Joel Johnson (footballer)

Joel Johnson Alajarín (born 20 September 1992) is a professional footballer who plays as a right-back for USL League One club Charlotte Independence.

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[1]
Date of birth (1992-09-20) 20 September 1992[1]
Place of birth Torrent, Spain[1]
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[1]
Position(s) Right-back
Team information
Current team
 Charlotte Independence
Number 8
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 146 (3)
2022 Hartford Athletic 34 (4)
2023– Charlotte Independence 32 (6)
International career
2018–2019 Liberia 8 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:25, 15 October 2023 (UTC)

Born in Spain, he played for the Liberia national team.

Club career

Born in Torrent, Valencia, to a Liberian father and a Spanish mother, Johnson was a product of Valencia CF's youth system.[2] He made his senior debut at only 17, appearing with the reserves in the Segunda División B and suffering relegation in 2010.[3]

On 8 March 2010, as both right-backs in the first team, Bruno and Miguel, were unavailable, Johnson made his first La Liga appearance, playing the full 90 minutes in a 0–0 home draw against Racing de Santander.[4][5] 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.[6][7][8]

After a season with CD Buñol in the Tercera División, Johnson signed with USL Championship side Charlotte Independence on 6 April 2016.[9] Six years later, he joined Hartford Athletic of the same country and league.[10]

International career

Johnson received his first call for the Liberia national team on 31 August 2016,[11] being an unused substitute in the 4–1 away loss to Tunisia for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying phase the following week.[12] 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.[13]

References
  1. Joel Johnson at WorldFootball.net
  2. Joel Johnson, a un paso de debutar (Joel Johnson, close to making debut); Las Provincias, 7 March 2010 (in Spanish)
  3. La victoria del Espanyol B certifica el descenso del Mestalla a Tercera (Espanyol B win confirms Mestalla's relegation to Tercera); Levante-EMV, 26 April 2010 (in Spanish)
  4. Los Che frustrated by Santander again Archived 24 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine; ESPN Soccernet, 8 March 2010
  5. Joel: "Impresiona jugar en Mestalla" (Joel: "It's impressive to play in Mestalla"); Las Provincias, 9 March 2010 (in Spanish)
  6. El Real Madrid C se refuerza con Joel Johnson (Real Madrid C bolster with Joel Johnson); Defensa Central, 19 July 2012 (in Spanish)
  7. Joel Johnson, último fichaje del Real Jaén (Joel Johnson, last signing of Real Jaén); Ideal, 1 September 2014 (in Spanish)
  8. El Buñol da con la tecla (Buñol hit the spot); Golsmedia, 16 November 2015 (in Spanish)
  9. Independence sign Spanish defender Johnson; United Soccer League, 7 April 2016
  10. Hartford Athletic signs veteran USL Championship defender Joel Johnson; Hartford Athletic, 18 March 2022
  11. Joel Johnson receives call up from Liberian national team Archived 15 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine; Charlotte Independence, 31 August 2016
  12. 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
  13. Thomas Kojo ‘impressed’ with Johnson’s debut performance Archived 25 September 2020 at the Wayback Machine; Liberian Observer, 12 September 2018
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