Alex Bunbury

Alexander "Alex" Bunbury (born 18 June 1967) is a Canadian former professional soccer player who played as a striker.

Alex Bunbury
Personal information
Full name Alexander Bunbury
Date of birth (1967-06-18) 18 June 1967
Place of birth Plaisance, Guyana
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position(s) Striker
Club information
Current team
 Minnesota Twin Stars (coach)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1987–1990 Hamilton Steelers 71 (27)
1990 Toronto Blizzard 6 (1)
1991 Montreal Supra 24 (7)
1992–1993 West Ham United 4 (0)
1993–1999 Marítimo 165 (59)
1999–2000 Kansas City Wizards 24 (4)
Total 269 (110)
National team
1984–1985 Canada U20 9 (3)
1986–1997 Canada 65 (15)
Teams managed
2000–2008 Bangu FC
2008–2012 Minnesota Thunder (academy)
2014– Minnesota Twin Stars
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He played mainly for Marítimo in Portugal during a 13-year professional career, and represented the Canadian national team during 11 years. In 2000, Bunbury became a manager.

Club career

Born in Plaisance, Guyana, Bunbury started playing professionally with the Hamilton Steelers where he was managed by John Charles, also having one-year spells in the Canadian Soccer League with the Toronto Blizzard and Montreal Supra.

In 1993, after an unassuming season for West Ham United (only six appearances overall), he moved to Portugal's C.S. Marítimo, going on to become the club's all-time leading goalscorer in the Primeira Liga with 59 goals. In his second season, he won the Foreign Player of the Year award,[1] and he scored a career-best 15 goals in the 1998–99 campaign, helping his team to the tenth position in what was his final year in Madeira.

In early 1999, after requesting a move to play closer to his hometown of Montreal, Bunbury returned to North America, and retired after two seasons with the Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer. Subsequently, he took up coaching, first with Bangu FC then at the Minnesota Thunder Academy.

Bunbury was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame in April 2006.[2] In 2012, as part of the Canadian Soccer Association's centennial celebration, he was named to the all-time Canada XI men's team.[3]

International career

Bunbury played in all three of Canada's games at the 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship in the Soviet Union. He made his debut with the senior side in an August 1986 Merlion Cup match against Singapore, and went on to earn 65 caps and score 15 goals during 11 years.[4]

Bunbury ranked fourth in the all-time scorer's list in June 2008, and eighth in appearances.[5] He represented the nation in 30 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, and played at the inaugural 1989 FIFA Futsal World Championship.[6]

Bunbury's final international was a November 1997 World Cup qualification match against Costa Rica, a game after which Paul Dolan, Geoff Aunger, Frank Yallop and Colin Miller also said farewell to the national team.[4]

International goals
Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first.
GoalDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
16 September 1986Singapore, Singapore Singapore1–01–0Merlion Cup
230 September 1987Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador El Salvador1–2Friendly
315 November 1992Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada Bermuda1–04–21994 World Cup qualification
415 November 1992Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada Bermuda2–04–21994 World Cup qualification
515 November 1992Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada Bermuda3–04–21994 World Cup qualification
64 April 1993Estadio Nacional, Tegucigalpa, Honduras Honduras2–12–21994 World Cup qualification
711 April 1993Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada El Salvador1–02–01994 World Cup qualification
89 May 1993Varsity Stadium, Toronto, Canada Mexico1–01–21994 World Cup qualification
915 July 1993Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico Martinique2–02–21993 CONCACAF Gold Cup
1026 January 1995SkyDome, Toronto, Canada Portugal1–11–1SkyDome Cup
1110 October 1996Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, Canada Cuba1–02–01998 World Cup qualification
123 November 1996Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada El Salvador1–01–01998 World Cup qualification
1315 December 1996Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador El Salvador2–02–01998 World Cup qualification
1414 September 1997Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador El Salvador1–11–41998 World Cup qualification
1512 October 1997Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, Canada Mexico1–12–21998 World Cup qualification

Personal life

After his retirement, Bunbury made Prior Lake, Minnesota his home, where he worked as a youth soccer coach and trainer. He is the father of Teal Bunbury, a soccer player for New England Revolution.

With wife Kristi, he also has another son, Logan, and one daughter, Kylie, an actress.[7]

Honours

Club

Marítimo

Kansas City Wizards

Individual
  • Canadian International Player of the Year: 1993, 1995
  • Primeira Liga: Foreign Player of the Year 1994–95
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References
  1. "Rapids rise into top spot for first time ever" Archived 6 May 2004 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "Soccer Hall of Fame – Alex Bunbury". Soccer.on.ca. Archived from the original on 27 May 2011. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  3. Association announces All-Time Canada XI – men's team Archived 19 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine; at Canada Soccer
  4. "Alex Bunbury". Canada Soccer Association. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  5. Canada – Record International Players Archived 14 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine; at RSSSF
  6. Alex Bunbury – FIFA competition record
  7. Bunbury follows in father's footsteps Archived 8 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine; ESPN, 5 May 2011


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