Cole Alexander

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Cole Alexander

| image =

| fullname = Cole Alexander

| height = {{height|m=1.77}}{{soccerway|cole-alexander/88753|accessdate=10 October 2020}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1989|07|09}}

| birth_place = Cape Town, South Africa

| currentclub = Polokwane City

| clubnumber = 12

| position = Central Midfielder

| youthyears1 =

| youthyears2 =

| youthyears3 =

| youthyears4 =

| youthyears5 = {{0|0000}}–2008

| youthclubs1 = Leeds Lentegeur

| youthclubs2 = Seven Stars

| youthclubs3 = Santos

| youthclubs4 = Hellenic

| youthclubs5 = Ajax Cape Town

| years1 = 2008–2014

| clubs1 = Ajax Cape Town

| caps1 = 43

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2010–2011

| clubs2 = → Vasco da Gama (loan)

| caps2 = 24

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2012–2013

| clubs3 = → Chippa United (loan)

| caps3 = 10

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2014–2016

| clubs4 = Polokwane City

| caps4 = 52

| goals4 = 4

| years5 = 2016–2018

| clubs5 = SuperSport United

| caps5 = 9

| goals5 = 2

| years6 = 2018–2020

| clubs6 = Bidvest Wits

| caps6 = 57

| goals6 = 4

| years7 = 2020–2021

| clubs7 = Odisha

| caps7 = 15

| goals7 = 3

| years8 = 2021–2023

| clubs8 = Kaizer Chiefs

| caps8 = 26

| goals8 = 1

| years9 = 2023

| clubs9 = Helsingborg

| caps9 = 7

| goals9 = 1

| years10= 2024–

| clubs10= Polokwane City

| caps10= 21

| goals10= 0

| nationalyears1 = 2015–2017

| nationalteam1 = South Africa

| nationalcaps1 = 6

| nationalgoals1 = 1

| pcupdate = 10 February 2025

| ntupdate =

}}

Cole Alexander (born 9 July 1989) is a South African professional soccer player who plays as a central midfielder for South African club Polokwane City.{{soccerway|cole-alexander/88753}}

Early and personal life

Alexander was born in Cape Town,{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Seraj |date=24 June 2020 |title=Stellenbosch FC offer Cole Alexander contract for transfer next season |url=https://www.kickoff.com/news/articles/south-africa-news/categories/news/premiership/stellenbosch-fc-offer-cole-alexander-contract-for-transfer-next-season/680349 |access-date=10 October 2020 |website=Kick Off |archive-date=12 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200912213803/https://www.kickoff.com/news/articles/south-africa-news/categories/news/premiership/stellenbosch-fc-offer-cole-alexander-contract-for-transfer-next-season/680349 |url-status=live }} and grew up in the Lentegeur neighborhood of Mitchells Plain.{{Cite web |last=Reiners |first=Rodney |date=8 December 2010 |title=King Cole is Vasco's joy |url=https://www.pressreader.com/article/282733403277507 |access-date=10 October 2020 |website=Cape Argus |via=pressreader.com}} He attended Lantana Primary School and later Golden Groove Primary School before attending Wittebome High School in Wynberg.{{Cite news |date=14 December 2014 |title=Polokwane the perfect stop for Cole |work=Weekend Argus |url=https://www.pressreader.com/article/282127814816459 |access-date=10 October 2020 |via=pressreader.com |archive-date=23 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723190323/https://www.pressreader.com/article/282127814816459 |url-status=live }}

He is the son-in-law of Duncan Crowie, having married his daughter Jaime in March 2019.{{Cite news |last=Fillies |first=Avril |date=7 April 2020 |title=Football fire still burning for Cole |work=News24 |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/SouthAfrica/Local/Peoples-Post/football-fire-still-burning-for-cole-20200406 |access-date=10 October 2020 |archive-date=11 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201011054842/https://www.news24.com/news24/SouthAfrica/Local/Peoples-Post/football-fire-still-burning-for-cole-20200406 |url-status=live }}

Club career

Cole started his junior career with local side Robert Bowman, and went on to play junior football with Seven Stars, Santos, Hellenic and Ajax Cape Town Juniors.

He started his senior career with Ajax Cape Town in 2008, and had loan spells with Vasco da Gama and Chippa United.{{Cite news |title=Alexander Keeping A Positive Mindset After Heartbreak At Ajax |publisher=Sbnews |url=http://www.sbnews.co.za/2014/09/cole-alexander-fact-file.html?m=1 |date=19 September 2014 |access-date=23 July 2021 |archive-date=23 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723190334/https://maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/3.3.6/js/bootstrap.min.js |url-status=live }} He made 43 league appearances for Ajax without scoring.

On 23 June 2014, Cole joined Polokwane City on a two-year deal.{{Cite web |title=Alexander Signs For Polokwane City |url=https://www.soccerladuma.co.za/news/articles/categories/south-africa/poll/former-ajax-midfielder-cole-alexander-signs-for-polokwane-city/166312 |date=23 June 2014 |website=soccerladuma |access-date=23 July 2021 |archive-date=11 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811063632/https://www.soccerladuma.co.za/news/articles/categories/south-africa/poll/former-ajax-midfielder-cole-alexander-signs-for-polokwane-city/166312 |url-status=live }} He made 52 appearances across two seasons at the club, scoring two goals.

In February 2016, Cole signed for SuperSport United on a pre-contract agreement.{{Cite web |date=1 February 2016 |title=PSL transfer news: SuperSport confirm Cole Alexander signing from Polokwane |url=https://www.kickoff.com/news/articles/south-africa-news/categories/news/premiership/psl-transfer-news-supersport-confirm-cole-alexander-signing-from-polokwane/566042 |access-date=10 October 2020 |website=Kick Off |archive-date=23 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723190420/https://www.kickoff.com/news/articles/south-africa-news/categories/news/premiership/psl-transfer-news-supersport-confirm-cole-alexander-signing-from-polokwane/566042 |url-status=live }} He made 8 appearances for SuperSport United during the 2016–17 season, and 1 appearance during the 2017–18 season. Subsequently, Cole signed for Bidvest Wits in February 2018,{{Cite web |date=16 February 2018 |title=Another signing for struggling champs |url=https://supersport.com/football/news/5a8709784e6a0839eb0ce014 |access-date=10 October 2020 |website=Supersport.com |archive-date=23 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723190339/https://supersport.com/football/news/5a8709784e6a0839eb0ce014 |url-status=live }} where he made 57 league appearances across two-and-a-half seasons.

On 10 October 2020, he joined Indian Super League club Odisha FC on a two-year deal.{{Cite news|title=Odisha FC rope in South Africa international Cole Alexander|url=https://khelnow.com/football/odisha-fc-sign-midfielder-cole-alexander|access-date=17 October 2020|date=10 October 2020|website=khelnow.com|archive-date=23 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723190342/https://khelnow.com/football/odisha-fc-sign-midfielder-cole-alexander|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/indian-football/isl-2020-21-everything-need-know-odisha-fc-central-midfielder-cole-alexander|title=ISL 2020-21: Everything you need to know about Odisha FC central midfielder Cole Alexander|first=Suyash|last=Upadhyaya|date=19 November 2020|website=www.sportskeeda.com|access-date=23 July 2021|archive-date=22 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122050418/https://www.sportskeeda.com/indian-football/isl-2020-21-everything-need-know-odisha-fc-central-midfielder-cole-alexander|url-status=live}} Alexander scored his first goal for the club on 22 December in a 2–2 draw with NorthEast United FC.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kickoff.com/news/articles/world-news/categories/news/sa-players-abroad/cole-alexander-spares-stuart-baxter-blushes-with-first-odisha-fc-goal/691597|title=Cole Alexander spares Stuart Baxter blushes with first Odisha FC goal|date=23 December 2020|website=Kick Off|access-date=23 July 2021|archive-date=21 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121043505/https://www.kickoff.com/news/articles/world-news/categories/news/sa-players-abroad/cole-alexander-spares-stuart-baxter-blushes-with-first-odisha-fc-goal/691597|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/football/story/isl-2020-21-odisha-fc-draw-with-northeast-united-1752159-2020-12-22|title=ISL 2020-21: Odisha FC draw 2-2 with NorthEast United after Cole Alexander 67th minute equaliser|date=22 December 2020|website=India Today|access-date=23 July 2021|archive-date=22 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122050926/https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/football/story/isl-2020-21-odisha-fc-draw-with-northeast-united-1752159-2020-12-22|url-status=live}} On 23 July 2021, Cole mutually terminated his contract with Odisha FC after reaching agreement over an undisclosed fee.{{Cite web|date=23 July 2021|title=Cole Alexander bids an emotional goodbye as he parts ways with Odisha FC|url=https://www.odishafc.com/news/details/cole-alexander-bids-an-emotional-goodbye-as-he-parts-ways-with-odisha-fc|website=OdishaFC|access-date=24 July 2021|archive-date=23 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723185839/https://www.odishafc.com/news/details/cole-alexander-bids-an-emotional-goodbye-as-he-parts-ways-with-odisha-fc|url-status=live}}

He returned to South Africa and Kaizer Chiefs in 2021.{{Cite web|date=2021-07-27|title=Kaizer Chiefs confirm Keagan Dolly and Cole Alexander signing|url=https://www.kickoff.com/news/articles/south-africa-news/categories/news/premiership/kaizer-chiefs-confirm-keagan-dolly-and-cole-alexander-signing/702912|access-date=2021-07-27|website=Kick Off}} In the latter half of 2023 he played for Helsingborgs IF in the Swedish Superettan, but then left.{{Cite news|url=https://fotbolltransfers.com/nyheter/officiellt-cole-alexander-lamnar-helsingborgs-if/180517|title=Officiellt: Cole Alexander lämnar Helsingborgs IF|publisher=Fotbolltransfers|date=8 January 2024|access-date=8 January 2024|language=sv}}