| Julián Araujo | |
| Full Name: | Julián Vicente Araujo Zúñiga[1] |
| Birth Date: | 2001 8, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Lompoc, United States |
| Height: | 1.76 m[2] |
| Position: | Right-back |
| Currentclub: | AFC Bournemouth |
| Clubnumber: | 28 |
| Youthclubs1: | Central Coast Condors |
| Youthclubs2: | Santa Barbara Soccer Club |
| Youthclubs3: | Barça Residency Academy |
| Youthyears4: | 2018–2019 |
| Youthclubs4: | LA Galaxy |
| Years1: | 2018–2019 |
| Clubs1: | LA Galaxy II |
| Caps1: | 2 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 2019–2023 |
| Clubs2: | LA Galaxy |
| Caps2: | 100 |
| Goals2: | 1 |
| Years3: | 2023–2024 |
| Clubs3: | Barcelona |
| Caps3: | 0 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Years4: | 2023–2024 |
| Clubs4: | → Las Palmas (loan) |
| Caps4: | 25 |
| Goals4: | 1 |
| Years5: | 2024– |
| Clubs5: | AFC Bournemouth |
| Caps5: | 1 |
| Goals5: | 0 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2017 |
| Nationalteam1: | United States U16 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 4 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2017–2018 |
| Nationalteam2: | United States U18 |
| Nationalcaps2: | 6 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
| Nationalyears3: | 2018 |
| Nationalteam3: | United States U19 |
| Nationalcaps3: | 2 |
| Nationalgoals3: | 0 |
| Nationalyears4: | 2018 |
| Nationalteam4: | United States U20 |
| Nationalcaps4: | 2 |
| Nationalgoals4: | 0 |
| Nationalyears5: | 2019–2021 |
| Nationalteam5: | United States U23 |
| Nationalcaps5: | 6 |
| Nationalgoals5: | 0 |
| Nationalyears6: | 2020 |
| Nationalteam6: | United States |
| Nationalcaps6: | 1 |
| Nationalgoals6: | 0 |
| Nationalyears7: | 2021– |
| Nationalteam7: | Mexico |
| Nationalcaps7: | 13 |
| Nationalgoals7: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | 19 May 2024 |
| Nationalteam-Update: | 21 March 2024 |
Julián Vicente Araujo Zúñiga (born 13 August 2001) is a professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Premier League club AFC Bournemouth. Born in the United States, he represents the Mexico national team.[3]
Araujo was born in Lompoc, California, and is of Mexican descent. He attended Lompoc High School.[4] After two years at Lompoc High School, he left home and joined Barça Residency Academy in Casa Grande, Arizona in 2017.[5]
In March 2017, Araujo had committed to playing college soccer at the University of California, Santa Barbara from 2018 onward.[6]
Araujo made his professional debut in a 2–2 draw with Seattle Sounders 2 on 4 October 2018, coming on as an 88th-minute substitute for Nate Shultz.[7]
On 1 March 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.[8]
Araujo made 108 total appearances with the Galaxy, scoring once in the regular season and again in the playoffs. He became a regular starter beginning in 2019 and finished 2021 and 2022 as the team's defender of the year.[9]
On 1 February 2023, Barcelona and LA Galaxy agreed on a transfer for Araujo. The paperwork, however, was delivered 18 seconds late,[10] and the deal was left in limbo after FIFA rejected the transfer but the Court of Arbitration for Sport overruled.[11] Ultimately, by 17 February Araujo was transferred to Barcelona.[9]
On 1 August 2023, Araujo was loaned to La Liga side Las Palmas for the entire 2023–24 season.[12] [13]
On 31 October, Araujo scored his first goal with the club in a 3–0 away win against Manacor to advance in the second round of the Copa del Rey.[14] On 1 December, he scored his first league goal with the club, scoring the first goal in their 2–0 win over Getafe.[15] On 7 January 2024, during a Copa del Rey match against Tenerife, Araujo picked up a red card for a violent conduct on Nacho Martínez after Nacho Martínez had gone down in the penalty area. On 10 January, it was announced that he would serve a four-match suspension.[16] He returned a month later on 10 February, coming on in stoppage-time for Marvin Park in their 2–0 win over Valencia.
On 13 August 2024, Araujo joined Premier League team Bournemouth on a five-year deal.[17]
Araujo was eligible to play for the United States and Mexico.[18]
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.[19]
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.[4] He was called up again in December 2020 for a game against El Salvador, in which he made his senior level debut.[20] 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.[21]
On 18 June 2021, Araujo was named to the preliminary 59-player USMNT roster for the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup but was left off the final roster on 1 July 2021. Berhalter cited Araujo's dual citizenship and unwillingness to become cap-tied to the USMNT.[22]
On 13 August 2021, sports media in Mexico reported that Araujo himself had filed and submitted the one-time switch to FIFA in order to join Mexico.[23] As of 4 October 2021 FIFA officially approved Araujo's case.[24] [25]
On 27 November 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 8 December.[26] He was given a starting berth in Mexico's 2–2 draw, playing the full 90 minutes.[27] In making his debut, Araujo became the third player in the history of the Mexico–United States rivalry in having represented both national teams alongside Martín Vásquez and Edgar Castillo.[28]
In the summer of 2023, Araujo was part of Mexico national team that reached 3rd-place finish at the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League Finals and won the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 0 | 20 | 0 | ||
| 2020 | 17 | 1 | — | — | — | 17 | 1 | ||||||
| 2021 | 32 | 0 | — | — | — | 32 | 0 | ||||||
| 2022 | 33 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 2 | 1 | 39 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 100 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | 3 | 1 | 108 | 2 | ||||
| Barcelona | 2022–23 | La Liga | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Las Palmas (loan) | 2023–24 | La Liga | 25 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 28 | 2 | |||
| AFC Bournemouth | 2024–25 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 128 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 139 | 4 | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 2021 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2023 | 9 | 0 | ||
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 13 | 0 | ||
United States U20
Mexico
Individual