Alex Saniel (born 8 November 1996) is a Vanuatuan footballer who plays as a forward for New Zealander Club Franklin United[1] and the Vanuatu national team.[2]

Alex Saniel
Personal information
Full name Alex Jason Saniel
Date of birth (1996-11-08) 8 November 1996 (age 27)
Place of birth Port Vila, Vanuatu
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Franklin United
Number 11
Youth career
–2013 Teouma Academy
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2013 Spirit 08
2013–2014 Yatel
2014–2015 Spirit 08
2015–2016 Fencibles United
2016 Ifira Black Bird
2017 Fencibles United
2017–2018 Shepherds United
2019 Papatoetoe AFC
2019–2020 Lautoka
2020 Franklin United
2021– Suva
International career
2013 Vanuatu U17 5 (2)
2014 Vanuatu U20 5 (1)
2017– Vanuatu 4 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 December 2017

Club career edit

Saniel started his career with the Teouma Academy, the national academy of Vanuatu. After stints with Yatel and Spirit 08 he went to New Zealand to play with the Fencibles United.[3] In the end of 2016 after the season with Fencibles he returned home, where he immediately joined Ifira Black Bird for the Super League. In 2017 he returned to the Fencibles with whom he won the 2017 Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 2. After that he joined Shepherds United in August 2017 to make a chance for the Vanuatu national football team. In 2019 he played for Papatoetoe AFC in Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Conference League. He also defended Fijian club Lautoka in 2019 Pacific Cup.[4] In November 2019, it was announced that Alex Saniel is going to play for Franklin United in 2020.[5]

In January 2020 he joined Fijian club Lautoka.[6] In 2021 he moved to Suva.[7]

National team edit

In 2017 Saniel was called up for the Vanuatu national football team. He made his debut on November 23, 2017, in a 1–0 loss against Estonia when he played the whole 90 minutes.[8]

International goals edit

Scores and results list Vanuatu's goal tally first.[9]
No Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 2 December 2017 Port Vila Municipal Stadium, Port Vila, Vanuatu   New Caledonia 1–0 2–1 2017 Pacific Mini Games

References edit

  1. ^ "Vanuatu's international Alex Saniel joins a new club in New Zealand – Oceania Football Center". oceaniafootballcenter.home.blog. Archived from the original on 2019-12-12.
  2. ^ "Vanuatu - A. Saniel - Profiel met nieuws, statistieken en geschiedenis - Soccerway". nl.soccerway.com. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  3. ^ "Fracas fails to derail Fencibles". stuff.co.nz. 1 September 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  4. ^ "Jason Thomas and Alex Saniel help Lautoka to win Pacific Cup – Oceania Football Center". oceaniafootballcenter.home.blog. Archived from the original on 2019-12-12.
  5. ^ "Vanuatu's international Alex Saniel joins a new club in New Zealand – Oceania Football Center". oceaniafootballcenter.home.blog. Archived from the original on 2019-12-12.
  6. ^ "Saniel inks deal with Lautoka Blues". Fiji Times. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  7. ^ "Players thankful – Vanuatu imports looked after well". Fiji Times. 17 June 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  8. ^ "VFF i anaonsem Pacific Mini Games tim". dailypost.vu. 22 November 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  9. ^ "Saniel, Alex". National Football Teams. Retrieved 7 December 2017.