Chan Vathanaka

In this Cambodian name, the surname is Chan. In accordance with Cambodian custom, this person should be referred to by the given name, Vathanaka.
Chan Vathanaka (CV11)
Vanthanaka in November 2013
Personal information
Date of birth (1994-01-23) 23 January 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Kampot, Cambodia
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Winger, forward
Team information
Current team
 Boeung Ket
Number 11
Youth career
2010–2011 Svay Rieng
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2012 Svay Rieng 17 (10)
2012–2017 Boeung Ket 90 (101)
2017 → Fujieda MYFC (loan) 0 (0)
2018 Pahang FA 10 (1)
2018 Boeung Ket 9 (5)
2019 PKNS 15 (2)
2019– Boeung Ket 54 (26)
International career‡
2011 Cambodia U19 3 (0)
2012–2015 Cambodia U23 25 (11)
2013– Cambodia 52 (19)

Khmer name
Khmerចាន់ វឌ្ឍនាកា
RomanizationCan Vôḍḍhônéakâ
IPAcan ʋɔːt.tʰɔːniə.kaː
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17 August 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 28 January 2022

Chan Vathanaka (Khmer: ចាន់ វឌ្ឍនាកា; born 23 January 1994) is a Cambodian professional footballer who plays as a winger or a forward for Boeung Ket Angkor and for the Cambodia national team. He is considered as one of the greatest Cambodian players especially on international stage.

Club career

Preah Khan

Vathanaka played for the senior team of Preah Khan Reach during the 2011–12 season.

Boeung Ket Angkor

Vathanaka signed a contract with Boeung Ket in 2012.

On 1 August 2015, Vathanaka scored all six goals in a 6–0 win over Asia Europe United. Impressively, this was not even his best accomplishment; in a 12–2 over Kirivong Sok Sen Chey on 11 July 2015 Vathanaka scored eight goals, the highest tally for a Cambodian-born player in the league, as well as giving him 16 goals in the first 8 games of the 2015 season.[1]

In the semifinals of the 2015 Mekong Club Championship Vathanaka scored all three goals in a 3–2 win over Becamex Bình Dương, putting Boeung Ket Angkor in the final.[2] Although Boeung Ket Angkor lost in the final to Buriram United, Vathanaka finished the tournament as the highest goalscorer, with five goals, and was also named best player.

Vathanaka finished the 2015 league season with 35 goals, a total of 55 goals in all competitions including national and club, the most of any Southeast Asian player.[3]

In his first start of the 2016 season Vathanaka scored a hat-trick in under five minutes as Boeung Ket Angkor beat CMAC FC 6–0.[4]

In a match against Svay Rieng on 21 May 2016 Vathanaka scored goals in the 85th, 89th, and 90+3rd minute as his team came from behind to win 3–1. The first goal, an audacious left-foot volley from a cross, was touted of one of the goals of the 2016 season.[5]

Vathanaka finished the 2016 Cambodian League as the top scorer for the second consecutive year with 22 goals, as his team Boeung Ket Angkor dramatically won the title on the last match day by a single point.[6]

Fujiyeda MYFC

During the 2016 season, Vathanaka was loaned out to J3 League side Fujieda MYFC. Donning his iconic number 11 shirt, Vathanaka didn't start a single game during his loan spell there, making only a single last minute substitution.

Pahang FA

In December 2017 Vathanaka signed for Pahang FA for the upcoming season after a disappointing spell in Japan.[7] He has since been released from Pahang FA to be replaced by Issey Nakajima in an article Archived 29 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine by FOX Sports Asia.

PKNS FC

After Vathanaka was released from Pahang FA, Vathanaka came back to Cambodia to rejoin his former club Boeung Ket Angkor.

On 18 January 2019, PKNS FC signed Vathanaka on a free contract according to an Article Archived 2 June 2019 at the Wayback Machine. He was given the number 29 jersey instead of number 11 in which his famous CV11 became CV29. This was by far his most successful season playing oversea where he made over 13 appearances in the Liga Super. He only made 10 appearances at Pahang FA in that same league.

International career

He made his senior international debut on 22 March 2013 in a 2014 AFC Challenge Cup qualification match against Turkmenistan.[8]

Vathanaka played an important part in Cambodia's campaign in the 2018 World Cup qualification. In the first qualifying game he came off the bench to score two goals, the second a thunderous free-kick, in a 3–0 home win over Macau.[9] On 28 July 2016 Vathanaka scored another free kick against Singapore in a friendly match.

He was part of the Cambodia national team for the 2016 AFF Cup and scored two goals against Malaysia in the group stage. He went on to represent the Koupreys in two more AFF Cups.[10]

Career statistics

Club

As of 23 August 2024[11]
Club performance League Cup Continental Total
Club Season League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Boeung Ket 2013 Cambodian League 17 11 4 11 3 4 24 26
2014 19 11 19 11
2015 22 37 4 5 26 42
2016 18 22 18 22
2019 12 4 12 4
2020 7 1 7 1
2021 17 13 17 13
2023-24 16 8 16 8
2024-25 2 0 2 0
Total 130 107 4 11 7 9 141 127
Fujieda MYFC 2017 J3 League 1 0 1 0 2 0
Pahang 2018 Super League 10 1 2 0 12 1
Selangor 2019 Super League 15 2 1 1 16 3
Total career 156 110 8 12 7 9 171 131

International

As of 2 December 2023[12]
National team Year Apps Goals
Cambodia
2013 2 0
2014 6 2
2015 6 2
2016 14 6
2017 9 3
2018 8 3
2021 4 3
2023 3 0
Total 52 19

International goals

Senior

Scores and results list Cambodia's goal tally first.[12]
Chan Vathanaka – goals for Cambodia
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 8 October 2014 Taipei Municipal Stadium, Taipei, Chinese Taipei  Chinese Taipei 1–0 2–0 Friendly
2. 2–0
3. 12 March 2015 Phnom Penh Olympic Stadium, Phnom Penh, Cambodia  Macau 1–0 3–0 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
4. 2–0
5. 28 July 2016  Singapore 1–0 2–1 Friendly
6. 1 September 2016 Mong Kok Stadium, Mong Kok, Hong Kong  Hong Kong 2–3 2–4
7. 21 October 2016 Phnom Penh Olympic Stadium, Phnom Penh, Cambodia  East Timor 2–0 3–2 2016 AFF Championship qualification
8. 3–2
9. 20 November 2016 Thuwunna Stadium, Yangon, Myanmar  Malaysia 1–0 2–3 2016 AFF Championship
10. 2–1
11. 22 March 2017 Phnom Penh Olympic Stadium, Phnom Penh, Cambodia  India 2–3 2–3 Friendly
12. 5 September 2017  Vietnam 1–1 1–2 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualification
13. 5 October 2017 Patriot Candrabhaga Stadium, Bekasi, Indonesia  Indonesia 1–2 1–3 Friendly
14. 12 October 2018 Phnom Penh Olympic Stadium, Phnom Penh, Cambodia  East Timor 1–1 2–2
15. 12 November 2018 Mandalarthiri Stadium, Mandalay, Myanmar  Myanmar 1–0 1–4 2018 AFF Championship
16. 20 November 2018 Phnom Penh Olympic Stadium, Phnom Penh, Cambodia  Laos 1–0 3–1
17. 9 October 2021 Khalifa Sports City Stadium, Isa Town, Bahrain  Guam 1–0 1–0 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualification
18. 15 November 2021 Bishan Stadium, Bishan, Singapore  Laos 1–0 3–0 2020 AFF Championship
19. 2–0

Under-23

Chan Vathanaka – goals for Cambodia U23
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 22 March 2015 Jurong West, Singapore  Singapore 1–1 2–2 Friendly
2. 2–1
3. 31 March 2015 Bangkok, Thailand  Philippines 1–0 3–1 2016 AFC U-23 Championship qualification
4. 2–0
5. 3 June 2015 Kallang, Singapore  Philippines 3–1 3–1 2015 Southeast Asian Games
6. 8 June 2015 Kallang, Singapore  Singapore 1–2 3–1
7. 10 June 2015 Kallang, Singapore  Myanmar 3–1 3–3

Honours

Club

Boeung Ket

Individual

Personal life

Since October 2015 Vathanaka has celebrated goals by kissing a tattoo on his right arm. The tattoo is a memorial to his parents and family.[13] Vathanaka also has a passion for karaoke and music; when he was injured in September 2015 he spent seven hours singing and recording songs with Cambodian singer Meas Soksophea.[3]

In January 2016 Vathanaka became a goodwill ambassador for the cellphone company SEATEL.[14]

References

  1. ^ Noveanto, Eric (29 July 2015). "Vathanaka's six-goal Boeung Ket Angkor marvel in Cambodian league". Football Channel Asia. Archived from the original on 28 May 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  2. ^ Noveanto, Eric (7 December 2015). "Vathanaka's hat-trick hands Boeung Ket 3-2 win over Binh Duong". Football Channel Asia. Archived from the original on 30 March 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  3. ^ a b Tien, Edward (2 November 2015). "Five facts about Cambodia's talisman Chan Vathanaka". Football Channel Asia. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  4. ^ Vorajee, Ismail (6 March 2016). "Vathanaka Nets Three in CMAC Mauling". Khmer Times. Archived from the original on 30 March 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  5. ^ Vorajee, Ismail (24 May 2016). "Cambodian C-League Round 8: Vathanaka stars as Boeung Ket keep pressure on leaders Army". Football Channel Asia. Archived from the original on 15 December 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  6. ^ "Chan Vathanaka crowned 2016 Cambodian League's top scorer". Football Channel Asia. 13 September 2016. Archived from the original on 15 December 2017. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  7. ^ Murphy, Paul (16 December 2017). "Cambodia ace Chan Vathanaka joins Malaysia's Pahang from Japan". ESPN FC. Archived from the original on 21 December 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  8. ^ "AFC CHALLENGE CUP 2014". the-afc.com. Archived from the original on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  9. ^ H S Manjunath and Sreng Meng Srun (13 March 2015). "Cambodia storms past Macau 3-0 in World Cup qualifier". The Phnom Penh Post. Archived from the original on 28 November 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  10. ^ "Malaysia vs Cambodia Report" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 September 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  11. ^ Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "2017 J1&J2&J3選手名鑑 (NSK MOOK)" Archived 16 April 2020 at the Wayback Machine, 8 February 2017, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411420 (p. 259 out of 289)
  12. ^ a b "Chan Vathanaka". National-Football-Teams.com. Archived from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  13. ^ Pu Sam (18 January 2016). "Why does Vathanka kissing the hand behind after goal". Sabay News (in Khmer). Archived from the original on 19 February 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  14. ^ Mony Phearum (11 January 2016). "Chan Vathanaka to become an official goodwill ambassador for SEATEL". Sabay News (in Khmer). Archived from the original on 25 March 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
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