The San Jose Earthquakes off-season makeover was focused on youth. General Manager Jesse Fioranelli, looking to build off the club’s rise to playoff qualifier in 2017, charted a path leading up to this season that focused on keeping the core of the roster and adding in young specialists.
One of the those signings was defender Joel Qwiberg (pronounced jo-ELL QWEE-burg), who, at 25 years old, is just hitting his prime following a professional career that has seen him play at all levels in Sweden. Last year, he helped IF Brommapojkarna, where he has played since 2016, earn promotion to the top-tier Allsvenskan league.