Álex Sánchez
Sánchez with Sydney Olympic in 2018
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 10 (12)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:00, 19 December 2023 (UTC)

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

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] On 5 November, he scored twice in a 4–1 home win over NEROCA FC.[14] He added a hat-trick four days later, as the hosts defeated Rajasthan United FC 5–0.[15]

Career statistics

As of match played 16 January 2024[16]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup[lower-alpha 1] Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Universidad Zaragoza 2008–09 Regional Preferente 2323——2323
Zaragoza B 2008–09 Tercera División 7942——7942
2009–10
2010–11
Total 794200—7942
Zaragoza 2009–10 La Liga 30——30
Teruel 2011–12 Segunda División B 255——255
Tudelano 2012–13 Segunda División B 3210——3210
2013–14 Segunda División B 31920—339
2014–15 Segunda División B 3715——3715
Total 1003420—10234
Osasuna 2015–16 Segunda División 4010—50
Tudelano (loan) 2015–16 Segunda División B 101——101
Osasuna B 2016–17 Segunda División B 196——196
Tudelano 2017–18 Segunda División B 104——104
Sydney Olympic 2018[17] NSW NPL1 2421——2421
2019[18] NSW NPL1 2013——2013
Total 4434——4434
Tudelano 2019–20 Segunda División B 61——61
2020–21 Segunda División B 124——124
Total 185——185
Ejea 2021–22 Segunda RFEF 3213——3213
2022–23 Tercera Federación 1410——1410
Total 4623——4623
Utebo 2022–23 Segunda Federación 177——177
Gokulam Kerala 2023–24 I-League 101261—1613
Career total 4081969100417197

References

  1. 1 2 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
  14. ↑ I-League 2023–24: Gokulam Kerala FC hit four past NEROCA FC; News18 India, 6 November 2023
  15. ↑ Gokulam Kerala ride on Alex’s treble to dismantle Rajasthan United; I-League, 9 November 2023
  16. ↑ Álex Sánchez at Soccerway
  17. ↑ "Alejandro Sanchez Lopez". My Gameday. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  18. ↑ "Alejandro Sanchez". My Gameday. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
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