pre-season.[5] He made his professional debut on May 8, 2009, in game against Carolina RailHawks.[6]

Bermudez was not listed on the 2011 roster for Charleston released on April 7, 2011.[7] In 2010, he spent time in Alaska with his girlfriend who worked there at a school.[8]

International career

He made his international debut for Cuba in a September 2006 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification match against Turks & Caicos and has earned a total of 8 caps, scoring no goals. His final international was a February 2008 friendly match against Guyana, a month prior to defecting to the United States.

Honors

Charleston Battery

References

  1. NY Times Cuban Players Fled Their Team for an Uncertain Future 2008 "Three days after slipping out of their hotel, the five players — the team captain, Yeniel Bermúdez; defenders Erlys García Baró and Prieto; midfielder Yordany Álvarez; and goalkeeper José Manuel Miranda — were staying in West Palm Beach, Miami and Hallandale, Fla., according to their lawyer, Irving Gonzalez. He said the five had spoken with their two teammates who defected Wednesday, defender Yendry Díaz and midfielder Eder Roldán. He said that no one had heard from Lara."
  2. Seven members of Cuba U-23 team missing from hotel
  3. Cuban Defectors Adjust to a New Life - NY Times
  4. Three Cuban Defectors Training with the LA Galaxy
  5. Battery signs three more players
  6. http://www.uslsoccer.com/stats/2009/1051823.html
  7. http://www.charlestonbattery.com/matches_previews.asp?cid=476
  8. For former Cuban soccer star, a long winter ahead - Anchorage Daily News
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