Jason Geria

Jason Kato Geria (born 10 May 1993) is an Ugandan-Australian professional football (soccer) player who plays as a defender for JEF United Chiba in the J2 League and for the Australia national team.

Jason Geria
Geria with Melbourne Victory in 2015.
Personal information
Full name Jason Kato Geria
Date of birth (1993-05-10) 10 May 1993
Place of birth Canberra, Australia
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s) Right back
Club information
Current team
 JEF United Chiba
Number 2
Youth career
Weston Creek SC
Woden Valley
2009–2011 AIS
2011–2012 Brisbane Roar
2012–2013 Melbourne Victory
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2018 Melbourne Victory 107 (0)
2018– JEF United Chiba 57 (2)
National team‡
2011–2013 Australia U20 20 (3)
2014–2015 Australia U23 8 (0)
2016– Australia 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16 December 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 4 June 2016

Born in Canberra, Geria played youth football with the Australian Institute of Sport and Brisbane Roar youth before joining Melbourne Victory in 2012, where he made his professional debut and played for five years.

Early life

Geria was born in Canberra to Ugandan parents.[2]

Club career

Youth

Geria's first youth club was Weston Creek SC in Canberra.[3] He also played in Woden Valley's youth sides.[4] Geria was a member of the Australian Institute of Sport football program before joining Brisbane Roar's youth team in 2011.[5] He eventually became captain of the side in the National Youth League.[6]

Melbourne Victory

On 29 November 2012, Geria was signed for Melbourne Victory by ex-Roar coach Ange Postecoglou.[7] Despite often missing A-League games due to national youth team commitments, Geria became a regular first team player and was awarded the number 2 shirt, although it took him almost three years to score his first senior goal for the club, against Hume City in the 2015 FFA Cup Semi Final on 28 October 2015.[8]

JEF United Chiba

In March 2018, Geria left Melbourne Victory and transferred to J2 League club JEF United Chiba for a $800,000 transfer fee.[9]

International career

Geria played for Australia numerous times at youth level, including participating in the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup, and the 2016 AFC U-23 Championship.

Geria was first called up to the Socceroos by Ange Postecoglou (with whom he had played for at club level) in March 2016 for two 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification matches that month against Tajikistan and Jordan, but he didn't play any match.[10]

He was called up for the Socceroos for two home friendlies against Greece in June 2016, and started in the first match.[11] As he only represented Australia in friendlies, he is still eligible to represent Uganda.

Career statistics
As of 4 January 2020[12]
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Melbourne Victory 2012–13 A-League 40000040
2013–14 2100060270
2014–15 1602000180
2015–16 1804180301
2016–17 2703000300
2017–18 2102020250
Total10701211601351
JEF United Chiba 2018 J2 League 1402000160
2019 2100000210
2020 1310000131
Total4812000501
Total15511411601852

Honours

Club

Melbourne Victory

References
  1. "Jason Geria". melbournevictory.com.au. Melbourne Victory FC. Archived from the original on 25 February 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  2. David Polkinghorne (16 October 2014). "Melbourne defender Jason Geria hopes to inspire Canberrans like Carl Valeri". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  3. "Five minutes with Jason Geria". Melbourne Victory. 11 August 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  4. "WVSC Club History". Woden Weston FC. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  5. "Geria finds comfort in Brisbane". Brisbane Roar FC. 2 December 2011. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  6. "Roar announce NYL squad". Brisbane Roar FC. 12 October 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  7. Jim Morton (29 November 2012). "Postecoglou swoops on Roar youngster". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  8. Victory into FFA Cup final as brave Hume exit melbournevictory.com.au, John Greco, 28 October 2015
  9. Lynch, Michael (3 March 2018). "Melbourne Victory get mojo back with derby win as Jason Geria farewells A-League". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  10. "Caltex Socceroos squad for March WC qualifiers". Football Federation Australia. 9 March 2016.
  11. "Leckie's late goal wins it for Caltex Socceroos". Football Federation Australia. 4 June 2016.
  12. "Jason Geria". ALeagueStats.com. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
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