Lionel Tan Han Wei (陈汉玮, born 5 June 1997) is a Singaporean professional footballer who plays either as a centre-back or right-back for Singapore Premier League club Lion City Sailors and the Singapore national team.

Lionel Tan
Lionel with Lion City Sailors in 2024
Personal information
Full name Lionel Tan Han Wei
Date of birth (1997-06-05) 5 June 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth Singapore
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Centre-back / Right-back
Team information
Current team
Lion City Sailors
Number 5
Youth career
2011–2014 Singapore Sports School
2015 National Football Academy
2016 Home United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016 Home United 0 (0)
2017 Hougang United 14 (0)
2018SAFSA (loan) 0 (0)
2019–2020 Young Lions 19 (0)
2020–2022 Hougang United 50 (3)
2023– Lion City Sailors 26 (2)
International career
2015 Singapore U19 12 (0)
2017–2019 Singapore U23 11 (1)
2023– Singapore 13 (3)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Singapore
Merlion Cup
Winner 2019 Singapore
Representing  Singapore
Singapore Cup
Winner 2022 Singapore
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13 May 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 25 Mar 2023

Lionel was with the National Football Academy after graduating from Singapore Sports School. In 2016, Lionel started his career with Home United's Prime League team. Subsequently, in 2017, he moved to Hougang United. His performance at the youth level led to him being nominated for the 2014 Dollah Kassim Award although he did not win it in the end.[1][2]

Club career

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Youth

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Lionel started his career with National Football Academy (NFA) U-18 team in 2015 after his graduation from the Singapore Sports School.[3] He had hoped to move on to the Garena Young Lions squad following his exploits with the NFA. However, when no such move arose, Tan jumped at the chance to be reunited with Robin Chitrakar at Home United's Prime League squad.[4]

Home United

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Lionel moved to Home United in 2016 and was made the vice captain of the prime league squad. During his time with the Protectors' Prime League squad, he helped them achieve a double, winning the Prime League and the Singapore FA Cup.[1]

Lionel then made his senior debut on 14 July 2016 against Albirex Niigata (S) in the Singapore League Cup.[1] He made a total of two senior appearances for Home United before moving on the next season.[4]

Hougang United

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Lionel then moved to Hougang United for the 2017 Singapore Premier League season.[1] He made his debut for the Cheetahs against Tampines Rovers, coming on as a substitute in the 61st minute before earning a shock first start in the following match against Brunei DPMM in a 2–0 defeat.[4]

Loan to SAFSA

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In 2018, Lionel was loaned to SAFSA while he is serving his National Services duties.

Young Lions

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After spending one year with SAFSA, Lionel moved to Garena Young Lions for the 2019 Singapore Premier League season for whom he made a total of 19 league appearances.[5]

Return to Hougang United

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Lionel returned to Hougang United after the completion of his National Service in the middle of the 2020 Singapore Premier League season.[5] He scored the first professional goal of his career in the third match of the 2021 Singapore Premier League season, sweeping in a loose ball and helping his team to a shock 3–1 win against powerhouse Lion City Sailors.[6][7]

Lion City Sailors

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On 18 January 2023, Lion City Sailors announced the arrival of Lionel on a free from Hougang United. [8] He make his debut on 24 February in a 3–1 win over Tanjong Pagar United. He scored his first goal for the club on 1 July against the same opponent in the away fixture in a thrashing 7–1 win. On 20 September, Lionel make his AFC Champions League debut in a 1–2 lost against Thailand club Bangkok United. On 9 December, he helped the club to win the 2023 Singapore Cup which is also his first back to back cup win with a different club.

International career

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Youth

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Lionel was part of the 2015 Under-18 Squad for AFC Under-19 Championship qualifiers.[9]

Lionel is also in the 2016 AFC Under-19 Championship qualifiers playing in matches against Thailand which the team lost 3–0.[10] He also played against Chinese Taipei.

In 2017, Lionel was called up to the Singapore Under-22 squad for the 2017 Southeast Asian Games but failed to make a single appearance as the Republic crashed out in the group stages.[11]

He captained the Singapore Under-22 squad for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.[11]

Senior

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Lionel made his full senior debut for Singapore in a 1–1 draw against Hong Kong which saw him score his debut goal as well as an own goal.[12] Lionel then scored again in his second cap, a 1–0 victory over Macau.[13] Donning the unusual number 9, Lionel has made his name as a new spearhead of Singapore's attack.

On 12 September 2023, Lionel scored a goal from Zulfahmi Arifin set pieces freekick to put Singapore in the lead against Chinese Taipei at the Bishan Stadium.

Career statistics

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Club

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As of matches played on 23 June 2024[14]
Club Season League Singapore Cup League Cup AFC Cup Community Shield Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Home United 2016 S.League 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Hougang United 2017 S.League 13 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 0
SAFSA (loan) 2018 Singapore National Football League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Young Lions (loan) 2019 Singapore Premier League 19 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 0
Hougang United 2020 Singapore Premier League 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 0
2021 Singapore Premier League 18 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 3
2022 Singapore Premier League 21 0 6 0 0 0 3 0 0 30 0
Total 50 3 6 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 59 3
Lion City Sailors 2023 Singapore Premier League 24 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 26 2
2024–25 Singapore Premier League 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 0
Total 26 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 29 2
Career total 104 5 9 0 3 0 4 0 1 0 123 5

International

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International caps

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No Date Venue Opponent Result Competition
1 23 March 2023 Mong Kok Stadium, Hong Kong   Hong Kong 1–1 (draw) Friendly
2 26 March 2023 Macau Olympic Complex Stadium, Macau   Macau 1–0 (won) Friendly
3 16 June 2023 National Stadium, Singapore   Papua New Guinea 2-2 (draw) Friendly
4 18 June 2023   Solomon Islands 1-1 (draw) Friendly
5 8 Sept 2023 Bishan Stadium, Singapore   Tajikistan 0-2 (lost) Friendly
6 12 Sept 2023   Chinese Taipei 3-1 (win) Friendly

International goals

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No Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 23 March 2023 Mong Kok Stadium, Hong Kong   Hong Kong 1–1 1–1 Friendly
2 26 March 2023 Macau Olympic Complex Stadium, Macau   Macau 1–0 1–0
3 12 September 2023 Bishan Stadium, Bishan, Singapore   Chinese Taipei 2–1 3–1

U23 International goals

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No Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 22 March 2019 MFF Football Centre, Mongolia   Hong Kong 1–1 1–1 (draw) 2020 AFC U-23 Championship qualification

U23 International caps

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  • Result column lists Singapore U22 score first.
No Date Venue Opponent Result Competition
1 9 July 2017 Choa Chu Kang Stadium, Singapore   India 0–1 (lost) Friendly
2 12 July 2017 Choa Chu Kang Stadium, Singapore   India 1–0 (win) Friendly
3 22 March 2019 MFF Football Centre, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia   Hong Kong 1–1 (draw) 2020 AFC U-23 Championship qualification
4 24 March 2019 MFF Football Centre, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia   North Korea 1–1 (draw) 2020 AFC U-23 Championship qualification
5 26 March 2019 MFF Football Centre, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia   Mongolia 3–1 (win) 2020 AFC U-23 Championship qualification
6 7 June 2019 Jalan Besar Stadium, Kallang, Singapore   Philippines 3–0 (win) 2019 Merlion Cup
7 9 June 2019 Jalan Besar Stadium, Kallang, Singapore   Thailand 1–0 (win) 2019 Merlion Cup
8 9 October 2019 Bishan Stadium, Bishan, Singapore   United Arab Emirates 0–3 (lost) Friendly
9 26 November 2019 Rizal Memorial Stadium, Manila, Philippines   Laos 0–0 (draw) 2019 Southeast Asian Games
10 28 November 2019 Rizal Memorial Stadium, Manila, Philippines   Indonesia 0–2 (lost) 2019 Southeast Asian Games
11 1 December 2019 Biñan Football Stadium, Manila, Philippines   Thailand 0–3 (lost) 2019 Southeast Asian Games

U19 International caps

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  • Result column lists Singapore U19 score first.
No Date Venue Opponent Result Competition
1 23 August 2015 Laos National Stadium, Vientiane, Laos   Myanmar 0–1 2015 AFF U-19 Youth Championship
2 25 August 2015 Laos National Stadium, Vientiane, Laos   Malaysia 0–4 2015 AFF U-19 Youth Championship
3 29 August 2015 Laos National Stadium, Vientiane, Laos   Vietnam 0–6 2015 AFF U-19 Youth Championship
4 31 August 2015 Laos National Stadium, Vientiane, Laos   East Timor 1–1 2015 AFF U-19 Youth Championship
5 30 September 2015 SCG Stadium, Nonthaburi, Thailand   Northern Mariana Islands 10–0 2016 AFC U-19 Championship qualification
6 4 October 2015 SCG Stadium, Nonthaburi, Thailand   Thailand 0–3 2016 AFC U-19 Championship qualification
7 6 October 2015 SCG Stadium, Nonthaburi, Thailand   Chinese Taipei 2–2 2016 AFC U-19 Championship qualification
8 11 September 2016 Hàng Đẫy Stadium, Hanoi, Vietnam   Vietnam 0–0 2016 AFF U-19 Youth Championship
9 15 September 2016 Hàng Đẫy Stadium, Hanoi, Vietnam   Malaysia 1–2 2016 AFF U-19 Youth Championship
10 17 September 2016 Hàng Đẫy Stadium, Hanoi, Vietnam   Philippines 2–1 2016 AFF U-19 Youth Championship
11 19 September 2016 Hàng Đẫy Stadium, Hanoi, Vietnam   East Timor 0–2 2016 AFF U-19 Youth Championship
12 4 August 2017 Hartfield Park, Australia   Australia 0–4 Friendly [15]

Honours

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Club

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Home United

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Hougang United

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Lion City Sailors

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International

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Singapore U22

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "YOUNG CENTERBACK LIONEL TAN SIGNS FOR HOUGANG UNITED". 2 January 2017.
  2. ^ "Muhelmy wins The New Paper Dollah Kassim Award". 14 December 2014.
  3. ^ "S.League.com - Match Details". Archived from the original on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. ^ a b c "Lionel Tan out to become a great Chinese centre-back for the Lions". FourFourTwo. 14 April 2017. Archived from the original on 16 April 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  5. ^ a b "Lionel Tan returns to Hougang United - Football Association of Singapore". spl.sg. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  6. ^ hermesauto (20 March 2021). "Football: Hougang United shock Lion City Sailors with 3-1 victory". The Straits Times. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  7. ^ "2021 Singapore Premier League Round 3: Roundup - Football Association of Singapore". spl.sg. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  8. ^ Sailors, Lion City (18 January 2023). "A leap of faith and an eye for more success: Lionel". Lion City Sailors FC. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  9. ^ "MEDIA INFORMATION FAS - Announcement of Under-18 squad for AFC Under-19 Championship qualifiers - The Football Association of Singapore". Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
  10. ^ "AFC U-19 CHAMPIONSHIP 2016". The-afc.com. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  11. ^ a b "From combat to football boots: The 'crazy' 22-year-old who interrupted NS to chase a SEA Games dream". CNA. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  12. ^ "Hong Kong draw with Singapore in football's clash of Asia's world cities". South China Morning Post. 23 March 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  13. ^ "Football Association of Singapore – Lionel Tan's 2nd goal on his 2nd cap gives Singapore the win over at Macau. | Facebook". facebook.com. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  14. ^ Lionel Tan at Soccerway. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  15. ^ "Squad vs OZ u20".