Javier Mariona is a 21-year-old American-born Philippines senior national team member with 6 caps. Currently, he represents them at U23 level, scoring 3 goals in 8 caps. Mariona previously represented El Salvador at U20 level, earning 6 caps and scoring 4 times. At club level, he represents AV Alta FC in USL League One. In 1,056 minutes last season, Mariona contributed 2 goals and 2 assists. He has spent time with other USL sides Central Valley Fuego FC and Oakland Roots SC, after developing with multiple California academies, including the San Jose Earthquakes.
Mariona is short at 1.68 m with a lean frame that is surprisingly sturdy. He has a low center of gravity and a very quick first step, giving him elite change of direction for this standard of play. That sturdiness, combined with low center of gravity, provides him notable contact balance on the dribble. This also allows him to operate pretty well on the half turn, too. His explosive acceleration allows him easy separation in tight spaces. His stature limits him in aerial duels, unable to rise up for them. Stronger defenders will still knock him off balance from time-to-time, especially in the box. This also means he is limited in his ability to win shoulder-to-shoulder duels.
In possession, Mariona has both the flair and confidence needed to be a dynamic 1v1 eliminator. He has excellent ball control at full speed and is comfortable dribbling in tight spaces out wide, capable of cutting into the box from there with conviction. He attacks with initiative on ball, immediately taking on his marker upon receiving on the half turn. Mariona is still willing to do so even after losing duels. His lack of strength can limit him capitalizing after winning 1v1. Additionally, he scans preemptively and keeps his head up on the dribble, having intelligent risk evaluation to know when to take on vs. retain. He mainly uses his dominant right foot, regardless of which wing he is deployed on. Mariona can struggle on ball centrally when cover comes in, and when dribbling in the final third, he can hold onto the ball for too long. He is at his best in distribution when combining play with overlapping fullbacks. Mariona is able to play those and key passes by creating angles made after drawing in the defense. He can be both creative and decisive with his end product, assisting by drilling in ground crosses and cutbacks. In terms of finishing, his shooting can be rushed under pressure and technique inconsistent, with several attempts narrowly missing or blocked.
Defensively, Mariona displays a high work rate and clear effort. He is an active presser who utilizes his quick reactions and sharp change of direction to both close out and track back consistently. He is willing to track back deep into his own third to support his fullback, able to position himself effectively to temporarily contain opponents because of his agility. His slide tackling from behind tends to be late and leads to fouls.
Though Mariona’s size and strength may limit his ceiling, his athleticism and technical ability on the dribble make him a promising profile to monitor. He will have to make a step up to the USL Championship eventually, but he must improve his final third contribution to do so. From there, he has the potential to make it to the MLS and become a regular starter for his national team.
Target Scouting 