Robert Lynch Sánchez (born 18 November 1997) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion and the Spain national team. Sánchez came through Albion's youth academy.
![]() Sánchez with Brighton & Hove Albion in 2022 | ||||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Robert Lynch Sánchez[1] | |||||||||||||||
Date of birth | (1997-11-18) 18 November 1997 (age 24)[2] | |||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Cartagena, Spain | |||||||||||||||
Height | 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)[2] | |||||||||||||||
Position(s) | Goalkeeper | |||||||||||||||
Club information | ||||||||||||||||
Current team | Brighton & Hove Albion | |||||||||||||||
Number | 1 | |||||||||||||||
Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
Escuela de Fútbol de Santa Ana | ||||||||||||||||
Cartagena FC | ||||||||||||||||
Ciudad Jardín | ||||||||||||||||
2010–2013 | Levante | |||||||||||||||
2013–2018 | Brighton & Hove Albion | |||||||||||||||
Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
2018– | Brighton & Hove Albion | 78 | (0) | |||||||||||||
2018–2019 | → Forest Green Rovers (loan) | 17 | (0) | |||||||||||||
2019–2020 | → Rochdale (loan) | 26 | (0) | |||||||||||||
National team‡ | ||||||||||||||||
2021– | Spain | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||
Honours
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:01, 13 November 2022 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:02, 10 October 2021 (UTC) |
Sánchez was born in Cartagena, Region of Murcia.[1] He spent his early career playing locally with Escuela de Fútbol de Santa Ana, Cartagena FC and Ciudad Jardín[3] before joining Levante in 2010.[4]
Sánchez moved to England to sign for Brighton & Hove Albion at the age of 15, before signing his first professional contract in June 2015.[5][6] He signed a new three-year contract with the club in April 2018.[7]
In June 2018, Sánchez moved on loan to Forest Green Rovers for the 2018–19 season.[8] He played in the opening game of the season making his debut away at Grimsby where Rovers won 4–1.[9] Sánchez was recalled by parent club Brighton in January 2019 to provide cover as Albion's Mathew Ryan was called up for Australia for the Asian Cup.[10] He made 17 appearances for Forest Green that season, all coming in the league.[9]
On 24 July 2019, Sánchez joined Rochdale on loan for the 2019–20 season.[11] He made his debut for the club in a 3–2 away win over Tranmere Rovers.[12]
On 1 November 2020, Sánchez made his Brighton debut, playing in a 2–1 defeat in a Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur.[13][14] On 23 February 2021, Sánchez signed a new four-and-a-half-year contract with Brighton, running until June 2025.[15]
Sánchez was sent off in the 1–1 home draw against Newcastle United on 6 November, in Brighton's eleventh match of the 2021–22 season, for fouling Callum Wilson who was within a goalscoring opportunity.[16] He kept a clean sheet in the 4–0 win over Manchester United on 7 May 2022, helping Brighton earn their record top flight victory, with his long-range pass providing a crucial role in Pascal Groß's goal.[17]
Sánchez was born in Spain to an English father and Spanish mother.[18] Sánchez received his first call-up to the Spanish national team in March 2021, for 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Greece, Georgia and Kosovo.[19]
He was selected to the Spain squad for the delayed UEFA Euro 2020 tournament in May 2021.[20] Sánchez and David de Gea remained as understudies to Unai Simón and did not make an appearance as Spain were knocked out on penalties against Italy in the semi-final at Wembley Stadium on 6 July.[21]
He made his international debut on 5 September 2021, replacing Simón in the second half of a World Cup qualifier 4–0 win against Georgia in Badajoz.[22]
Sánchez was part of Spain's 2021 UEFA Nations League Finals squad in October.[23] He remained as back-up and did not make an appearance in either of the semi-final victory over Italy or the final loss against France as Spain finished as runners-up.[24][25]
On 11 November 2022, Sánchez was named in Spain's 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[26]
Sánchez has said that he modelled himself on Spanish goalkeepers Iker Casillas and David de Gea.[6]
Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
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Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Brighton & Hove Albion U23/U21 | 2016–17[27] | — | — | — | 3[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||||
2017–18[28] | — | — | — | 2[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||||
Total | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |||||
Brighton & Hove Albion | 2018–19[9] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||
2019–20[29] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
2020–21[30] | Premier League | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 27 | 0 | ||
2021–22[31] | Premier League | 37 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 38 | 0 | ||
2022–23[32] | Premier League | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 14 | 0 | ||
Total | 78 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 79 | 0 | ||
Forest Green Rovers (loan) | 2018–19[9] | League Two | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
Rochdale (loan) | 2019–20[29] | League One | 26 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
Career total | 121 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 136 | 0 |
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
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Spain | 2021 | 1 | 0 |
Total | 1 | 0 |
Spain
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. – current squad | |
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Spain squads | |||||||||||||
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