Alex Bunbury


Alexander "Alex" Bunbury is a Canadian former professional soccer player who played as a striker.
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, 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, 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. In 2012, as part of the Canadian Soccer Association's centennial celebration, he was named to the all-time Canada XI men's team.

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

International goals

GoalDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
16 September 1986Singapore, Singapore1–01–0Merlion Cup
230 September 1987Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador1–2Friendly
315 November 1992Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada1–04–21994 World Cup qualification
415 November 1992Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada2–04–21994 World Cup qualification
515 November 1992Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada3–04–21994 World Cup qualification
64 April 1993Estadio Nacional, Tegucigalpa, Honduras2–12–21994 World Cup qualification
711 April 1993Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada1–02–01994 World Cup qualification
89 May 1993Varsity Stadium, Toronto, Canada1–01–21994 World Cup qualification
915 July 1993Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico2–02–21993 CONCACAF Gold Cup
1026 January 1995SkyDome, Toronto, Canada1–11–1SkyDome Cup
1110 October 1996Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, Canada1–02–01998 World Cup qualification
123 November 1996Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada1–01–01998 World Cup qualification
1315 December 1996Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador2–02–01998 World Cup qualification
1414 September 1997Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador1–11–41998 World Cup qualification
1512 October 1997Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, Canada1–12–21998 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.

Honours

Club

Marítimo
Kansas City Wizards