Fidel Barajas

Fidel Barajas Juarez Jr. (born April 5, 2006) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for USL Championship club Charleston Battery. Born in the United States, he is a youth international for Mexico.

Fidel Barajas
Personal information
Full name Fidel Barajas Juarez Jr.
Date of birth (2006-04-05) April 5, 2006
Place of birth Sacramento, California, United States
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Charleston Battery
Number 11
Youth career
2017–2019 FC Sacramento
2020 Sacramento Republic
2020–2022 San Jose Earthquakes
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022– Charleston Battery 33 (4)
International career‡
2022 United States U17 5 (0)
2022– Mexico U17 19 (7)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 18, 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of March 3, 2023

Club career

Born in Sacramento, California, Barajas had been part of the youth academies at both Sacramento Republic and San Jose Earthquakes before signing a professional contract with USL Championship club Charleston Battery on September 3, 2022.[1]

On October 1, Barajas made his professional debut for the Battery in their 6–3 defeat at Hartford Athletic, coming on as a 71st-minute substitute and recording one assist.[2] He made his first start on October 8 against Indy Eleven, registering another assist in the 4-1 loss.[3] Barajas made three total appearances in 2022.

On March 25, 2023, Barajas scored his first professional goal in a 3–0 win over the Tampa Bay Rowdies, in the 3rd minute, and also added an assist in the second half. He was subsequently named to the USL Championship Team of the Week for his performance against Tampa Bay.[4]

Barajas entered the league record books on July 22, 2023, with a two-assist match against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, becoming the fourth-youngest player to achieve the feat. He turned in another noteworthy performance on September 22 against FC Tulsa with the first brace of his professional career, becoming the ninth-youngest player in league history to record a two-goal game.[5] On 11 October 2023, he was named by English newspaper The Guardian as one of the best players born in 2006 worldwide.[6]

International career

Barajas has represented both the United States and Mexico youth national teams.[1]

Barajas competed in a UEFA Development Tournament in May 2022 with the USYNT, playing against the youth squads of Portugal, Italy and Belgium. He tallied an assist in the match against Belgium, a 0–3 victory, and also played against the youth teams of Argentina and Uruguay.

For Mexico, Barajas played for the Mexico U-17's at the International Dream Cup in Japan in June 2022. He featured in matches against Japan, South Korea, and Uruguay, scoring one goal against South Korea and contributing two assists against Uruguay.[7] Barajas rejoined Mexico in October 2022 for the UNCAF FIFA Forward U-16 Tournament in Honduras. Fidel appeared in all four matches, scoring one goal and contributing four assists, as Mexico ended as runners-up in the tournament final.[8]

Barajas was selected for the 2023 CONCACAF U-17 Championship by Mexico and helped lead them to win the tournament. He started all seven matches and contributed three goals and five assists. He played 74 minutes in the final, against the U.S., and had a hand in setting up two of Mexico's three goals to lift the trophy in Guatemala City. In addition to winning the title, Barajas and Mexico earned qualification for the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Indonesia in the following November.[9]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played October 18, 2023[10]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Charleston Battery 2022 USL30–––30
2023 USL30420–1[lower-alpha 1]1335
Total 33420–11365
Career total 334200011365
  1. Appearance in USL Championship Playoffs

Honours

Mexico U17

References
  1. "Charleston Battery signs 16-year-old rising star to contract". The Post and Courier. Archived from the original on October 3, 2022. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  2. "Hartford Athletic 6–3 Charleston Battery". Soccerway. Archived from the original on October 3, 2022. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  3. "Charleston Battery's 16-year-old soccer phenom to make home debut". Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  4. "Battery's Markanich, Barajas Earn Team of the Week Honors". OurSports Central. March 28, 2023. Archived from the original on March 28, 2023. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  5. https://www.charlestonbattery.com/news/2023/09/28/preview-el-paso-locomotive-fc-vs-charleston-battery/
  6. Christenson, Marcus; Bloor, Steven; Blight, Garry (October 11, 2023). "Next Generation 2023: 60 of the best young talents in world football". theguardian.com. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  7. "Battery sign U.S. and Mexico starlet Fidel Barajas to pro contract". Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  8. "Fidel Barajas Called up by Mexico U-17s for Friendlies". OurSports Central. December 5, 2022. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  9. "Fidel Barajas leads Mexico to win Concacaf U-17 Championship title". Archived from the original on March 28, 2023. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  10. Fidel Barajas at Soccerway
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