Justin Malou (born June 1, 1998) is a Senegalese footballer who plays as a defender for Columbus Crew 2 in MLS Next Pro.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1998-01-06) 6 January 1998 (age 24) | ||
| Place of birth | Kédougou, Senegal | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Columbus Crew 2 | ||
| Number | 4 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2016–2017 | Montverde Academy | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2017–2021 | Clemson Tigers | 90 | (2) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2017 | SIMA Águilas | 10 | (0) |
| 2022– | Columbus Crew 2 | 19 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:13, 23 September 2022 (UTC) | |||
Malou, born in Kédougou in Senegal, moved to the United States to attended the Montverde Academy in the summer of 2016.[1] In 2017, Malou also played in the USL PDL with SIMA Águilas, Montverde's affiliate team, making ten appearances and finishing the season with a single assist.[2][3]
After graduating in 2017, Malou committed to playing college soccer at Clemson University. Over five seasons with the Tigers, including a truncated 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Malou made 90 appearances, scoring two goals and tallying eight assists. Malou helped the team win the 2020 ACC Tournament as well as reach the quarterfinals of the 2019 NCAA Tournament. In 2020, he was named ACC All-Tournament Team.[4][1][5]
On January 21, 2021, Malou was selected 27th overall in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft by Columbus Crew.[6][7][8] Malou was offered the chance to play another season at Clemson in 2021, which he opted for instead of immediately signing with Columbus.[1]
On 25 February 2022, Malou signed with Columbus Crew 2 ahead of their inaugural season in the MLS Next Pro.[9][10]
Columbus Crew 2 – current squad | |
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