Joao Rojas (footballer, born 1989)

Joao Robin Rojas Mendoza (Spanish pronunciation: [ɟʝoˈao ˈroxas]; born 14 June 1989) is an Ecuadorian professional footballer who plays as a winger for ADT. He also holds Mexican citizenship.[2]

Joao Rojas
Rojas with São Paulo in 2018
Personal information
Full name Joao Robin Rojas Mendoza[1]
Date of birth (1989-06-14) 14 June 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth La Troncal, Ecuador
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
ADT
Number 12
Youth career
2006 Municipal Cañar
2008 River Plate
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2008 Técnico Universitario 67 (6)
2009–2011 Independiente DV 0 (0)
2009–2010Emelec (loan) 75 (13)
2011Morelia (loan) 42 (7)
2012–2013 Morelia 53 (11)
2013–2018 Cruz Azul 111 (20)
2017–2018Talleres (loan) 12 (1)
2018–2021 São Paulo 33 (1)
2022 Orense 22 (2)
2023 Deportivo Garcilaso 27 (5)
2024- ADT 15 (7)
International career
2009 Ecuador U20 4 (2)
2008–2015 Ecuador 34 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:53, 13 August 2023 (UTC)

Club career

edit

Ecuadorian clubs

edit

At a young age, he had already played more than 80 games as a professional. He began in Municipal de Cañar as a juvenile for twelve months. The following year, he moved on to Deportivo Quevedo, but was then transferred to Barcelona for a while. In 2007, he moved to Tecnico Universitario where he began his real career. In the 2008 season, he won the award of best juvenile player of the tournament with Tecnico. However, since Tecnico did not qualify for the liguilla final, the club loaned him to River Plate in the Ecuadorian Second Division until January. He has currently been linked with a move to Emelec in the offseason.[3] LDU Quito, El Nacional, and Barcelona have been interested in him as well but they have been put down because of his $1 million price tag.[4] On February 10, 2009, Rojas signed a contract with Emelec.

Monarcas Morelia

edit

2011 season

edit
 
Rojas playing for Morelia in 2011

Emelec loaned Rojas to Morelia in January 2011, in his first season Rojas scored five goals in 22 games, two of which goals were on the semi-final match against Club America, and also scored on the final against UNAM at home, drawing 1–1 in the first leg. but failed to win the championship, and settled for second.

2011–12 season

edit

Monarcas secured his pass to the Michoacán club and received the number 10 shirt for the club. Rojas played 20 games and scored 2 goals. The second half of the season, also called the Clausura, Rojas helped the club to reach the semi-final stages of both the Mexican league and CONCACAF Champions League as well.

2012–13 season

edit

Before the start of the Apertura 2012 season Morelia signed Jefferson Montero, Rojas' former Ecuador U-20 teammate, Rojas and Montero continuously assisted each other in both League and Copa MX matches. His first league goal of the season came in a 3–0 win against Puebla. Later he would score against Club León both league and cup matches, both within a week. He would go on to score two more goals against Querétaro and Atlas.

Cruz Azul

edit

2013–14 season

edit

On the Liga MX draft day, Joao Rojas was transferred to Cruz Azul, and was given the number 11 shirt. His club debut came on July 20, winning 1-0 against Monterrey. On July 26, Joao scored his first goal for Cruz Azul, losing 3-2 against Santos Laguna.

São Paulo

edit

On 22 June 2018, Rojas joined Brazilian club São Paulo FC on a two-year contract.[5]

Return to Ecuador

edit

On 23 March 2022, Rojas returned to Ecuador and signed with Orense.[6]

International career

edit

He was called up to perform at the international level, getting his first cap against Mexico in November 2008. He came on as a substitute in the final minutes of the game. Rojas earned his first senior start the next year in March 2009, in a friendly played against El Salvador.

Rojas have been compared by "El Universo" to Christian Benítez because of his speed, skills, and size. He performed in the U-20 team in Venezuela for the 2009 South American Youth Championship.[7] He scored the two goals in Ecuador's 2-1 win against Peru in the youth championship. Rojas has now been called up for the upcoming South American World Cup Qualifiers and is in contention for a starting line up alongside Carlos Tenorio due to a shoulder injury. Rojas was picked in the 2014 World Cup by Reinaldo Rueda. He came on in the 77' in Ecuador first match against Switzerland.

International goals

edit
# Date Venue Opponent Score Final Competition
1. 11 November 2011 Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay   Paraguay 1–2 1–2 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
2. 21 March 2013 Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa, Quito, Ecuador   El Salvador 5–0 5–0 Friendly

Career statistics

edit
As of February 21, 2016
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Técnico Universitario 2007 36 3 36 3
2008 31 3 0 0 31 3
Total 67 6 0 0 67 6
Emelec 2009 32 6 4 0 36 6
2010 44 7 11 4 55 11
Total 76 13 15 4 91 17
Morelia 2011 Clausura 22 5 0 0 0 0 22 5
2011-12 38 4 0 0 6 3 44 7
2012-13 35 9 4 2 0 0 39 11
Total 95 18 4 2 6 3 105 23
Cruz Azul 2013-14 32 8 0 0 8 0 40 8
2014-15 28 4 0 0 5 1 33 5
2015–16 21 2 2 0 0 0 23 2
Total 81 14 2 0 13 1 96 15
Career total 319 51 6 2 34 8 359 61

National team

edit
Ecuador
Year Apps Goals
2008 1 0
2009 3 0
2010 6 0
2011 3 1
2012 4 0
2013 10 1
2014 6 0
2015 1 0
Total 34 2

Honours

edit
Cruz Azul
São Paulo

References

edit
  1. ^ "FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2014: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 15 December 2014. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 July 2015.
  2. ^ "Especial: Crece el número de naturalizados en la Liga MX | Futbol Mexicano | TelevisaDeportes.com". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-07-26.
  3. ^ "Joao Rojas en conversaciones con Emelec".
  4. ^ "South American Under-20 Profile: Player Of The First Day: Joao Rojas (Ecuador) | Goal.com".
  5. ^ "São Paulo anuncia a contratação do equatoriano Joao Rojas" [São Paulo announces the hiring of the Ecuadorian Joao Rojas] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 22 June 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  6. ^ "Joao Es Orense y Orense Es Joao" (in Spanish). Orense. 23 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  7. ^ "Noticias de fútbol, marcadores en directo, resultados y fichajes | Goal.com Argentina".
edit