Like other countries in Oceania, Tonga has a totally amateur football league, which makes it very difficult for players to get exposure to play abroad.
Even so, Tonga has relatively large communities in Australia and New Zealand, making it possible to find players with ancestry, such as AJ Inia, the first Tongan to play professional football.
But Tongan descendants are not only found in Australia and New Zealand. Alex Chin, for example, was born in Hong Kong to a Tongan mother. Since 2020, he has been playing professionally for South China in Hong Kong’s second tier after his time with top flight Tai Po.
Oceania Football Center had the opportunity to talk to Chin about the possibility of him playing for the national team and he said that is a real possibility for him; “As I know in Tonga football is not popular, like it does not have a professional league“, said the player, “So i am willing to play for the country to improve the level of football“, completed Chin.
Alex Chin besides goalkeeper, he has also played this season as a center forward for South China; “Besides goalkeeper, I also train as an outfield player so I could play both, but I am primarily a goalkeeper“.
Asked if he would like to play in the Pacific Games to be held in Honiara, Solomon Islands this year, Chin did not hesitate to answer that he would be available if called up.
Oceania Football Center have contacted the Tonga Football Association. It is expected the governing body contact Alex Chin to move forward to the paperwork to make him eligible for Tonga.
Oceania Football Center 