Alex Bunbury facts for kids
Bunbury in 2018
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alexander Bunbury | ||
| Date of birth | 18 June 1967 | ||
| Place of birth | Plaisance, Guyana | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| 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) | |
| International career | |||
| 1984–1985 | Canada U20 | 9 | (3) |
| 1986–1997 | Canada | 66 | (15) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2000–2008 | Bangu Tsunami FC | ||
| 2008–2012 | Minnesota Thunder (academy) | ||
| 2014–2015 | Minnesota Twin Stars | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Alexander Bunbury (born June 18, 1967) is a famous Canadian former professional soccer player. He was a striker, which means he was a forward player who scored goals. Alex played soccer for 13 years as a pro. He played for big clubs like West Ham United in England, Marítimo in Portugal, and the Kansas City Wizards in the USA. He also proudly played for the Canadian national team.
In 2006, Alex Bunbury was added to the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame because of his amazing career. After he stopped playing, he became a coach. More recently, in 2024, he bought a soccer club in Portugal called C.D. Portosantense and became its President!
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Alex Bunbury's Club Career
Alex Bunbury was born in Plaisance, Guyana. He started his professional soccer journey with the Hamilton Steelers in Canada. He also played for other Canadian teams like the Toronto Blizzard and Montreal Supra.
In 1993, Alex moved to England to play for West Ham United. After a short time there, he moved to Portugal to join C.S. Marítimo. This was a great move for him! He became the top goal scorer for Marítimo in Portugal's main league, scoring 59 goals. In his second season, he was even named the Foreign Player of the Year. He scored his personal best of 15 goals in the 1998–99 season.
In 1999, Alex returned to North America. He played two seasons with the Kansas City Wizards in Major League Soccer (MLS) before he retired from playing. After retiring, he started coaching youth soccer teams in Minnesota.
Alex Bunbury's great career was recognized in April 2006 when he was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame. In 2012, he was also named to Canada's all-time best men's soccer team.
Playing for Canada: International Career
Alex Bunbury played for Canada's national youth team in 1985. He then made his first appearance for the senior Canadian national team in August 1986. Over 11 years, he played 65 games for Canada and scored 15 goals.
He was one of Canada's top goal scorers and also played in many FIFA World Cup qualifying matches. He even played in the first-ever 1989 FIFA Futsal World Championship, which is a type of indoor soccer. His last international game for Canada was in November 1997 during a World Cup qualifier.
International Goals for Canada
Here are the goals Alex Bunbury scored for the Canadian national team:
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 September 1986 | Singapore, Singapore |  Singapore |
1–0 | 1–0 | Merlion Cup |
| 2 | 30 September 1987 | Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador |  El Salvador |
1-0 | 1–2 | Friendly |
| 3 | 15 November 1992 | Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada |  Bermuda |
1–0 | 4–2 | 1994 World Cup qualification |
| 4 | 15 November 1992 | Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada | Bermuda |
2–0 | 4–2 | 1994 World Cup qualification |
| 5 | 15 November 1992 | Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada | Bermuda |
3–0 | 4–2 | 1994 World Cup qualification |
| 6 | 4 April 1993 | Estadio Nacional, Tegucigalpa, Honduras |  Honduras |
2–1 | 2–2 | 1994 World Cup qualification |
| 7 | 11 April 1993 | Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada | El Salvador |
1–0 | 2–0 | 1994 World Cup qualification |
| 8 | 9 May 1993 | Varsity Stadium, Toronto, Canada |  Mexico |
1–0 | 1–2 | 1994 World Cup qualification |
| 9 | 15 July 1993 | Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico |  Martinique |
2–0 | 2–2 | 1993 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
| 10 | 26 January 1995 | SkyDome, Toronto, Canada |  Portugal |
1–1 | 1–1 | SkyDome Cup |
| 11 | 10 October 1996 | Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, Canada |  Cuba |
1–0 | 2–0 | 1998 World Cup qualification |
| 12 | 3 November 1996 | Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada | El Salvador |
1–0 | 1–0 | 1998 World Cup qualification |
| 13 | 15 December 1996 | Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador | El Salvador |
2–0 | 2–0 | 1998 World Cup qualification |
| 14 | 14 September 1997 | Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador | El Salvador |
1–1 | 1–4 | 1998 World Cup qualification |
| 15 | 12 October 1997 | Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, Canada | Mexico |
1–2 | 2–2 | 1998 World Cup qualification |
Alex Bunbury's Life After Playing
After retiring from soccer, Alex Bunbury made Prior Lake, Minnesota, his home. He worked as a youth soccer coach and helped train young players.
Alex has four children:
- His daughter, Kylie, is an actress.
- His sons, Teal and Mataeo, are also professional soccer players, following in their dad's footsteps!
- He also has another son named Logan.
In 2018, Alex led a group of investors to buy a Portuguese soccer club called S.U. 1º Dezembro. Then, in 2024, he led another group to buy C.D. Portosantense, another club in Portugal. He became the new President of this club. Alex has big plans for C.D. Portosantense, hoping to build a new stadium and help the team reach the second division of Portuguese soccer within five years.
Awards and Honours
Alex Bunbury won several awards and honours during his soccer career:
With Marítimo
- Taça de Portugal: runner-up in 1994–95 (meaning his team came in second place in this cup competition)
With Kansas City Wizards
- MLS Cup: 2000 (his team won the championship in Major League Soccer)
- MLS Supporters' Shield: 2000 (his team was the best team during the regular season)
Individual Awards
- Canadian International Player of the Year: 1993, 1995 (he was named the best Canadian player playing internationally)
- Primeira Liga: Foreign Player of the Year 1994–95 (he was named the best non-Portuguese player in Portugal's top league)
See Also
In Spanish: Alex Bunbury para niños
