Joe Corona

Club Tijuana

After leaving San Diego State, one of Corona's friends encouraged him to attend an open tryout for Mexican side Club Tijuana who played in Liga de Ascenso at the time. He impressed during his tryout and began playing with the Xolos' reserves team. Although his parents wanted him to continue his education in the United States, Corona decided on pursuing a pro career with Tijuana. After spending four months with the reserves, Corona was promoted to the Tijuana first team. On April 3, 2010, he made his debut for Xolos' first team, coming on as a substitute in a 3–2 loss to Club Necaxa in the Liga de Ascenso Clausura 2010. Corona made 3 appearances during his first season with the first team. The 2010–11 season saw Corona establish himself in Tijuana first team. He scored his first professional goal on August 29, 2010, to help Xolos to a 2–0 win over Durango. Corona played in 15 of the 17 matches of the Apertura to help Tijuana finish top of the table and qualify for the Liguilla semifinals. Although he didn't feature in either leg of the semifinal, Corona started both legs of the final, helping Xolos beat Veracruz 3–0 on aggregate. For the 2011 Clausura season, Corona scored 3 goals in 15 appearances as Tijuana finished 4th in the Table. He played in all 6 of Xolos' games in Liguilla, scoring once, as Tijuana reached the final, where they lost 2–1 to C.D. Irapuato over two legs. Since the Apertura and Clausura had different championships, a…

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. In May 2011, El Salvador head coach Rubén Israel approached Corona about representing El Salvador, but Corona declined in favor of representing the U.S. or Mexico. 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, United States men's national soccer team head coach Jürgen Klinsmann called up Corona to senior team. On May 26, 2012, Corona made his debut for the senior national team in a friendly against Scotland, coming on in the 68th…

Club

As of March 12, 2023

International

As of match played December 31, 2020

International goals

Scores and results list the United States' goal tally first. As of July 15, 2017

Corona is of Mexican and Salvadoran descent. His mother was born in El Salvador (Yanira Crespín), and his father in Mexico (Angel Corona). He has one sibling, a sister named Miriam. He was born in Los Angeles, California, and when he was 3 his family moved to Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. When he was 9, the Corona family moved to San Diego, California, United States, just over 30 miles north of Tijuana. In San Diego, Corona graduated from Sweetwater High School in National City, CA. After finishing high school, he received a partial scholarship to attend San Diego State University. He is married to Ana Melissa Valadez and they have a daughter Isabel born on July 4, 2024.