Jesús Barea

Jesús Rafael Barea Barroso (born 28 April 2002) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Major League Soccer club Real Salt Lake.

Youth and college Barea was born in Cádiz, Spain, where he played with Cádiz CF's youth academy from age 11, scoring in all three seasons and helping the team win league championships in 2016 and 2018. In 2019, Barea moved to the United States, where he attended Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut.

In 2020, Barea attended Missouri State University, where he went on to score 34 goals and tallied 19 assists in 88 appearances across five seasons, including a truncated season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In his freshman year, Barea earned 2020-21 MVC All-Freshman Team honors. He became a three-time All-MVC first team player, a three-time United Soccer Coaches All-West Region player and was named to the 2023 MVC All-Tournament Team. In his five years with the team, Missouri State won four regular season conference titles and three consecutive MVC Tournament championships.

Professional career On 20 December 2024, Barea was selected 19th overall in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft by Real Salt Lake. On 27 February 2025, Barea signed his first professional contract with Major League Soccer side Real Salt Lake, agreeing a one-year deal. He made his professional debut on 29 March 2025, playing the entire second half during a 2–0 loss to Minnesota United.