View source for Lionel Lewis

{{short description|Singaporean footballer}}
{{other uses}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Lionel Lewis
| image = lionellewis.jpg
| caption = 
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1982|12|16}}
| birth_place = [[Singapore]]
| height = 1.88 m
| years1 = 2001–2002 | years2 = 2003–2005 | years3 =2005–2012
| clubs1 = [[Geylang United FC|Geylang United]] | clubs2 = [[Young Lions (Singapore football team)|Young Lions]] | clubs3 =[[Home United FC|Home United]]
| currentclub = 
| clubnumber  = 
| position = [[Goalkeeper (association football)|Goalkeeper]]
| youthyears1=
| youthclubs1= [[National Football Academy (Singapore)|National Football Academy]]
| caps1 = 60 | goals1 = 0 | caps2 = 45 | goals2 = 0 | caps3 = 104 | goals3 = 0
|totalcaps= 209 |totalgoals= 0
| nationalyears1= 2002–2011
| nationalteam1= [[Singapore national football team|Singapore]]
| nationalcaps1= 73 | nationalgoals1 = 0
}}

'''Lionel Lewis''' (born 16 December 1982) is a Singaporean former [[association football|footballer]] who last played for [[Singapore national football team]] as a [[Goalkeeper (association football)|goalkeeper]]. He played for [[Home United]] from 2004 to 2012, having played for [[Geylang United]] and the [[Young Lions (Singapore football team)|Young Lions]] in his earlier years. Lewis made his international debut in 2002 and made 73 appearances for the [[Singapore national football team]]. He was named the 2004 [[Tiger Cup]] [[Most Valuable Player|MVP]], and was nominated for the 2006 [[Asian Footballer of the Year]] award. After his retirement from professional football he has worked for [[Nanyang Polytechnic]] managing student sports.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Tan|first=Jun|title=Top Singapore Goalkeeper standing tall in Asia|url=http://www.junpiterfutbol.com/lionel-lewis-a-goalkeeper-from-singapore-asia/|access-date=2020-09-09}}</ref>

==Club career==
Lewis first played for Geylang United, and is recognised as one of an outstanding trio of keepers – the other two being [[Shahril Jantan]] and [[Hassan Sunny]] – that have turned out for the club. After a brief career at Geylang, where he made a total of 60 appearances,{{Citation needed|date=September 2010}} he joined the [[Young Lions (Singapore football team)|Young Lions]] to become part of the first Young Lions side to play in the [[S.League]] in 2003. In August 2004, the police regular joined Home United (which is affiliated to the [[Singapore Police Force]]) on a short-term contract and played for the ''Protectors'' in their AFC Cup campaign, before returning to the Young Lions. He made a return to Home United in 2005, where he has remained until the end of his career.

Lewis has been cited as the difference between Home United and the other teams. [[Balestier Khalsa]] coach, Abdul Karim Razzak, described him as "a goalkeeper that can win 20 points for his team in a season".{{Citation needed|date=September 2010}}

In December 2007, Lewis trained with [[Premier League]] club [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Lionel Lewis calls it a day |url=https://www.todayonline.com/sports/football/lionel-lewis-calls-it-day |access-date=2023-01-12 |newspaper=Today|location=Singapore}}</ref> One week later, on 28 December 2007, [[Sven-Göran Eriksson]] decided not to sign Lewis due to difficulties getting a work permit for him.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=From Hariss Harun to Fandi Ahmad – Meet Singapore's greatest football exports {{!}} Goal.com |url=https://www.goal.com/en-sg/news/from-hariss-harun-to-fandi-ahmad---meet-singapores-greatest-football-exports/8ll2vz7ytc9u1j91tmsts95io |access-date=2023-01-12 |publisher=Goal}}</ref> On 13 January 2008, he underwent a one-week trial at [[Swiss Super League]] club [[Grasshopper Club Zürich]] and was offered a contract.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> On 22 January, Lewis confirmed with [[S-League]] that he would not be signing a contract with Grasshopper.

Lionel retired from professional football at the end of 2012 season, at the age of 29.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/sg/features/2007-alam-shah-inspired-singapore-where-are-they-now |title=2007 Alam Shah-Inspired Singapore: Where are they now? &#124; FourFourTwo |access-date=18 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103194858/https://www.fourfourtwo.com/sg/features/2007-alam-shah-inspired-singapore-where-are-they-now |archive-date=3 January 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==International career==
A teenage Lionel Lewis was touted by former Singapore coach [[Vincent Subramaniam]] as a future international,{{Citation needed|date=September 2010}} and the lanky keeper fulfilled those expectations with his progression into the senior squad. Lewis, who has a huge following, made his senior debut for the Singapore national team in a 2–0 friendly win over the Maldives on 9 April 2002. However, he only managed to grab the "No. 18" jersey from fellow keeper [[Hassan Sunny]] in 2004 and since then, he has regularly kept goal for the country in international tournaments.

He represented the [[Singapore national football team|Singapore national team]] in the [[Tiger Cup]], South-east Asia's premier football tournament. He made his name in Tiger Cup 2004, when his impeccable performances between the sticks helped Singapore to a memorable triumph. He was subsequently named the tournament's [[Most Valuable Player|MVP]] for his performance during the Cup. Lewis has played in three [[SEA Games]], in 2001, 2003 and 2005. Lewis was nominated for the prestigious 2006 [[Asian Footballer of the Year]] award, making him the only ASEAN player and only goalkeeper among the nominees and the first Singapore nominee in the award's history.

While playing for Singapore in the 2006 [[King's Cup (Thailand football tournament)|King's Cup]] against [[Thailand]], he was knocked unconscious after a clash with Thai forward, [[Kiatisuk Senamuang]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=28 December 2006 |title=Lionel Lewis recovering |pages=52 |work=[[The New Paper]]}}</ref> A post-match medical report indicated that the injury was not serious.

==Personal life==
A graduate of [[Nanyang Polytechnic]], Lewis later studied at [[Novation Business School]] in 2005. He graduated with an advanced diploma certificate in Sports and Leisure Management. In 2008, Lewis completed his degree in Sports Management from [[University of Wolverhampton]].<ref name=":0" /> Lewis currently works at the Nanyang Polytechnic Student Affair Office.<ref name=":0" />

Lewis is married to Jenny Lam, a former flight stewardess. Together they have a daughter and a son.<ref name=":0" />

==Endorsements==
In 2010, Lionel signed a contract with [[Puma (brand)|Puma]], after previously being sponsored by [[Adidas]].

Lionel's partnership with YEO’S blossomed over the years and soon he became the ambassador of H-TWO-O and has been actively involved in their advertising campaigns. He is the first S.League player to be featured in a TV commercial which was produced outside of Singapore.

Lionel is also one of the brand ambassadors of Europe's leading sports nutrition company, Maximuscle, here in Singapore.

==Honours==

===Club===
;Geylang United
*[[S.League]]: 2001

;Home United
*[[Singapore Cup]]: 2005, 2011

===International===
;Singapore
*[[ASEAN Football Championship]]: 2004, 2007

===Individual===
*[[Tiger Cup]] [[Most Valuable Player|MVP]]: 2004

==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*Player profile:
**{{Cite web |url=http://www.fas.org.sg/default.asp?V_DOC_ID=1280 |title=The Football Association of Singapore |access-date=21 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507233706/http://www.fas.org.sg/default.asp?V_DOC_ID=1280 |archive-date=7 May 2009 |url-status=dead }}
**{{NFT player|5962}}
**{{Cite web |url=http://data2.7m.cn/Player_Data/41706/en/index.shtml |title=7M Sports |access-date=21 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090421012921/http://data2.7m.cn/Player_Data/41706/en/index.shtml |archive-date=21 April 2009 |url-status=dead }}
**{{Soccerway|lionel-lewis/24441}}
*[http://redsports.sg/2008/03/11/lionel-lewis-football/ RedSports interview with Lionel Lewis]

{{AFF Cup Most Valuable Players}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Lionel}}
[[Category:1982 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Singaporean men's footballers]]
[[Category:Geylang International FC players]]
[[Category:Singapore Premier League players]]
[[Category:Singaporean police officers]]
[[Category:Singapore men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Lion City Sailors FC players]]
[[Category:Nanyang Polytechnic alumni]]
[[Category:Men's association football goalkeepers]]
[[Category:Young Lions FC players]]
[[Category:21st-century Singaporean sportsmen]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 2006 Asian Games]]
[[Category:Asian Games footballers for Singapore]]
[[Category:Singaporean people of English descent]]
[[Category:Sportspeople of English descent]]
[[Category:Sportspeople of Singaporean descent]]