1. Early Life and Youth Career
Joan González's formative years in football began in Catalonia, where he joined his first youth clubs.
1.1. Birth and Early Background
Joan González Cañellas was born on 1 February 2002, in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. He stands at 75 in (190 cm) tall and weighs 183 lb (83 kg).
1.2. Youth Club Career
González began his youth career at UE Cornellà, where he played from 2014 until 2019. On 5 September 2019, he moved to the prestigious youth academy of FC Barcelona, known as La MasiaLa Ma-see-aCatalan. After two years with Barcelona's youth setup, he made another move on 19 August 2021, joining the Primavera (youth) academy of US Lecce in Italy.
2. Professional Career
González's professional career saw him transition from youth football to the senior ranks, making his debut in Italy and contributing to Lecce's presence in Serie A.
2.1. Club Progression
After spending a year in Lecce's Primavera squad, González began training with the club's senior team during the preseason in the summer of 2022. Following Lecce's promotion to Serie A for the 2022-23 season, he was officially promoted to their first-team squad. He wears jersey number 16 for Lecce.
2.2. Professional Debut and Milestones
González made his professional debut for Lecce in the Coppa Italia on 5 August 2022. He came on as a late substitute in a match against A.S. Cittadella, which ended in a 1-1 draw, though Lecce ultimately lost 3-2 on aggregate. His first professional league goal came on 11 September 2022, in a Serie A match against AC Monza, which concluded in a 1-1 draw.
3. Playing Style
González has demonstrated adaptability in his playing style throughout his development. He was initially trained as a midfielder. During his time at FC Barcelona, he converted to playing as a centre-back. However, upon joining US Lecce, he returned to his natural midfield role. He is noted for his proficiency in playmaking from deeper positions, often executing precise passes and showing a keen ability to choose the best passing lanes. He is also described as an excellent dribbler with a good sense of position, capable of playing in both two-man and three-man midfield formations.
4. Career Statistics
The following table provides a comprehensive overview of Joan González's club career statistics, including appearances and goals in various competitions, as of 27 November 2023.
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Lecce | 2022-23 | Serie A | 35 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | 36 | 1 | |
| 2023-24 | Serie A | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | 10 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 44 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 2 | ||