Aleksandrs Vanags

Aleksandrs Vanags
Personal information
Full nameAleksandrs Vanags
Date of birth1919
Place of birthRīga, Latvia
Date of death1986
Playing positionAttacking midfielder
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1938–1940ASK Rīga13(9)
1946–1947RC Strasbourg?(?)
1947–1949Nancy FC21(2)
1949–1955RC Strasbourg129(13)
National team
1937–1940Latvia13(9)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).
Aleksandrs Vanags
Medal record
Competitor for  Latvia
Men’s Basketball
European Championships
Silver 1939 Lithuania Team Competition

Aleksandrs Vanags (21 March 1919 – 1986), aka Alexandre Vanags, was a Latvian football and basketball player. At a young age he debuted in the Latvia national football team, after World War II he played football in France.

Biography

The right wing forward-midfielder Aleksandrs Vanags made his debut with Universitātes Sports (later he moved to ASK Rīga) and Latvia national football team at a young age. He scored 9 goals for Latvia in 18 matches (from 1937 to 1939). In addition to football Vanags also played basketball for Latvia on an international level, he was silver medalist of EuroBasket 1939. In 1942 during German occupation of Latvia Vanags as a player with ASK won the Latvian league title.

After the Second World War Vanags settled in France where he joined RC Strasbourg. For two seasons he played also with FC Nancy but then returned to Strasbourg. In 140 matches with RC Strasbourg Vanags scored 10 goals. In 1951 with RC Strasbourg Vanags won Coupe de France.[1]

Later Vanags took up coaching football and basketball.

References