Justin Che

{{short description|American soccer player}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}

{{Use American English|date=August 2022}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Justin Che

| image = Justin Che 2023.jpg

| caption = Che in 2023

| full_name = Justin Isiah Che{{cite web |url=https://fdp.fifa.org/assetspublic/ce89/pdf/SquadLists-English.pdf |title=Squad List – FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023: USA |publisher=FIFA |page=23 |date=May 18, 2023 |access-date=May 18, 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519182011/https://fdp.fifa.org/assetspublic/ce89/pdf/SquadLists-English.pdf |archive-date=May 19, 2023}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|11|18}}

| birth_place = Richardson, Texas, United States

| height = {{convert|1.85|m|ftin|order=flip}}{{cite web |url=https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/player/justin-che |title=Justin Isiah Che {{!}} TSG Hoffenheim {{!}} Player Profile {{!}} Bundesliga |website=bundesliga.com |publisher=DFL |accessdate=24 September 2022}}{{WorldFootball.net}}

| position = Right-back

| currentclub = Brøndby

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 2009–2020

| youthclubs1 = FC Dallas

| years1 = 2020

| clubs1 = North Texas SC

| caps1 = 16

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2020–2023

| clubs2 = FC Dallas

| caps2 = 15

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2021

| clubs3 = → Bayern Munich II (loan)

| caps3 = 8

| goals3 = 0

| clubs4 = → TSG Hoffenheim (loan)

| years4 = 2022–2023

| caps4 = 2

| goals4 = 0

| clubs5 = → TSG Hoffenheim II (loan)

| years5 = 2022–2023

| caps5 = 24

| goals5 = 1

| years6 = 2023–

| clubs6 = Brøndby

| caps6 = 0

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2023–2024

| clubs7 = → ADO Den Haag (loan)

| caps7 = 21

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2025

| clubs8 = → Patro Eisden (loan)

| caps8 = 13

| goals8 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2021–2023

| nationalteam1 = United States U20

| nationalcaps1 = 10

| nationalgoals1 = 1

| club-update = June 24, 2025

| nationalteam-update = June 4, 2023

}}

Justin Isiah Che (born November 18, 2003) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a right-back for Belgien side Patro Eisden, on loan from Danish Superliga club Brøndby IF.

Club career

=FC Dallas=

Che joined the FC Dallas academy in 2009.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fcdallas.com/players/justin-che|title=Justin Che | FC Dallas|access-date=July 28, 2020|archive-date=August 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805141229/https://www.fcdallas.com/players/justin-che|url-status=dead}} During 2020, Che played with the FC Dallas USL League One affiliate side, North Texas SC, where he earned 2020 USL League One All-League Team honors at the end of the season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslleagueone.com/news_article/show/1131270-2020-usl-league-one-all-league-teams-revealed-|title=2020 USL League One All-League Teams Revealed|author=USLLeagueOne com Staff|date=November 4, 2020|website=USL League One}} Che subsequently signed a homegrown player deal with FC Dallas on October 2, 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fcdallas.com/post/2020/10/02/fc-dallas-signs-academy-product-justin-che|title=FC Dallas Signs Academy Product Justin Che | FC Dallas|work=FC Dallas |date=October 2, 2020 }}

==Bayern Munich (loan)==

On January 5, 2021, Che was one of six FC Dallas players who went on a three-week training stint with German Bundesliga side Bayern Munich.{{Cite web|date=January 5, 2021|title=Six FC Dallas homegrowns to train with FC Bayern|url=https://fcbayern.com/us/news/2021/01/six-fc-dallas-homegrown-players-to-train-with-fc-bayern|website=Bayern Munich}} On February 12, he joined Bayern Munich II on loan.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fcdallas.com/post/2021/02/12/fc-dallas-loans-homegrown-justin-che-fc-bayern-munich|title=FC Dallas Loans Homegrown Justin Che to FC Bayern Munich | FC Dallas|work=FC Dallas |date=February 12, 2021}} On June 15, it was announced that Che would return to FC Dallas.{{Cite web|url=https://fcbayern.com/us/news/2021/06/cooperation-with-fc-dallas---justin-che|title=Jochen Sauer: "Justin Che has a great career ahead of him|date=June 6, 2021}}

== Hoffenheim (loan) ==

On January 21, 2022, it was announced Che had been loaned to Bundesliga club Hoffenheim from FC Dallas.{{Cite web|title=Hoffenheim sign former Bayern Munich loanee Justin Che from FC Dallas|url=https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/hoffenheim-sign-justin-che-fc-dallas-usa-bayern-munich-18628|access-date=January 21, 2022|website=bundesliga.com – the official Bundesliga website|language=en}}

=Brøndby=

In July 2023, Che signed for Danish Superliga club Brøndby.{{cite web|url=https://www.fcdallas.com/news/fc-dallas-transfers-homegrown-justin-che-to-brondby-if|title=FC Dallas Transfers Homegrown Justin Che to Brøndby IF|website=www.fcdallas.com|date=14 July 2023|accessdate=17 August 2023}}

Shortly after, on August 17, 2023, Che joined Eerste Divisie club ADO Den Haag on a season-long loan deal.{{cite web|url=https://adodenhaag.nl/nl/nieuws/laatste-nieuws/1e-elftal/17542-justin-che-op-huurbasis-naar-ado-den-haag|trans-title=JUSTIN CHÉ ON A RENTAL BASIS TO ADO DEN HAAG|title=JUSTIN CHÉ OP HUURBASIS NAAR ADO DEN HAAG|website=adodenhaag.nl|language=Dutch|date=17 August 2023|accessdate=17 August 2023}} The move spawned criticism from some supporters, as the deal happened between two of David Blitzer's stakeholder clubs.{{cite web |title=Udmelding vedr. udlejning af Justin Che til ADO Den Haag |url=https://www.fanafdelingen.dk/2023/08/18/udmelding-vedr-udlejning-af-justin-che-til-ado-den-haag/ |website=Fanafdelingen i Brøndbyernes IF |access-date=20 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230820212341/https://www.fanafdelingen.dk/2023/08/18/udmelding-vedr-udlejning-af-justin-che-til-ado-den-haag/ |archive-date=20 August 2023 |language=da-DK |date=18 August 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Porse |first1=Kristian |title=Brøndby sender ny spiller på leje i søsterklub |url=https://bold.dk/fodbold/stillinger/superligaen/nyheder/brondby-sender-ny-spiller-pa-leje-i-sosterklub |access-date=20 August 2023 |work=bold.dk |date=17 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230820212652/https://bold.dk/fodbold/stillinger/superligaen/nyheder/brondby-sender-ny-spiller-pa-leje-i-sosterklub |archive-date=20 August 2023 |language=da}} Che returned to Brøndby at the end of the season.[https://www.tipsbladet.dk/nyhed/superliga/forsvarsspiller-skal-tilbage-til-broendby-if Forsvarsspiller skal tilbage til Brøndby IF], tipsbladet.dk, 3 June 2024

On February 3, 2025, on transfer deadline day, Che joined Belgian Challenger Pro League club Patro Eisden on a season-long loan deal.[https://patroeisden.com/welcome-justin-che/ Welcome Justin Che!], patroeisden.com, 3 February 2025

International career

Che received his first call-up to the United States national team ahead of a friendly against Switzerland on May 20, 2021, but did not feature in the match.{{cite web|url=https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2021/05/berhalter-calls-27-players-for-usmnt-camp-ahead-of-friendly-against-no-13-ranked-switzerland|title=BERHALTER CALLS 27 PLAYERS FOR USMNT TRAINING CAMP AHEAD OF FRIENDLY AGAINST NO. 13-RANKED SWITZERLAND|date=May 20, 2021}}

Personal life

Justin Che was born in the United States to a Cameroonian father and a German-Russian mother.{{Cite web|date=April 23, 2021|title=Interview with young talent Justin Che: 'Football is in my blood'|url=https://fcbayern.com/en/news/2021/04/fc-bayern-ii---justin-che-interview|access-date=July 14, 2021}} His mother was born in Russia but raised in Germany, where her parents currently reside, and both her father and mother have German citizenship. Justin holds a German as well as an American passport.{{Cite web|title=Justin Che: "Being with Bayern Munich might open doors with the Germany national team"|url=https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/justin-che-being-with-bayern-munich-might-open-door-with-germany-usa-dallas-14969|access-date=July 14, 2021|website=bundesliga.com|language=en}} He is eligible for the national teams of the United States, Cameroon, Russia, and Germany.{{Cite web|title=USMNT Newbies: Justin Che, Matthew Hoppe and David Ochoa Earn First Chance With Senior Team|url=https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2021/05/usmnt-newbies-justin-che-matthew-hoppe-and-david-ochoa-earn-first-chance-with-senior-team|access-date=July 14, 2021|website=www.ussoccer.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=US or Germany? Dallas homegrown Justin Che keeping international options open|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/us-or-germany-dallas-homegrown-justin-che-keeping-international-options-open|access-date=July 14, 2021|website=mlssoccer.com}}

Career statistics

{{updated|match played March 15, 2024}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

rowspan="2"|Club

!rowspan="2"|Season

!colspan="3"|League

!colspan="2"|National cup

!colspan="2"|Continental

!colspan="2"|Other

!colspan="2"|Total

DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
North Texas SC

|2020

|USL League One

|16

0colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—160
FC Dallas

|2021

|Major League Soccer

|15

000colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—150
Bayern Munich II

|2020–21

|3. Liga

|8

0colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—80
rowspan="3"|1899 Hoffenheim (loan)

|2021–22

|Bundesliga

|2

000colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—20
2022–23

|Bundesliga

|0

010colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—10
colspan="2"|Total

!2

010000030
rowspan="3"|1899 Hoffenheim II (loan)

|2021–22

|Regionalliga Südwest

|6

0colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—60
2022–23

|Regionalliga Südwest

|18

1colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—181
colspan="2"|Total

!24

1colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—241
ADO Den Haag (loan)

|2023–24

|Eerste Divisie

|21

020colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—230
colspan="3"|Career total

!86

0300000890

Honors

Individual

References

{{reflist}}