Raphaël Merkies

Raphaël Merkies (born 15 April 2002) is a French professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Hong Kong Premier League club Southern.

HKFC
Merkies began his professional career by taking a gap year off university, having been promoted to the HKFC first team ahead of the 2022–23 Hong Kong Premier League season. The young winger made his league debut in a 1–0 victory over Sham Shui Po in the opening day fixture. Merkies then scored his first goal for the club weeks later in a Hong Kong FA Cup tie against Resources Capital.

Merkies was released at the end of the season.

Southern
On 10 June 2023, Merkies joined Southern, signing his first professional contract. He went on to take time off school and announced his decision to pursue football as a full-time passion prior to signing with Southern. Merkies netted his first goal for Southern in once again a Hong Kong Sapling Cup tie against his former club HKFC in a 2–2 draw away from home.

Personal life
Growing up in the suburbs of Paris, Merkies moved to Hong Kong in 2016 aged 14, enrolling in the French International School of Hong Kong. He is of Dutch and French descent and holds French citizenship. He is also of partial Laotian descent from his maternal side of the family.

Club

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