Joe Corona set to retire with Club Tijuana against Club America
Credit: Xolos
This Friday, January 9, Club Tijuana will host Club America at the Estadio Caliente for a game in the 2026 Clausura season.
San Diego native Joe Corona announced earlier in the week that he will retire from professional soccer after this match.
Corona has been playing professionally since 2010 and has built a successful career in Mexico and the United States. The midfielder was born in Los Angeles, but moved to San Diego at a young age and played youth soccer at local club Nomads SC.
Corona played high school soccer in the South Bay with Sweetwater High School and went on to play at the collegiate level with SDSU. After his college career, Corona joined the Club Tijuana academy, where he spent most of his professional career.
Este viernes @JoeCorona15 se despide de las canchas como jugador profesional. @FOXDeportes pic.twitter.com/0AhP6c1ojc
— Jessi Zamora (@jessizamora) January 7, 2026
The SDSU alumni have also played in Mexico with Veracruz, Dorados de Sinaloa, and Club América. Corona also played in the United States with the LA Galaxy, Houston Dynamo, and the San Diego Loyal. The veteran midfielder also had a brief stint in Sweden with GIF Sundsvall during the 2022 season.
Since then, he has stayed in the region with San Diego Loyal and Club Tijuana. Corona has had a decorated career, winning Liga MX titles with Club Tijuana and Club America. The San Diego native has also won second-tier league trophies with Xolos and Dorados de Sinaloa.
Corona was a fundamental component of Xolos’ early campaigns and a big reason why the team was able to achieve promotion to Liga MX in 2011.
The 35-year-old also represented the USMNT for several years and was able to win the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2013 and 2017. Corona represented Mexico’s U-22 national team for a game but ultimately decided to represent the United States at the international level.
Corona was known as a very consistent and creative midfielder who was a key element to Club Tijuana’s success early on. He quickly became a fan favorite on both sides of the border and is a name that will be remembered in Xoloitzcuintles’ history.
Francisco, 28, Chula Vista/Tijuana. I have been a Padres fan all my life, did most of the series previews and recaps in the Padres’ 2016 season for EVT. Now I focus more on the local soccer scene. Tijuana Xolos, San Diego FC, San Diego Wave. I have covered Liga MX, MLS, Mexico National Team, USWNT, Copa América and European clubs like Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund.