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.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alex Manuel Ciriaco Somero | ||
| Date of birth | 21 March 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | Ylöjärvi, Finland | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | JJK | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2016 | Ylöjärven Ilves | ||
| 2017– | Ilves | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2023 | Ilves II | 21 | (1) |
| 2022–2023 | Ilves | 0 | (0) |
| 2024– | JJK | 25 | (2) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2022– | Dominican Republic U20 | 7 | (0) |
| 2023– | Dominican Republic U23 | 3 | (1) |
| 2023– | Dominican Republic | ||
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 September 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22 January 2024 | |||
Career
editIlves
editCiriaco 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
editOn 23 February 2024, Ciriaco joined Ykkönen club JJK,[3][4] where he unites with his older brother Eduard.
International career
editCiriaco 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
editCiriaco 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
edit- ^ Tulospalvelu Palloliitto, A.Ciriaco, Finnish FA/ Palloliitto
- ^ ILVES VS. LAHTI 3 - 4, int.soccerway.com
- ^ ALEX CIRIACO JA BERAT AKDOGAN SAAPUVAT VAHVISTAMAAN JJK:N PUOLUSTUSTA, jjk.fi, 23 February 2024
- ^ Nuorten MM-kisoissakin pelannut Alex Ciriaco vahvistaa JJK-puolustusta – myös Berat Akdogan saapuu kettunuttuun, Keskisuomalainen, 23 February 2024
- ^ ALEX CIRIACO VALITTIIN DOMINIKAANISEN TASAVALLAN U20-MAAJOUKKUEESEEN, ilvesedustus.fi, 16 September 2022
- ^ a b Joku huomasi ylöjärveläisen Alex Ciriacon jalkapallotaidot yleisöstä käsin – sitten tuli kutsu Dominikaanisen tasavallan maajoukkueeseen, Yle, 4 May 2023
- ^ ALEX CIRIACO DOMINIKAANISEN TASAVALLAN AVAUKSESSA U20 MM-KISOISSA ARGENTIINASSA!, ilvesedustus.fi, 2 November 2023
- ^ DOMINICAN REPUBLIC U23 VS. HONDURAS U23 1 - 3, int.soccerway.com
- ^ Honduras beats the Dominican Republic and finishes seventh in male's football, santiago2023.org, 1 November 2023
- ^ SOCCERWAY
- ^ ALEX CIRIACO HAKEE PAIKKAA U20 MM-TURNAUKSEEN DOMINIKAANISEN TASAVALLAN JOUKKUEESTA, ilvesedustus.fi
External links
edit- Alex Ciriaco at Soccerway
- Alex Ciriaco at WorldFootball.net
