# Álex Craninx

Alejandro "Álex" Marco Craninx Joostens (born 21 October 1995) is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Veikkausliiga club IF Gnistan.

## Club career
### Real Madrid

Born in Málaga, Andalusia, Craninx joined Real Madrid's La Fábrica in 2011, from UD Marbella. He made his senior debut with the C-team on 5 October 2014, starting in a 1–1 Tercera División home draw against AD Unión Adarve.
On 15 July 2015, Craninx renewed his contract and was promoted to the B-team in Segunda División B, but acted as a backup to Alfonso Herrero and Carlos Abad during his spell.

### Sparta Rotterdam

On 25 July 2017, Craninx signed for Sparta Rotterdam, but was assigned to the reserve side in the Tweede Divisie.

### Cartagena

On 31 January 2018, Craninx returned to Spain after agreeing to a six-month contract with third division side FC Cartagena.

### Molde

On 27 July 2018, Craninx agreed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Norwegian club Molde. He made his first team debut in the Molde's Norwegian Cup first round match against Eide/Omegn on 1 May 2019, a game Molde won 5−0. He got his league debut on 26 May in Molde's 1−2 loss against Tromsø on 26 May 2019. He made his debut in UEFA competitions in Molde's 7–1 win over KR in the UEFA Europa League first qualifying round on 11 July 2019. He played 14 games and kept a clean sheet in four of them in the club's title-winning 2019 season. Craninx got 25 appearances in all competitions. On 3 December 2019, Molde announced that Craninx had agreed to an extension of his contract that will keep him at the club until the end of the 2023 season.
On 31 January 2022, Craninx was loaned to Seraing until the end of the season.
On 31 January 2023, Craninx was released by Molde.

### CF Fuenlabrada

On 8 February 2023, Craninx signed for CF Fuenlabrada on a short-term contract until the end of the season.

### Gnistan

On 17 December 2024, Finnish Veikkausliiga club IF Gnistan announced the signing of Craninx on a 1+1-year deal, starting in January 2025

## International career

Born in Spain, Craninx has played a total of 6 games for Belgium at youth international level.

## Career statistics

    As of 11 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National Cup | National Cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Real Madrid C | 2013–14 | Segunda División B | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Real Madrid C | 2014–15 | Tercera División | 14 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | 0 |
| Real Madrid C | Total | Total | 14 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | 0 |
| Real Madrid Castilla | 2015–16 | Segunda División B | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Real Madrid Castilla | 2016–17 | Segunda División B | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 |
| Real Madrid Castilla | Total | Total | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| Jong Sparta | 2017–18 | Tweede Divisie | 10 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 0 |
| Sparta Rotterdam | 2017–18 | Eredivisie | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Cartagena | 2017–18 | Segunda División B | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Molde | 2018 | Eliteserien | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Molde | 2019 | Eliteserien | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 0 |
| Molde | 2020 | Eliteserien | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 |
| Molde | 2021 | Eliteserien | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 1 | 0 |
| Molde | 2022 | Eliteserien | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| Molde | Total | Total | 17 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 0 |
| Lillestrøm (loan) | 2021 | Eliteserien | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| Seraing (loan) | 2021–22 | Belgian Pro League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| CF Fuenlabrada | 2022–23 | Primera Federación | 16 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | 0 |
| CF Fuenlabrada | 2023–24 | Primera Federación | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| CF Fuenlabrada | Total | Total | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Gnistan | 2025 | Veikkausliiga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 69 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 86 | 0 |
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Appearances in Finnish League Cup

## Honours

Molde
* Eliteserien: 2019