Christian Joel

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Christian Joel

| image =

| fullname = Christian Joel Sánchez Leal

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|7|9|df=y}}

| birth_place = Havana, Cuba

| height = 1.93 m

| position = Goalkeeper

| currentclub = Sporting Gijón

| clubnumber = 13

| youthyears1 = 2011–2017 | youthclubs1 = Sporting Gijón

| years1 = 2017–2021 | clubs1 = Sporting B | caps1 = 45 | goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2019– | clubs2 = Sporting Gijón | caps2 = 12 | goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2021–2022 | clubs3 = → AEK Larnaca (loan) | caps3 = 14 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2022–2023 | clubs4 = → Celta B (loan) | caps4 = 24 | goals4 = 0

| nationalyears1 = | nationalteam1 = | nationalcaps1 = | nationalgoals1 =

| club-update = 2 April 2025

| nationalteam-update =

}}

Christian Joel Sánchez Leal (born 9 July 1999) is a Cuban professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Spanish Segunda División club Sporting de Gijón.

Club career

Born in Havana, Christian Joel moved to Spain at early age and joined Sporting de Gijón's youth setup at the age of 12.{{cite web|url=http://www.cubadebate.cu/especiales/2018/04/28/christian-joel-sanchez-portero-cubano-del-sporting-de-gijon-me-encantaria-representar-a-mi-pais-fotos/#.XPwi8_5v_Dc|title=Christian Joel Sánchez, portero cubano del Sporting de Gijón: "Me encantaría representar a mi país"|trans-title=Christian Joel Sánchez, Cuban goalkeeper of Sporting de Gijón: "I would love to play for my country"|publisher=Cuba Debate|language=es|date=28 April 2018|accessdate=8 June 2019|archive-date=28 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128084355/http://www.cubadebate.cu/especiales/2018/04/28/christian-joel-sanchez-portero-cubano-del-sporting-de-gijon-me-encantaria-representar-a-mi-pais-fotos/#.XPwi8_5v_Dc|url-status=live}} On 20 August 2017, he made his senior debut with the reserves by starting in a 1–0 Segunda División B home defeat of SD Gernika Club.

Christian Joel renewed his contract until 2021 on 25 January 2018,{{cite web|url=https://www.realsporting.com/noticia/christian-joel-prolonga-su-compromiso-con-el-sporting|title=Christian Joel prolonga su compromiso con el Sporting|trans-title=Christian Joel extends his link with Sporting|publisher=Sporting Gijón|language=es|date=25 January 2018|accessdate=8 June 2019|archive-date=8 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608211408/https://www.realsporting.com/noticia/christian-joel-prolonga-su-compromiso-con-el-sporting|url-status=dead}} but spent the campaign as a backup to Dani Martín. He made his first team debut on 8 June of the following year, starting in a 1–0 home win against Cádiz CF in the Segunda División championship.{{cite web|url=https://www.marca.com/futbol/segunda-division/cronica/2019/06/08/5cfbec80e2704e804d8b4652.html|title=El Cádiz desiste en El Molinón|trans-title=Cádiz give up at the El Molinón|publisher=Marca|language=es|date=8 June 2019|accessdate=8 June 2019|archive-date=10 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190610212948/https://www.marca.com/futbol/segunda-division/cronica/2019/06/08/5cfbec80e2704e804d8b4652.html|url-status=live}}

On 27 August 2021, Christian Joel extended his contract until 2026, and was loaned to Cypriot First Division side AEK Larnaca FC for one year.{{cite web|url=https://www.realsporting.com/noticia/christian-joel-cedido-al-aek-larnaca|title=Christian Joel, cedido al AEK Larnaca|trans-title=Christian Joel, loaned to AEK Larnaca|publisher=Sporting Gijón|language=es|date=27 August 2021|accessdate=30 August 2021|archive-date=30 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210830031620/https://www.realsporting.com/noticia/christian-joel-cedido-al-aek-larnaca|url-status=live}} On 19 August of the following year, he moved to Celta de Vigo B also in a temporary one-year deal.{{cite web|url=https://www.realsporting.com/noticia/christian-joel-cedido-al-rc-celta-b|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220819182543/https://www.realsporting.com/noticia/christian-joel-cedido-al-rc-celta-b|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 August 2022|title=Christian Joel, cedido al RC Celta B|trans-title=Christian Joel, loaned to RC Celta B|publisher=Sporting Gijón|language=es|date=19 August 2022|accessdate=20 August 2022}}