Jarlan Barrera
FullnameJarlan Junior Barrera Escalona
Birth date16 September 1995 (age 31)
Birth placeSanta Marta, Colombia
Height1.72 m[1]
CurrentclubReal Cartagena
PositionAttacking midfielder
Youthyears 1–2012
Youthclubs 1Juventud las Américas
Youthyears 22012–2013
Youthclubs 2La Equidad
Youthyears 32013
Youthclubs 3Junior Barranquilla
Years 12013–2018
Clubs 1Junior Barranquilla
Caps 1136
Goals 135
Years 22019
Clubs 2Tigres UANL
Caps 20
Goals 20
Years 32019
Clubs 3→ Rosario Central (loan)
Caps 32
Goals 30
Years 42019–2023
Clubs 4Atlético Nacional
Caps 4123
Goals 431
Years 52024–2025
Clubs 5Deportivo Cali
Caps 549
Goals 51
Years 62025–2026
Clubs 6Independiente Medellín
Caps 619
Goals 61
Years 72026–
Clubs 7Real Cartagena
Caps 70
Goals 70
Nationalyears 12015
Nationalteam 1Colombia U20
Nationalcaps 115
Nationalgoals 12
Nationalyears 22016
Nationalteam 2Colombia Olympic
Nationalcaps 22
Nationalgoals 20
Club-update9 March 2026

Jarlan Junior Barrera Escalona (born 16 September 1995) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Categoría Primera B club Real Cartagena.[2]

Club career

Born in Santa Marta, Barrera joined Atlético Junior's youth setup in 2013, from La Equidad.[3] He made his first team debut on 7 March 2013, coming on as a second-half substitute for Edwin Cardona in a 6–0 home routing of Valledupar, for the year's Copa Colombia.[4]

Regularly used in the cup matches, Barrera was only promoted to the main squad midway through the 2014 campaign. He made his Categoría Primera A debut on 24 August of that year, replacing Jorge Ortega in a 1–0 away loss against Independiente Medellín.[5]

Barrera scored his first senior goals on 27 August 2014, netting a brace in a 2–0 away defeat of Uniautónoma, for the season's national cup.[6] His first league goal came eight days later, as he scored his team's third in a 4–3 home win against Atlético Huila.[7]

Barrera quickly established himself as a starter for the club in the following years, winning two national cups during the process. On 12 December 2018, in the second leg of the 2018 Copa Sudamericana Finals, he missed a penalty in the stoppage time which would have given his side a 2–1 lead over Athletico Paranaense; Junior lost the tournament in the shoot-outs, with Barrera being substituted off shortly after his missed penalty.[8]

Barrera joined Tigres UANL on 1 January 2019, but only eight days later, he was loaned out to Rosario Central in Argentina.[9] The deal cost Rosario $200.000 and was without an option to buy.[9]

International career

After representing Colombia at under-20 level, Barrera was called up by the full side's manager José Pekerman for a training squad in February 2016.[10] He appeared in two matches with the under-23 team, but was cut out from Carlos Restrepo's final 19-man list ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Personal life

Barrera is a relative of former footballer Carlos Valderrama.[11]

Career statistics

[12]

ClubSeasonLeagueCupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Atlético Junior2013Categoría Primera A0050——50
2014132113——245
2015255823[a]1—368
2016264312[a]0—315
2017355945[a]0—499
20183772011[b]1—508
Subtotal136233810212—19535
Tigres UANL2018–19Liga MX00———00
Rosario Central (loan)2018–19Primera División20101[c]00040
Atlético Nacional2019Categoría Primera A243324[a]0—315
2020193219[c]5—309
2021207———207
Subtotal631353135—8121
Career total2013644133570028056

Honours

Club

Atlético Junior

References

  1. ^ "Jarlan Berrera" (in Spanish). Atlético Nacional. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  2. ^ "Real Cartagena hizo oficial el fichaje de Jarlan Barrera. El volante llega luego de su paso por Medellín.". Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  3. ^ "Jarlan Barrera y su pasado en La Equidad" [Jarlan Barrera and his past in La Equidad] (in Spanish). El Espectador. 15 November 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  4. ^ "Al estilo de Alexis, Junior goleó 6-0 a Valledupar en Copa Postobón" [At Alexis' style, Junior trashed Valledupar by 6–0 in the Copa Postobón] (in Spanish). Futbol Red. 8 March 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  5. ^ "De la mano del goleador Cano, DIM venció 0–1 al Junior en el 'Metro'" [Thanks to goalscorer Cano, DIM defeated Junior by 0–1 at the Metro] (in Spanish). Futbol Red. 24 August 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  6. ^ "Junior confirmó primer lugar del Grupo A de la Copa Postobón" [Junior confirmed the first position of the Group A of the Copa Postobón] (in Spanish). El Universal. 27 August 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  7. ^ "Con sus goles y calidad, Jarlan Barrera se labra su camino en el Junior" [With his goals and quality, Jarlan Barrera works his way up at Junior] (in Spanish). El Heraldo. 5 September 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  8. ^ "El penalti que Jarlan Barrera botó en la final de la Sudamericana" [The penalty that Jarlan Barrera kicked in the final of the Sudamericana] (in Spanish). El Tiempo. 13 December 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  9. ^ "Jarlan Barrera y el novelón del mercado: Es de Tigres, pero jugará en Central" [Jarlan Barrera and the novel of the market: He belongs to Tigres, but will play at Central] (in Spanish). Goal.com. 8 January 2019.
  10. ^ "Pekerman calls-up local players with a view to WC qualifying". Oximity.com. 12 February 2016. Archived from the original on 16 December 2018. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  11. ^ ""El sobrino de 'El Pibe' Valderrama": así presentan en México a Jarlan Barrera" ["The nephew of Valderrama": this is how Jarlan Barrera is presented in Mexico] (in Spanish). Caracol Televisión. 17 November 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  12. ^
  1. ^ Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana
  2. ^ Three appearances in Copa Libertadores, eight appearances and one goal in Copa Sudamericana
  3. ^ Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores