[6] Both were the starters as the Colchoneros returned to the UEFA Champions League in 2008–09 after a 12-year absence, with Perea appearing in 30 La Liga matches; after the campaign kicked off, he received his Spanish passport.

On 29 September 2011, following a Europa League fixture against Stade Rennais FC, Perea became the foreign player with most competitive appearances for Atlético Madrid with 289, surpassing Argentine Jorge Griffa.

Perea joined Mexico's Cruz Azul in June 2012 as a free agent,[12] winning the following year's Copa MX[13] and the 2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League.

[19] A Colombia international since 20 November 2002, in a 1–0 friendly loss with Honduras in San Pedro Sula, Perea appeared at the 2007 and 2011 Copa América tournaments.

He was named team captain before the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Bolivia in La Paz, in a first-ever win in that country (2–1),[20] and represented his nation for 12 years.