Alex Ciriaco

Dominican Republic–Finnish footballer

Alex Ciriaco
Personal information
Full name Alex Manuel Ciriaco Somero
Date of birth (2004-03-21) 21 March 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth Ylöjärvi, Finland
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Centre back
Team information
Current team
 JJK
Youth career
0000–2016 Ylöjärven Ilves
2017– Ilves
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2023 Ilves II 21 (1)
2022–2023 Ilves 0 (0)
2024– JJK 8 (2)
International career‡
2022– Dominican Republic U20 7 (0)
2023– Dominican Republic U23 3 (1)
Dominican Republic
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 3 June 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22 January 2024

Alex Manuel Ciriaco Somero (born 21 March 2004) is a footballer who plays as a centre back for Ykkönen club JJK. Born in Finland, he represents the Dominican Republic internationally.

Career

Ilves

Ciriaco played in a youth of sector of Ylöjärven Ilves in Ylöjärvi, before moving to Tampere and joining Ilves youth academy in 2017.[1] He debuted in senior level on 19 February 2022 with Ilves first team, as a substitute in a pre-season Finnish League Cup loss against FC Lahti.[2] Since the beginning of the 2022 season, he has played for the reserve team Ilves II in third-tier level Kakkonen, along with Ilves U19 youth team.

JJK Jyväskylä

On 23 February 2024, Ciriaco joined Ykkönen club JJK.[3][4]

International career

Ciriaco represented Dominican Republic U20 team in the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup, playing in all three group stage matches, but eventually the team was knocked out of the competition.[5][6][7] He was also part of the Dominican Republic U23 squad in the 2023 Pan American Games, playing in three games and scoring once against Honduras.[8][9]

Ciriaco was named in the Dominican Republic senior national team squad for 2023–24 CONCACAF Nations League matches in September and October 2023, but he remained an unused substitute.[10]

Personal life

Ciriaco was born in Finland to Finnish mother and to father from the Dominican Republic.[11] He holds a dual Finnish–Dominican Republic citizenship.[6] His older brother Eduard Ciriaco is also a footballer, playing as a defender for JJK Jyväskylä in Finland.

References

  1. ^ Tulospalvelu Palloliitto, A.Ciriaco, Finnish FA/ Palloliitto
  2. ^ ILVES VS. LAHTI 3 - 4, int.soccerway.com
  3. ^ ALEX CIRIACO JA BERAT AKDOGAN SAAPUVAT VAHVISTAMAAN JJK:N PUOLUSTUSTA, jjk.fi, 23 February 2024
  4. ^ Nuorten MM-kisoissakin pelannut Alex Ciriaco vahvistaa JJK-puolustusta – myös Berat Akdogan saapuu kettunuttuun, Keskisuomalainen, 23 February 2024
  5. ^ ALEX CIRIACO VALITTIIN DOMINIKAANISEN TASAVALLAN U20-MAAJOUKKUEESEEN, ilvesedustus.fi, 16 September 2022
  6. ^ a b Joku huomasi ylöjärveläisen Alex Ciriacon jalkapallotaidot yleisöstä käsin – sitten tuli kutsu Dominikaanisen tasavallan maajoukkueeseen, Yle, 4 May 2023
  7. ^ ALEX CIRIACO DOMINIKAANISEN TASAVALLAN AVAUKSESSA U20 MM-KISOISSA ARGENTIINASSA!, ilvesedustus.fi, 2 November 2023
  8. ^ DOMINICAN REPUBLIC U23 VS. HONDURAS U23 1 - 3, int.soccerway.com
  9. ^ Honduras beats the Dominican Republic and finishes seventh in male's football, santiago2023.org, 1 November 2023
  10. ^ SOCCERWAY
  11. ^ ALEX CIRIACO HAKEE PAIKKAA U20 MM-TURNAUKSEEN DOMINIKAANISEN TASAVALLAN JOUKKUEESTA, ilvesedustus.fi

External links

  • Alex Ciriaco at Soccerway Edit this at Wikidata
  • Alex Ciriaco at WorldFootball.net Edit this at Wikidata
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JJK Jyväskylä – current squad
  • 1 Viljala
  • 2 Saarikko
  • 3 Savela
  • 4 Pihlaja
  • 5 M. Manninen
  • 6 Sydänmaa
  • 7 Lepo
  • 8 Liukkonen
  • 9 Goljahanpoor
  • 10 Kirvesoja
  • 11 Pasanen
  • 12 Räsänen
  • 13 Rutanen
  • 14 Leivonen
  • 15 Saastamoinen
  • 16 A. Manninen
  • 17 Venäläinen
  • 18 Porkka
  • 19 Janhunen
  • 20 Salo
  • 21 Hoffrén
  • 22 Luoma
  • 23 Ettanen
  • 24 Nzeza
  • 25 Rantamäki
  • 26 Ciriaco
  • 27 Åke
  • 28 Riihimäki
  • 29 Osso
  • 30 Kananen
  • 33 Mahlamäki
  • 37 Kovaqi
  • Manager: Lehtinen