{{short description|Barbadian footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Tajio James | fullname = Tajio Ricardo J. James | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|12|17|df=yes}} | birth_place = Bridgetown, Barbados | height = 1.67 m | position = Midfielder | currentclub = NK Varaždin | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | collegeyears1 = 2021–2022 | college1 = Feather River Golden Eagles | collegecaps1 = 40 | collegegoals1 = 41 | collegeyears2 = 2023–2024 | college2 = Central Arkansas Bears | collegecaps2 = 32 | collegegoals2 = 8 | years1 = 2020–2021 | clubs1 = UWI Blackbirds | caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = 2024 | clubs2 = Houston FC | caps2 = 10 | goals2 = 2 | years3 = 2025– | clubs3 = NK Varaždin | caps3 = 0 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2025 | clubs4 = → NK Bjelovar (loan) | caps4 = 9 | goals4 = 0 | nationalyears1 = 2022– | nationalteam1 = Barbados | nationalcaps1 = 15 | nationalgoals1 = 5 | nationalteam-update = 18:05, 24 January 2026 (UTC) | club-update = 03:27, 24 January 2026 (UTC) }}
'''Tajio James''' (born 17 December 2003) is a Barbadian footballer who plays as a midfielder for NK Varaždin of the Croatian Football League, and the Barbados national team.
==Club career== As a youth James was part of the KFC Pinelands Football Academy and Pro Shottas United. With the latter he won a number of youth titles.<ref name="GUARDIAN GROUP TOURNEY">{{cite web |last1=Phillips |first1=Michael |title=FOOTBALL: TEAMS SLIPPING INTO POLE POSITION IN GUARDIAN GROUP TOURNEY |url=https://www.barbadosadvocate.com/sports/football-teams-slipping-pole-position-guardian-group-tourney |publisher=Barbados Advocate |access-date=10 August 2022}}</ref><ref name="scholarship">{{cite web |last1=Gilkes |first1=Renaldo |title=Pine pair earn scholarship to the United States |url=https://barbados.loopnews.com/content/pine-pair-earn-scholarship-united-states |publisher=Loop News |access-date=10 August 2022}}</ref><ref name="Goal feast">{{cite web |title=Goal feast for usual suspects |url=https://www.nationnews.com/2018/02/16/goal-feast-for-usual-suspects/ |publisher=Nation News |access-date=10 August 2022}}</ref> For the 2020 Barbados Premier League season he was part of the youth movement at UWI Blackbirds FC.<ref name="From the BFA dug outs">{{cite web |last1=Gilkes |first1=Renaldo |title=From the BFA dug outs: A minute with Tajio James |url=https://barbados.loopnews.com/content/bfa-dug-outs-minute-tajio-james |publisher=Loop News |access-date=10 August 2022}}</ref> He scored his first two Premier League goals on 3 March 2020 in a 4–0 victory over Brittons Hill FC.<ref name="James Brace">{{cite web |title=James brace leads UWI in Premier League victory |url=https://barbados.loopnews.com/content/james-brace-leads-uwi-premier-league-victory |publisher=Loops News |access-date=11 August 2022}}</ref>
In August 2021 it was announced that James and fellow-Barbadian Devonte Richards had received a scholarship to play college soccer in the United States for the Golden Eagles of Feather River College.<ref name="scholarship"/> During his first season with the team, James tallied nine assists and a team-high thirteen goals as Feather River College won the CCCAA Golden Valley Conference Championship.<ref name="Conference title">{{cite web |last1=Gilkes |first1=Renaldo |title=Bajan duo earn Conference title in the US |url=https://barbados.loopnews.com/content/bajan-duo-earn-conference-title-us |publisher=Loop News |access-date=10 August 2022}}</ref> Late in the season he was leading the conference in both goals and points.<ref name="Golden Eagle's Lead GVC">{{cite web |title=Golden Eagle's Lead GVC, Face #11 Butte College |url=https://athletics.frc.edu/sports/msoc/2021-22/releases/20211104omtd0b |publisher=Feather River College Athletics |access-date=10 August 2022}}</ref> Following his sophomore season, James was named to the second team of the United Soccer Coaches 2022 Junior College Division III All-America Team.<ref name="2022 Junior College All-Americans">{{cite web |title=United Soccer Coaches Announces 2022 Junior College All-Americans |url=https://unitedsoccercoaches.org/united-soccer-coaches-announces-2022-junior-college-all-americans/ |publisher=National Soccer Coaches |access-date=20 December 2022}}</ref>
In April 2023 it was announced that James had transferred to NCAA Division I school Central Arkansas University to play for the Bears.<ref name="2023 Signing Class">{{cite web |last1=Thiele |first1=Ryan |title=Men's Soccer Adds to 2023 Signing Class |url=https://ucasports.com/news/2023/4/20/mens-soccer-adds-to-2023-signing-class.aspx |publisher=Central Arkansas Athletics |access-date=25 April 2023}}</ref> He joined Houston FC of the USL League Two for the 2024 season.<ref name="Toucans battle to 1-1 draw">{{cite web |last1=Paul |first1=Brenden |title=Toucans battle to 1-1 draw in final home match |url=https://www.kbtx.com/2024/07/03/toucans-battle-1-1-draw-final-home-match/ |publisher=KBTX3 |access-date=24 January 2026}}</ref> James made ten appearances for the club, scoring two goals, throughout the season.<ref name="2024 Stats">{{cite web |title=2024 Stats |url=https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/2024-regular-season-stats |publisher=USL League Two |access-date=24 January 2026}}</ref>
Following graduation from Central Arkansas, James signed for NK Varaždin of the Croatian Football League, the top-flight league in Croatia, on a three-year deal. The signing culminated a summer trial with the club which included a goal in a friendly with Hungarian club Paksi FC.<ref name="Tajio James Heads to Croatia">{{cite web |title=Tajio James Heads to Croatia, Inks Three-Year Deal with Varaždin |url=https://scorebarbados.com/barbados-forward-tajio-james-joins-croatias-varazdin-on-three-year-deal/ |publisher=Score Barbados |access-date=24 January 2026}}</ref><ref name="deal with Croatian Club">{{cite web |last1=Coppin |first1=Jonteau |title=James secures three-year deal with Croatian Club |url=https://nationnews.com/2025/08/19/james-secures-three-year-deal-with-croatian-club/ |publisher=Nation News |access-date=24 January 2026}}</ref> In September 2025, the player was loaned out to NK Bjelovar of the Second League.<ref name="Registrations">{{cite web |title=Record of Performed Registrations |url=https://nsbbz.hr/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/ZAPISNIK-IZVRSENIH-REGISTRACIJA-04.09.2025.g.pdf |access-date=24 January 2026 |language=Croatian}}</ref>
==International career== James represented Barbados as a youth at the U15 and U17 levels,<ref name="From the BFA dug outs"/> including three appearances in the 2019 CONCACAF U-17 Championship.<ref name="Global Sports Archive profile">{{cite web |title=Global Sports Archive profile |url=https://globalsportsarchive.com/people/soccer/tajio-james/318653/ |publisher=Global Sports Archive |access-date=11 August 2022}}</ref> He received his first senior call-up by head coach Russell Latapy in February 2021.<ref name="New kids on the block">{{cite web |last1=Gilkes |first1=Renaldo |title=Loop speaks to Tridents' "New kids on the block" |url=https://barbados.loopnews.com/content/loop-speaks-tridents-new-kids-block |publisher=Loop News |access-date=10 August 2022}}</ref> He was called up again for the 2022–23 CONCACAF Nations League B.<ref name="Gale missing">{{cite web |last1=Lindsay |first1=Morrisa |title=Barbados team named; Gale missing again |url=https://barbadostoday.bb/2022/05/25/barbados-team-named-gale-missing-again/ |publisher=Barbados Today |access-date=10 August 2022}}</ref> James went on to make his senior international debut on 2 June 2022 in Barbados's opening match against Antigua and Barbuda.<ref name="NFT profile">{{cite web |title=NFT profile |url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/87662/Tajio_James.html |publisher=National Football Teams |access-date=10 August 2022}}</ref><ref name="Philip strikes late">{{cite web |title=Philip strikes late for Antigua & Barbuda winner vs Barbados |url=https://www.concacaf.com/nations-league/news/philip-strikes-late-for-antigua-barbuda-winner-vs-barbados/ |publisher=CONCACAF |access-date=10 August 2022}}</ref>
James scored his first senior international goal in a 1–1 friendly draw with Grenada on 22 February 2023.<ref name="Grenada Draws">{{cite web |title=Grenada Draws First International Friendly Against Barbados |url=https://www.mikeylive.com/2023/02/23/grenada-draws-first-international-friendly-against-barbados/ |publisher=Mikey Live |access-date=26 February 2023}}</ref> Two days later he scored two more goals in another draw with the same opponent.<ref name="Tajio strikes twice">{{cite web |last1=Clarke |first1=Sherrylyn |title=Tajio strikes twice |url=https://www.nationnews.com/2023/02/26/tajio-strikes-twice/ |publisher=Nation News |access-date=26 February 2023}}</ref><ref name="League B Returns">{{cite web |title=Decisive tests await Cuba, Guadeloupe as League B returns |url=https://www.concacaf.com/nations-league/news/decisive-tests-await-cuba-guadeloupe-as-league-b-returns/ |publisher=CONCACAF |access-date=27 March 2023}}</ref>
===International goals=== ''Scores and results list Barbados's goal tally first.''<ref name="NFT profile"/> {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:85%;" ! No. !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition |- |1. ||22 February 2023 ||Fond Playing Field, Sauteurs, Grenada || rowspan="3" |{{fb|GRN}} || style="text-align: center;" |'''1'''–1 ||style="text-align: center;"|1–1 || rowspan="3" |Friendly |- |2. || rowspan="2" |24 February 2023 || rowspan="2" |Kirani James Athletic Stadium St. George's, Grenada ||style="text-align: center;" |'''1'''–0 || rowspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | 2–2 |- |3. ||style="text-align: center;" |'''2'''–1 |- |4. ||26 March 2023 ||Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua and Barbuda || {{fb|ATG}} || style="text-align: center;" |'''2'''–1 ||style="text-align: center;"|2–1 || 2022–23 CONCACAF Nations League B |- |5. ||20 November 2023 ||Blakes Estate Stadium, Lookout, Montserrat || {{fb|MSR}} || style="text-align: center;" |'''2'''–4 ||style="text-align: center;"|2–4 || 2023–24 CONCACAF Nations League B |- | colspan="7" |<small>Last updated 20 November 2023</small> |}
===International career statistics=== {{updated|match played 10 June 2025.}}<ref name="NFT profile"/> {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! colspan=3 | Barbados |- !Year!!Apps!!Goals |- |2022||4||0 |- |2023||7||5 |- |2024||2||0 |- |2025||2||0 |- !Total||15||5 |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{NFT player|87662/Tajio_James}} *{{Soccerway|tajio-james/608711}} *[https://ucasports.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/tajio-james/9176 Central Arkansas Bears profile] *[https://athletics.frc.edu/sports/msoc/2021-22/bios/james_tajio_0mq0 Feather River College profile] *{{GSA player|tajio-james/318653}} *[http://barbadosfa.com/clubwall/?page=playerdetails&PlRegNo=TJ130412-1057&PlayerID=3100&RegYr=2013 BFA profile] *[https://semafor.hns.family/en/players/1225894/tajio-ricardo-j-james/ Croatian Football Federation profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:James, Tajio}} Category:Living people Category:2003 births Category:Barbadian men's footballers Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Sportspeople from Bridgetown Category:Barbados men's international footballers