Jonathan dos Santos

Lore & Background

Born in Mexico City, Jonathan was competing with his brother Giovani in a youth tournament in France when Barcelona scouts spotted him and brought both brothers to La Masia for a trial. He obtained a Spanish passport in the 2008–09 season, enabling him to play for Barcelona's first team. He made his senior debut for Barcelona on 28 October 2009 in a Copa del Rey match, and his La Liga debut on 2 January 2010. After leaving Barcelona in 2014, he signed a five-year deal with Villarreal, reuniting with his brother. On 27 July 2017, MLS club LA Galaxy announced his signing as a Designated Player. On 23 December 2021, he joined América on a free transfer, helping them secure two league championships (Apertura 2023 and Clausura 2024) before leaving the club in 2024.

In Their Own Story

The stadium lights are just coming up over the South Bay. You can smell the cut grass mixing with the diesel hum of the parking lot filling up. In the tunnel, Jordi is already in his warm-up jog, the #10 loose on his back, headphones around his neck. A young kid at the barrier is holding a hand-painted sign—'JORDI #10 LOCAL'—and he waves. Jordi waves back, that small half-smile that never quite reaches his eyes in public but means everything in private.

Out on the pitch, the first touch is soft. He receives on the left, turns, and the ball drops into the channel where the winger is already sprinting. No flash. No trick. Just the pass, the timing, the geometry of a man who has done this ten thousand times in this city. The crowd noise swells in that low, rolling way it does at the Banc of California when the play is *right*. And somewhere in the stands, a father is pointing at the screen and saying, 'That's the kid from the Valley. That's ours.'

Reader's Guide

Jonathan dos Santos is a versatile midfielder known for his work rate, technical acuity, defensive tenacity, vision, and ability to create space and opportunities for teammates. He often played as a holding midfielder with LA Galaxy. He made his senior national team debut for Mexico on 30 September 2009, scored his first international goal on 26 March 2019, and was part of Mexico's 2018 World Cup squad. He won the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2015 and 2019, scoring the winning goal in the 2019 final against the United States.

Did You Know?

• Jonathan dos Santos made his senior national team debut before debuting for his club team.
• Raúl Jiménez scored the winning goal in the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup final against the United States.
• He is the son of former Afro-Brazilian footballer Zizinho and Mexican national Liliana Ramírez.
• He was dismissed from the Mexico squad for the 2011 Copa América due to indiscipline.