Joe Corona


Joe Benny Corona Crespín is an American professional soccer player who currently plays for MLS club LA Galaxy, and the United States national team.

Club career

Corona made his first appearance in the 2010 Clausura season and was the first player coming from youth teams to score a goal with the first team in September 2010. He started his career with the Nomads from San Diego, California.
During the 2009–10 season, Corona played 160 minutes in 3 appearances.
During the 2010–11 season, Corona made 39 appearances, including 34 starts, and scored six goals as Tijuana earned promotion to the Primera División.
Joe Corona started his first game in Primera Division de Mexico, scoring his team's only goal in a 2–1 loss to Monarcas.
In June 2015, he was loaned by Veracruz.
On December 13, 2017, Corona joined Club América on a year-long loan deal.
On March 6, 2019, Corona signed for MLS side LA Galaxy.

International career

Due to Corona's birth and his parents being of both Mexican and Salvadoran nationality, he was eligible to represent the United States, Mexico, or El Salvador. He was named to the preliminary roster to represent the United States in a friendly match against Mexico in August 2011 under Bob Bradley, but Bradley was fired before the official roster was announced. Corona later accepted a call-up to represent Mexico in a two-legged friendly series against Chile's U22 squad in preparation for the 2011 Pan American Games. Corona only played in the second game and this did not tie him to play for the Mexican team, as the game was not an official FIFA match. Corona did not make the final cut for Mexico's Pan American Games squad and later accepted a call up to the United States U-23 team.
Corona recorded a hat trick in the Olympic qualifying match in a 6–0 victory over Cuba. In the final group stage match, Corona scored to give the Americans a 3–2 lead over El Salvador; however, a late El Salvador goal earned a draw and eliminated the Americans from contention for the 2012 Olympic Games.
In May 2012, Corona made his debut for the United States men's national soccer team in a friendly against Scotland, coming on in the 68th minute as a sub. In October 2012, Corona made his first official appearance, coming on as a sub in a 2014 World Cup qualifying match against Guatemala, permanently cap-tying him.

International goals

NoDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.July 13, 2013Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, United States2–14–12013 CONCACAF Gold Cup
2.July 21, 2013M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, United States2–05–12013 CONCACAF Gold Cup
3.July 15, 2017FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, United States1–03–02017 CONCACAF Gold Cup

Personal life

Corona is of Mexican and Salvadoran descent. His mother was born in El Salvador, and his father in Mexico. He has one sibling. He was born in Los Angeles, California, and as a young boy moved to Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. He later moved to San Diego, where he attended Sweetwater High School in National City. He graduated and received a scholarship to attend San Diego State University. Corona scored three goals and had an assist in 15 games with the Aztecs in 2008.

Career statistics

Honors

Club

;Tijuana
;América
;United States