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.

Alex Ciriaco
Personal information
Full nameAlex Manuel Ciriaco Somero
Date of birth (2004-03-21) 21 March 2004 (age 20)
Place of birthYlöjärvi, Finland
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)Centre back
Team information
Current team
JJK
Youth career
0000–2016Ylöjärven Ilves
2017–Ilves
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2022–2023Ilves II21(1)
2022–2023Ilves0(0)
2024–JJK8(2)
International career
2022–Dominican Republic U207(0)
2023–Dominican Republic U233(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

Career edit

Ilves edit

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 edit

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

International career edit

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 edit

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 edit

External links edit