Joel Johnson (footballer)

Joel Johnson Alajarín (born 20 September 1992) is a Liberian footballer who plays as a right-back for USL Championship side Hartford Athletic.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Johnson and the second or maternal family name is Alajarín.
Joel Johnson
Johnson with Charlotte Independence in 2017
Personal information
Full name Joel Johnson Alajarín
Date of birth (1992-09-20) 20 September 1992
Place of birth Torrent, Spain
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)[1]
Position(s) Right back
Club information
Current team
 Hartford Athletic
Number 30
Youth career
2000–2001 Torrent
2001–2009 Valencia
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2012 Valencia B 69 (1)
2010 Valencia 1 (0)
2012–2014 Real Madrid C 50 (0)
2014–2015 Jaén 16 (0)
2015–2016 Buñol 9 (0)
2016–2021 Charlotte Independence 141 (2)
2022– Hartford Athletic 0 (0)
National team‡
2018– Liberia 8 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16:01, 5 November 2021 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 17:27, 9 September 2019 (UTC)

Club career

Born in Torrent, Valencia, Spain, to a Liberian father and a Spanish mother, Johnson was a product of Valencia CF's youth system. He made his senior debut at only 17, appearing with Valencia CF Mestalla in Segunda División B and eventually suffering relegation in 2010.

On 8 March 2010, Johnson made his first La Liga appearance, playing the full 90 minutes in a 0–0 home draw against Racing de Santander.[2] Released on 30 June 2012, he went on to compete solely in the lower leagues, first with Real Madrid C and then with Real Jaén, both in the third tier.[3][4][5]

After a season with CD Buñol in Tercera División, Johnson signed with United Soccer League side Charlotte Independence on 6 April 2016.[6]

International career

Johnson received his first call for the Liberia national team on 31 August 2016,[7] being an unused substitute in the 1–4 away loss to Tunisia for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying phase the following week.[8] He only won his first cap on 9 September 2018, starting and playing 90 minutes in a 1–1 draw against DR Congo for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.[9]

References
  1. "7 - Joel Johnson". Charlotte Independence. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  2. Los Che frustrated by Santander again; ESPN Soccernet, 8 March 2010
  3. El Real Madrid C se refuerza con Joel Johnson (Real Madrid C bolster with Joel Johnson); Defensa Central, 19 July 2012 (in Spanish)
  4. Joel Johnson, último fichaje del Real Jaén (Joel Johnson, last signing of Real Jaén); Ideal, 1 September 2014 (in Spanish)
  5. El Buñol da con la tecla (Buñol hit the spot); Golsmedia, 16 November 2015 (in Spanish)
  6. Independence sign Spanish defender Johnson; USL Soccer, 7 April 2016
  7. Joel Johnson receives call up from Liberian national team Archived 15 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine; Charlotte Independence, 31 August 2016
  8. Tunisia beats Liberia 4–1 in Tunis – Togo thumps Djibouti 5–0 to qualify Archived 15 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine; Front Page Africa, 4 September 2016
  9. Thomas Kojo ‘impressed’ with Johnson’s debut performance; Liberian Observer, 12 September 2018
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