Aleksandrs Vanags Explained

Aleksandrs Vanags
Fullname:Aleksandrs Vanags
Birth Date:1919
Birth Place:Rīga, Latvia
Death Date:1986
Position:Midfielder
Years1:1937–1940
Caps1:61
Goals1:18
Clubs1:ASK Rīga
Years2:1946–1947
Caps2:5
Goals2:1
Clubs2:Strasbourg
Years3:1947–1949
Caps3:21
Goals3:2
Clubs3:FC Nancy
Years4:1949–1955
Caps4:129
Goals4:13
Clubs4:Strasbourg
Totalcaps:216
Totalgoals:34
Nationalyears1:1937–1940
Nationalteam1:Latvia
Nationalcaps1:13
Nationalgoals1:9

Aleksandrs Vanags (21 March 1919 – 1986), also known as Alexandre Vanags, was a Latvian football and basketball player. At international level, he represented the Latvia national football team, after World War II he played football in France.

Biography

A midfielder, Vanags made his debut with Universitātes Sports before moving to ASK Rīga. 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 Vanags won the Coupe de France with RC Strasbourg.[1]

Later Vanags took up coaching football and basketball.

Notes and References

  1. http://www.racingstub.com/page.php?page=joueur&id=218 Vanags' profile on the RC Strasbourg website