Significant Moments In Justin's Foxes Career
Joining the Club on a five-year contract from Luton Town in the summer of 2019, Justin has played 66 matches for the Foxes, scoring four times.
The full-back has successfully transitioned to playing on either side of the defence, as part of a back four or back five, with equal success, while also displaying his attacking qualities in advanced positions.
To mark the day, LCFC.com looks back on some of the 24-year-old's best moments in a Leicester City shirt with a snapshot of his career to date…
A familiar opponent
After leaving the Hatters, Justin’s first game as a Fox would be against his former club, in the third round of the Carabao Cup. The full-back’s swift return to Kenilworth Road would be a memorable one, as, after Demarai Gray broke the deadlock, Justin found the net on debut.
Following some neat build-up play down the left, Youri Tielemans received the ball and spotted Justin’s run in behind the Luton defence. A perfectly weighted lofted pass found the ex-Luton man and he guided home a first-time finish on the half volley.
With only six goals to his name in 90 appearances for Luton, it was perhaps a surprise to some that he managed to put his name on the scoresheet so early in his Leicester career, and it was followed by further goals from Tielemans and Kelechi Iheanacho to wrap up a 4-0 success.
Playing in continental competitions
Justin enjoyed his first taste of European football in 2020/21, following the Club’s fifth place Premier League finish the previous campaign. And it would be in a winning start to the UEFA Europa League group stage, as the former England Under-21 international came off the bench late on to feature in a 3-0 home victory over Zorya Luhansk.
His first start in the competition came on matchday two as Leicester saw off AEK Athens 2-1, before recording their biggest-ever European victory by defeating SC Braga 4-0 on Filbert Way in early November, with Justin once again playing 90 minutes. Further starts followed in the remaining three group fixtures, as the Foxes finished in top spot in Group G.
Missing the knockout round due to injury, Justin also sat out the following season's group stage, but returned to start both legs of the Europa Conference League last-16 victory over Rennes, before also featuring in the quarter-final first leg versus PSV Eindhoven.
Back in from the start for each of the semi-final fixtures against Roma, he had played his part in a historic first-ever run to the last-four of a European competition.
First Premier League strike
Hitting the net in his first game of 2019/20, Justin took just two games to find his scoring touch the following season. Having helped the Foxes defeat West Bromwich Albion on the opening day, the full-back was in the starting XI once more for Burnley’s trip to King Power Stadium.
And as the game hung in the balance at 2-1, Justin popped up with a crucial third goal. Dennis Praet found Ayoze Pérez, who twisted and turned in the penalty box before cutting the ball back for the defender to run onto and sweep it into the bottom corner past Nick Pope.
Leicester eventually won 4-2 as their perfect start to the 2020/21 continued.
Scoring against Stoke
Justin may have been injured from the last-eight onwards of City’s maiden Emirates FA Cup triumph, but he still played a key role in Leicester reaching that stage of the prestigious competition.
The Foxes arrived at bet365 Stadium for a third round tie against Championship side Stoke City in January and the Potters were holding firm after 34 minutes in Staffordshire. It was Justin who then opened the scoring in spectacular style after receiving the ball on the left wing from Belgium midfielder Praet.
Cutting inside, he skipped past two challenges on the edge of the box before hitting a bullet of a strike into the far corner. It was an unstoppable effort and one that set Brendan Rodgers’ side on the way to a comfortable 4-0 victory.
The defender would also play in the fifth round success at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on 10 February, but it would prove to be his final game of the campaign after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury 75 minutes into the clash at King Power Stadium.
On the international stage
The 24-year-old represented several of England’s youth age groups before signing for Leicester, but it wasn’t until two months into his Foxes career, in August 2019, that he received a first Under-21s cap.
In the squad for two UEFA European U21 Championship qualifiers, Justin made his Under-21s international debut as a substitute in the 2-0 success over Kosovo on 9 September. He played eight times for the Young Lions over the next year and scored on his final appearance – during a 5-0 triumph against Albania in November 2020.
Handed first senior England call-up for the UEFA Nations League fixtures in June 2022, he made his debut for the side as a starter against Hungary in Budapest, becoming the 23rd Leicester City player to earn a cap for the Three Lions.
Here to stay
The defender outlined his commitment to the Foxes by signing a new long-term contract with the Football Club until 2026, in February 2022. Recently recovered from an ACL injury which kept him out for almost a year, Justin told LCFC TV of his delight upon signing.
“There is only one place I want to be at now and that’s Leicester City," he commented. "They’ve put great faith in me over the past year when I’ve been out injured. It just shows what a great club Leicester is that they’re willing to give me a new deal when I’m just returning from injury.”
An invaluable member of Rodgers' first-team squad at King Power Stadium - and earning international recognition with England - he is building a reputation as one of the Premier League’s most talented full-backs.