Álex Sánchez (footballer, born 1989)

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

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Sánchez and the second or maternal family name is López.
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)
2023–2024 Gokulam Kerala 22 (19)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:00, 12 April 2024 (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] 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 12 April 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 221961—2820
Career total 4192029100428203
  1. Includes Copa del Rey, Durand Cup, Super Cup

References
  1. Debuta Álex Sánchez, el primer jugador sin mano (Debut of Álex Sánchez, first player without hand) Archived 2017-12-22 at the Wayback Machine; 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) Archived 2023-08-03 at the Wayback Machine; El Periódico de Aragón, 30 May 2011 (in Spanish)
  3. Villa inspires Valencia win Archived 2014-01-18 at the Wayback Machine; ESPN Soccernet, 8 November 2009
  4. Álex Sánchez rechaza la oferta para seguir en el filial (Álex Sánchez rejects offer to continue with reserves) Archived 2023-08-03 at the Wayback Machine; El Periódico de Aragón, 14 June 2011 (in Spanish)
  5. El CD Teruel realiza dos nuevos fichajes (CD Teruel complete two new signings) Archived 2014-01-17 at the Wayback Machine; CD Teruel, 15 July 2011 (in Spanish)
  6. Fichajes 2012/2013 (2012/2013 signings) Archived 2015-07-10 at the Wayback Machine; CD Tudelano, 13 July 2012 (in Spanish)
  7. Álex Sánchez, segundo fichaje de Osasuna (Álex Sánchez, second signing of Osasuna) Archived 2015-07-03 at the Wayback Machine; 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) Archived 2018-09-12 at the Wayback Machine; CD Tudelano, 11 July 2017 (in Spanish)
  9. Álex Sánchez jugará en el Promesas (Álex Sánchez will play in Promesas) Archived 2018-09-12 at the Wayback Machine; 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) Archived 2018-09-12 at the Wayback Machine; The World Game, 8 September 2018
  11. El delantero Álex Sánchez vuelve al Tudelano (Forward Álex Sánchez returns to Tudelano) Archived 2023-08-14 at the Wayback Machine; Noticias de Navarra, 24 January 2020 (in Spanish)
  12. Álex Sánchez, el nombre del gol (Álex Sánchez, the name of the goal) Archived 2023-08-14 at the Wayback Machine; Heraldo de Aragón, 17 May 2023 (in Spanish)
  13. Gokulam Kerala turn to one-handed striker Alex Sanchez) Archived 2023-08-14 at the Wayback Machine; The Times of India, 31 July 2023
  14. I-League 2023–24: Gokulam Kerala FC hit four past NEROCA FC Archived 2023-12-07 at the Wayback Machine; News18 India, 6 November 2023
  15. Gokulam Kerala ride on Alex’s treble to dismantle Rajasthan United Archived 2023-12-07 at the Wayback Machine; I-League, 9 November 2023
  16. Álex Sánchez at Soccerway
  17. "Alejandro Sanchez Lopez". My Gameday. Archived from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  18. "Alejandro Sanchez". My Gameday. Archived from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
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