Álex Sánchez (footballer, born 1989)

Alejandro 'Álex' Sánchez López (born 6 June 1989) is a Spanish footballer who plays as a striker for I-League club Gokulam Kerala.

This article is about the Spanish footballer born 1989. For other uses, including the Spanish footballer born 1991, see Alex Sánchez.
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Sánchez and the second or maternal family name is López.
Álex Sánchez
Sánchez as a Zaragoza player
Personal information
Full name Alejandro Sánchez López
Date of birth (1989-06-06) 6 June 1989
Place of birth Zaragoza, Spain
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Gokulam Kerala
Number 38
Youth career
El Salvador
2004–2008 Zaragoza
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2009 Universidad Zaragoza 23 (23)
2008–2011 Zaragoza B 79 (42)
2009–2010 Zaragoza 3 (0)
2011–2012 Teruel 25 (5)
2012–2015 Tudelano 100 (34)
2015–2016 Osasuna 4 (0)
2016 → Tudelano (loan) 10 (1)
2016–2017 Osasuna B 19 (6)
2017 Tudelano 10 (4)
2018–2019 Sydney Olympic 44 (34)
2020–2021 Tudelano 18 (5)
2021–2023 Ejea 46 (23)
2023 Utebo 17 (7)
2023– Gokulam Kerala 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:07, 3 August 2023 (UTC)

He came to fame in 2009, when he became the first player to appear in a professional game with just one hand whilst representing Real Zaragoza.[1]

Club career

Born in Zaragoza, Aragon, Sánchez started his football career with local Colegio Jesús-María El Salvador, joining Real Zaragoza's youth system aged 15. In 2008, he began playing as a senior in both the national and regional leagues, with its B and C teams.[2]

On 8 November 2009, Sánchez made his professional debut for the club, playing 20 minutes in the 3–1 La Liga away loss against Valencia CF after having come on as a substitute for Ángel Lafita.[3] He became the first player to appear in a professional game with only one hand,[1] but continued to be mainly registered with the reserves, however.

Sánchez rejected the offer to continue playing with Zaragoza B in mid-June 2011,[4] going on to resume his career in the Segunda División B with CD Teruel[5] and CD Tudelano.[6] On 2 July 2015, after scoring 15 goals the previous campaign, he signed a two-year deal with Segunda División side CA Osasuna.[7]

In January 2018, after representing in quick succession Tudelano (two spells)[8] and Osasuna's second team,[9] the 28-year-old Sánchez moved abroad for the first time and joined Sydney Olympic FC in the Australian National Premier Leagues NSW.[10]

Sánchez subsequently competed in the Spanish lower leagues, with Tudelano,[11] SD Ejea and Utebo FC.[12] He went abroad again in July 2023, signing for I-League club Gokulam Kerala FC.[13]

References
  1. Debuta Álex Sánchez, el primer jugador sin mano (Debut of Álex Sánchez, first player without hand); Marca, 9 November 2009 (in Spanish)
  2. Álex Sánchez, delantero del filial que debutó en el primer equipo, deja el club (Álex Sánchez, reserves forward who made debut with the first team, leaves the club); El Periódico de Aragón, 30 May 2011 (in Spanish)
  3. Villa inspires Valencia win; ESPN Soccernet, 8 November 2009
  4. Álex Sánchez rechaza la oferta para seguir en el filial (Álex Sánchez rejects offer to continue with reserves); El Periódico de Aragón, 14 June 2011 (in Spanish)
  5. El CD Teruel realiza dos nuevos fichajes (CD Teruel complete two new signings); CD Teruel, 15 July 2011 (in Spanish)
  6. Fichajes 2012/2013 (2012/2013 signings); CD Tudelano, 13 July 2012 (in Spanish)
  7. Álex Sánchez, segundo fichaje de Osasuna (Álex Sánchez, second signing of Osasuna); CA Osasuna, 2 July 2015 (in Spanish)
  8. El delantero zaragozano regresa al C.D. Tudelano procedente de C.A. Osasuna B (Zaragoza-born forward returns to C.D. Tudelano from C.A. Osasuna B); CD Tudelano, 11 July 2017 (in Spanish)
  9. Álex Sánchez jugará en el Promesas (Álex Sánchez will play in Promesas); Diario de Navarra, 1 September 2016 (in Spanish)
  10. Meet the former La Liga striker who gave Spain's top leagues away for NPL move); The World Game, 8 September 2018
  11. El delantero Álex Sánchez vuelve al Tudelano (Forward Álex Sánchez returns to Tudelano); Noticias de Navarra, 24 January 2020 (in Spanish)
  12. Álex Sánchez, el nombre del gol (Álex Sánchez, the name of the goal); Heraldo de Aragón, 17 May 2023 (in Spanish)
  13. Gokulam Kerala turn to one-handed striker Alex Sanchez); The Times of India, 31 July 2023
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