Julián Vicente Araujo Zúñiga (born 13 August 2001) is a professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy. Born in the United States, he represents the Mexico national team.
![]() Araujo in 2019 | |||
Personal information | |||
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Full name | Julián Vicente Araujo Zúñiga[1] | ||
Date of birth | (2001-08-13) 13 August 2001 (age 21) | ||
Place of birth | Lompoc, California, United States | ||
Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[2] | ||
Position(s) | Right-back | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | LA Galaxy | ||
Number | 2 | ||
Youth career | |||
Central Coast Condors | |||
Santa Barbara Soccer Club | |||
Barça Residency Academy | |||
2018 | LA Galaxy | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2018 | LA Galaxy II | 2 | (0) |
2019– | LA Galaxy | 100 | (1) |
National team‡ | |||
2017 | United States U16 | 4 | (0) |
2017–2018 | United States U18 | 6 | (0) |
2018 | United States U19 | 2 | (0) |
2018 | United States U20 | 2 | (0) |
2019–2021 | United States U23 | 5 | (0) |
2020 | United States | 1 | (0) |
2021– | Mexico | 3 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 9 October 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 11 June 2022 |
Araujo was born in Lompoc, California, and is of Mexican descent. He attended Lompoc High School.[3] After two years at Lompoc High School, he left home and joined Barça Residency Academy in Casa Grande, Arizona in 2017.[4]
In March 2017, Araujo had committed to playing college soccer at the University of California, Santa Barbara from 2018 onward.[5]
Araujo made his professional debut in a 2–2 draw with Seattle Sounders FC 2 on October 4, 2018, coming on as an 88th-minute substitute for Nate Shultz.[6]
On March 1, 2019, LA Galaxy acquired Araujo after trading $50,000 of Targeted Allocation Money to Colorado Rapids to gain the first spot in the Waivers Order.[7]
Araujo was eligible to play for the United States or Mexico.[8]
After an injury to Ayo Akinola, Araujo was named to the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup squad to represent the United States under-20.[9]
Araujo was called into the United States national soccer team by Gregg Berhalter for the January 2020 camp, but did not make an official match appearance.[3] He was called up again in December 2020 for a game against El Salvador, in which he made his senior level debut.[10] Araujo was named to the final 20-player United States under-23 roster for the 2020 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship in March 2021.[11]
On June 18, 2021, Araujo was named to the preliminary 59-player USMNT roster for the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup but was left off of the final roster on July 1, 2021. Berhalter cited Araujo's dual citizenship and him not feeling ready to become cap-tied to the USMNT.[12]
On August 13, 2021, sports media in Mexico reveal that Araujo himself had filed and submitted the one-time switch to FIFA in order to join Mexico.[13] As of October 4, 2021 FIFA officially approved Araujo's case.[14][15]
On November 27, 2021, Araujo was included in the Mexico national football team call-up by Gerardo Martino for a friendly match against Chile set to take place on December 8.[16] He subsequently appeared in the starting lineup in the match on December 8, 2021 for his debut appearance.[17] The match ended with a 2–2 draw, playing the full 90 minutes. With his Mexico debut, Araujo becomes the third player in the history of the Mexico–United States rivalry in having represented both national teams alongside Martín Vásquez and Edgar Castillo.[18]
Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
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Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
LA Galaxy II | 2018 | USL | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
LA Galaxy | 2019 | MLS | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | — | 20 | 0 | |
2020 | 17 | 1 | — | — | — | 17 | 1 | |||||
2021 | 32 | 0 | — | — | — | 32 | 0 | |||||
2022 | 33 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 2[lower-alpha 2] | 1 | 39 | 1 | |||
Total | 100 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 108 | 2 | ||
Career total | 102 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 110 | 2 |
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
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Mexico | 2021 | 1 | 0 |
2022 | 2 | 0 | |
Total | 3 | 0 |
United States U20
Individual
LA Galaxy – current squad | |
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