Raphaël Merkies

Raphaël Merkies
Raphael with HKFC
Personal information
Full name Raphaël Merkies
Date of birth (2002-04-15) 15 April 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth Paris, France
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Southern
Number 17
Youth career
HKFC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2022 Club Colts 34 (1)
2022–2023 HKFC 18 (0)
2023– Southern 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10 June 2023

Raphaël Merkies (Chinese: 李小恆; born 15 April 2002) is a professional footballer who currently plays as a midfielder for Hong Kong Premier League club Southern. Born in France, he received his HKSAR passport in October 2024.

Club career

HKFC

Merkies began his professional career in 2022 by taking a gap year off university, having been promoted to the HKFC first team ahead of the 2022–23 Hong Kong Premier League season.[1][2] The young winger made his league debut in a 1–0 victory over Sham Shui Po in the opening day fixture.[2] Merkies then scored his first goal for the club weeks later in a Hong Kong FA Cup tie against Resources Capital.[3][4]

Merkies was released at the end of the season.[5]

Southern

On 10 June 2023, Merkies joined Southern,[6] signing his first professional contract.[7][8][9] He went on to take time off school and announced his decision to pursue football as a full-time passion prior to signing with Southern.[10] Merkies netted his first goal for Southern in once again a Hong Kong Sapling Cup tie against his former club HKFC in a 2–2 draw away from home.[11][12]

Personal life

Growing up in the suburbs of Paris, Merkies moved to Hong Kong in 2016 aged 14,[2] enrolling in the French International School of Hong Kong. He is of Dutch and French descent and holds French citizenship. He is also of partial Laotian Chinese descent from his maternal side of the family.

International career

On 10 October 2024, Merkies received his HKSAR passport after staying in Hong Kong for seven years, making him eligible to represent Hong Kong internationally.[13]

After acquiring his HKSAR passport, Merkies was named in the 52-man preliminary squad in preparation for the national team's friendly fixtures for November 2024.[14]

Career statistics

Club

As of 16 October 2022[15]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Club Colts 2017–18 Yau Yee Football League 16 0 0 0 5[a] 0 0 0 21 0
2018–19 16 1 0 0 3[a] 0 0 0 19 1
2021–22 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Total 34 1 0 0 8 0 0 0 42 1
HKFC 2022–23 Hong Kong Premier League 3 0 1[b] 1 1[c] 0 1[d] 0 6 1
Career total 37 1 1 1 9 0 1 0 48 2
Notes
  1. ^ a b Appearances in the Appearances in the Yau Yee League Cup
  2. ^ Appearances in the Hong Kong FA Cup
  3. ^ Appearances in the Hong Kong Sapling Cup
  4. ^ Appearances in the Hong Kong Senior Shield

References

  1. ^ "積施利欣慰璞玉成器 港會奇迹真本事". www.bastillepost.com. 24 October 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "加盟港會首戰職業賽場 李小恆把握「空檔年」爭佳績". on.cc東網 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 6 December 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  3. ^ "足總盃　攻入生涯首球　李小恆：最緊要贏波" [Raphaël Merkies scored the first goal of his career in the FA Cup: the most important thing is to win the wave]. hk.on.cc (in Chinese). 2 October 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  4. ^ 袁志浩 (2 October 2022). "足總盃︱港會疑向敵對球迷慶祝惹不滿 晉峰失方向 球員：已盡力". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Good luck Rafa!". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  6. ^ "港超聯 第二簽！李小恆加盟冠忠南區". on.cc東網 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 10 June 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  7. ^ 星島日報 (15 July 2023). "港超｜南區簽入8名新兵 楊正光培養小虎鬥傑志理文". std.stheadline.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  8. ^ "【港超聯】南區換血再衝聯賽前三 李小恆新身份嚐新經歷". Yahoo Sports (in Chinese). 15 July 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  9. ^ "港超聯 轉外援身份披甲 李小恆望擔起重責". on.cc東網 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 15 July 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  10. ^ "新球季加盟冠忠南區 李小恆為圓足球夢去到盡". on.cc東網 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 5 September 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  11. ^ "賽馬會菁英盃 冠忠南區2比2逼和港會". on.cc東網 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 31 December 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  12. ^ "菁英盃A組：南區 2-2 港會 | 無綫新聞TVB News". 無綫新聞 TVB News (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  13. ^ "港超聯 李小恆成功領取特區護照". on.cc東網 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 10 October 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  14. ^ "香港隊 11月友賽初選出爐 李小恆、何瀧浩首入圍". on.cc東網 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 22 October 2024. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  15. ^ Raphaël Merkies at Soccerway


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