Álex Sánchez (footballer, born 1989)

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.

Alejandro 'Álex' Sánchez López (born 6 June 1989) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a striker.

Álex Sánchez

Sánchez with Sydney Olympic in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Alejandro Sánchez López
Date of birth	(1989-06-06) 6 June 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth	Zaragoza, Spain
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)	Striker
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[a]		Continental		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Universidad Zaragoza	2008–09	Regional Preferente	23	23	—		—		23	23
Zaragoza B	2008–09	Tercera División	79	42	—		—		79	42
	2009–10
	2010–11
	Total		79	42	0	0	—		79	42
Zaragoza	2009–10	La Liga	3	0	—		—		3	0
Teruel	2011–12	Segunda División B	25	5	—		—		25	5
Tudelano	2012–13	Segunda División B	32	10	—		—		32	10
	2013–14	Segunda División B	31	9	2	0	—		33	9
	2014–15	Segunda División B	37	15	—		—		37	15
	Total		100	34	2	0	—		102	34
Osasuna	2015–16	Segunda División	4	0	1	0	—		5	0
Tudelano (loan)	2015–16	Segunda División B	10	1	—		—		10	1
Osasuna B	2016–17	Segunda División B	19	6	—		—		19	6
Tudelano	2017–18	Segunda División B	10	4	—		—		10	4
Sydney Olympic	2018[17]	NSW NPL1	24	21	—		—		24	21
	2019[18]	NSW NPL1	20	13	—		—		20	13
	Total		44	34	—		—		44	34
Tudelano	2019–20	Segunda División B	6	1	—		—		6	1
	2020–21	Segunda División B	12	4	—		—		12	4
	Total		18	5	—		—		18	5
Ejea	2021–22	Segunda RFEF	32	13	—		—		32	13
	2022–23	Tercera Federación	14	10	—		—		14	10
	Total		46	23	—		—		46	23
Utebo	2022–23	Segunda Federación	17	7	—		—		17	7
Gokulam Kerala	2023–24	I-League	22	19	6	1	—		28	20
Career total			419	202	9	1	0	0	428	203

1. Includes Copa del Rey, Durand Cup, Super Cup

Honours

Individual

• I-League top scorer: 2023–24 (19 goals)^[19]

References

1. Debuta Álex Sánchez, el primer jugador sin mano (Debut of Álex Sánchez, first player without hand) Archived 22 December 2017 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 3 August 2023 at the Wayback Machine; El Periódico de Aragón, 30 May 2011 (in Spanish)
3. Villa inspires Valencia win Archived 18 January 2014 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 3 August 2023 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 17 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine; CD Teruel, 15 July 2011 (in Spanish)
6. Fichajes 2012/2013 (2012/2013 signings) Archived 10 July 2015 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 3 July 2015 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 12 September 2018 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 12 September 2018 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 12 September 2018 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 14 August 2023 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 14 August 2023 at the Wayback Machine; Heraldo de Aragón, 17 May 2023 (in Spanish)
13. Gokulam Kerala turn to one-handed striker Alex Sanchez) Archived 14 August 2023 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 7 December 2023 at the Wayback Machine; News18 India, 6 November 2023
15. Gokulam Kerala ride on Alex’s treble to dismantle Rajasthan United Archived 7 December 2023 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.
19. "16 tournaments, 11,000 players: A hectic 2023–24 domestic season with class and character". All India Football Federation. 18 June 2024. Archived from the original on 18 June 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2024.

External links

• Álex Sánchez at BDFutbol
• Álex Sánchez at Futbolme (in Spanish)