Junior Colina
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Junior Alexander Colina Bracho[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 9 December 2006 | ||
| Place of birth | Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela[1] | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Rio Ave | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Petroleros | |||
| 2021–2023 | Rayo Zuliano | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023–2025 | Rayo Zuliano | 21 | (3) |
| 2025– | Rio Ave | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2023 | Venezuela U17 | 11 | (2) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:53, 21 May 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16:53, 21 May 2025 (UTC) | |||
Junior Alexander Colina Bracho (born 9 December 2006) is a Venezuelan footballer who currently plays as a forward for Portuguese club Rio Ave.
Early life
Born in Maracaibo in the Venezuelan state of Zulia and raised in the Negro Primero neighbourhood, Colina worked a number of jobs during his youth. He helped his father, a bus driver, as a fare collector on his routes, as well as selling garlic and working in stores.[2][3]
Club career
As a child, Colina would play on local farms and dirt fields of Los Cortijos in Maracaibo, as well as in San Francisco.[4] At the age of six,[5] his father took him to a club named Petroleros, where he met former Venezuelan international footballer Freddy Elie.[3] After returning to street football, he received a call from Elie telling him to go to El Callao field the following day, where professional club Rayo Zuliano would be conducting trials.[3]
Having attended the trial, he joined the academy of Rayo Zuliano at the age of fourteen in 2021, and just a year later he was the club's top scorer in the national youth league.[6] The following year he made his professional debut, which he marked with a goal in Rayo Zuliano's 4–4 draw with Mineros de Guayana on 26 February 2023.[4]
Having long been linked with a move to Europe, Colina joined Portuguese Primera Liga club Rio Ave in January 2025.[4]
International career
Colina was first called up to the Venezuela under-17 side in March 2023.[7] He remained in the squad for the 2023 South American U-17 Championship, and scored two goals, against Argentina and Ecuador, helping his side to a fourth-place finish.[5] On his return to Venezuela following the tournament, he was greeted at La Chinita International Airport by dozens of fans, as well as youth and senior players of Rayo Zuliano.[8][9]
Called up again to the squad for the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup, Colina made little impact on Venezuela's unsuccessful campaign, highlighted by their 3–0 defeat to Germany, where Colina asked fans to "trust [them]", and that the squad would "bring the jersey forward for the country".[10]
Career statistics
Club
- As of 19 May 2025.[11]
| Club | Season | League | Cup[a] | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Rayo Zuliano | 2023 | Venezuelan Primera División | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | |
| 2024 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5[b] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 | ||
| Total | 21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 3 | ||
| Rio Ave | 2024–25 | Primeira Liga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Career total | 21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 3 | ||
- Notes
- ^ Includes Copa Venezuela and Taça de Portugal
- ^ Appearances in the Copa Sudamericana
References
- ^ a b c Junior Colina at WorldFootball.net
- ^ Morán, German (26 April 2023). "La joya Venezolana qué era cobrador de bus y hoy lo miran de Europa" [The Venezuelan jewel who was a bus collector and today is watched by Europeans]. elfutboler.com.ve (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 May 2025.
- ^ a b c Santana, Miguel (12 November 2023). "Junior Colina sigue escalando" [Junior Colina continues climbing]. santanadeportes.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 May 2025.
- ^ a b c "Venezuela se ilusiona: el joven futbolista que continuará su carrera en Portugal" [Venezuela is excited: the young footballer will continue his career in Portugal]. directvsports.com (in Spanish). 15 January 2025. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
- ^ a b "Junior Colina: «Los sueños se cumplen»" [Junior Colina: "Dreams come true"]. redradiove.com (in Spanish). 25 April 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
- ^ "Junior Colina: de Rayo a la Vinotinto" [Junior Colina: from Rayo to Vinotinto]. suresnoticia.com (in Spanish). 30 March 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
- ^ "Junior Colina: De Rayo Zuliano a la Selección Nacional Juvenil" [Junior Colina: From Rayo Zuliano to the National Youth Team]. redradiove.com (in Spanish). 4 March 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
- ^ "Rayo Zuliano desbordó de alegría para recibir al mundialista Junior Colina" [Rayo Zuliano was overjoyed to welcome World Cup player Junior Colina]. deportesdigital.com.ve (in Spanish). 26 April 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
- ^ "Emotivo recibimiento al mundialista Junior Colina, de Rayo Zuliano en Maracaibo" [Emotional welcome for World Cup player Junior Colina of Rayo Zuliano in Maracaibo]. notizulia.net (in Spanish). 26 April 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
- ^ Morán, German (18 November 2023). "Después de una aplastante derrota frente a Alemania, así lo analizó Junior Colina" [After a crushing defeat against Germany, this is how Junior Colina analyzed it]. elfutboler.com.ve (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 May 2025.
- ^ Junior Colina at Soccerway