Lam Ka Wai (; born 5 June 1985) is a Hong Kong professional footballer who currently plays as a midfielder for Hong Kong Premier League club Sha Tin. He is also the assistant coach of the club.
Lam is an AFC B License holder.
Club career
Early career Lam lived away from his parents and spent his childhood years playing football. During his school life, he showed his talent in soccer. He could complete with high school teammates while aged 15. He was studying in Concordia Lutheran School and he ceased his studies to pursue a footballing career by Secondary 3.林嘉緯回到快樂的17歲 Ming Pao. (by Sina.com.hk) 21 February 2009.
Lam started his football career at Yee Hope's youth academy. In 2002 he joined Rangers but was loaned to Double Flower on a monthly salary of just HKD$1,500, to train under coach Chiu Chung Man.林嘉緯港隊10號仔 Oriental Daily. 10 June 2011. In 2003, Lam was loaned further to Kitchee when he was just 17, along with future Hong Kong teammate Chan Siu Ki.
In 2004, Lam returned to Rangers and began to impress. He was selected for the Hong Kong national team in 2005 and scored on his debut. Unfortunately, he suffered a severe ankle ligament injury in 2005 and was sidelined for most of the league season.
Kitchee Lam joined Kitchee in 2008 and, along with fullback Lo Kwan Yee, has been the mainstay of the club for most of the 2010s. Lam's potential as a central playmaker was recognized by head coach Josep Gombau, who selected him to play the pivotal No. 10 role for Kitchee.
In June 2010, Kitchee reported to the Hong Kong Football Association that Fourway Rangers made an illegal approach to his services.埠際賽港隊唔選少林兵 Oriental Daily. 8 June 2010.
2010–11 season In the 2010–11 Hong Kong First Division League season, Lam led all local players with 9 goals on the season, including 2 goals against eventual runners-up South China in a crucial 4-3 away win,隊長林嘉緯建奇功 傑志險勝南華重登一哥 Wen Wei Po. 12 December 2010. and was a key member of the team which won the First Division title by one point. This was the first title for Kitchee in 47 years, gaining the club the rights to play in the 2011 Barclays Asia Trophy and 2012 AFC Cup. For his efforts, Lam was voted into the Hong Kong Top Footballer Awards Best XI of the 2010-11 season.
After the season ended, Lam played in a local soccer game without Kitchee's consent and fractured his fibula, rendering him unavailable in both the 2014 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers (representing Hong Kong) and the 2011 Premier League Asia Trophy. Lam's vice-captaincy at Kitchee was subsequently suspended.足球 盧均宜林嘉緯冇得做隊長 Apple Daily. 3 August 2011.
2011–12 season On 19 April 2012, Lam received the Monthly MVP award for the month of March from the Hong Kong Sports Press Association, after helping the club win the 2011–12 Hong Kong League Cup.傑志贏公民重登榜首 Apple Daily (HK). 20 April 2012. Lam proceeded to win the domestic treble with Kitchee in the 2011-12 season.
2012–13 season Lam's impact was limited by various injuries throughout Kitchee's 2012-13 campaign, recording only 10 appearances and 1 goal in the league. Despite the second place finish, Kitchee retained their rights to play in the 2014 AFC Cup through winning the 2012–13 Hong Kong season play-off.
2013–14 season On 29 July 2013, in an exhibition match against English Premier League giants Manchester United at the Hong Kong Stadium, Lam scored by curling the ball into the top corner from outside the box on 53 minutes after dribbling past star midfielder Michael Carrick, giving reserve United keeper Ben Amos no chance. He also recorded an assist in a 2–5 defeat.
In the league season, Lam played a central role and contributed to Kitchee's Invincible season en route to their third title in four seasons. Lam also took part in Kitchee's monumental run to the semi-finals of the 2014 AFC Cup, scoring a goal against Arema Cronus in the Round of 16.
2016–17 season On 25 January 2017, Lam scored a last-minute winner versus Hà Nội to lift Kitchee to victory in their 2017 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off match.
2017–18 season On 26 May 2018, Lam made his final appearance for Kitchee as the club won the 2017–18 Hong Kong FA Cup.【足總盃】傑志一代功臣告退 盧均宜林嘉緯證實離隊 Sportsroad 26 May 2018
Eastern After over a decade at Kitchee, Lam signed with fellow Hong Kong Premier League club Eastern on 1 July 2018.
R&F On 13 January 2020, Lam terminated his contract with Eastern and signed with rivals R&F. The contract is for a half year, with a clause for an automatic extension after seven league appearances.
However, after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong in 2020, the 2019–20 season was suspended before he could trigger an extension. Thus, on 6 June 2020, Lam revealed that R&F had declined to renew his contract at the club.
Rangers On 10 September 2020, Rangers' Director of Football Philip Lee declared that Lam would return to the club as a player and a youth team coach. He added that Lam would sign a one-year contract and be given the captain's armband.
On 6 April 2024, Lam announced his retirement from professional football at the end of the 2023–24 season.港超聯 林嘉緯宣布季後退役：係時候退落嚟 on.cc 6 April 2024
Sha Tin On 8 August 2026, Lam returned to top-flight and joined Sha Tin as a player-coach.港超聯 至尊沙田推5年計劃 COLLAR現身造勢 on.cc 8 August 2026
International career
On 5 March 2005, Lam made his international debut for Hong Kong in the Preliminary Competition of 2005 East Asian Football Championship against Mongolia.
On 1 June 2012, Lam scored the only goal in Hong Kong's friendly win against Singapore at the Hong Kong Stadium.林嘉緯一錘定音 摩帥領港足2連勝 Wen Wei Po 2012年6月2日.
Career statistics
Club As of 6 December 2006 ClubSeasonLeagueLeague CupSenior ShieldFA CupAFC CupTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsDouble Flower (loan)2002–03?????0?0——??Total 0 0—— Kitchee (loan)2003–04?3?1?1?0——?5Total 3 1 1 0—— 5Rangers2004–05?2?11010——?32005–0690310010——1312006–0780000000——80Total 2 21020——?4Career Total 1 0——
International
National teamYearAppsGoalsHong Kong2005422006002007412008002009102010102011202012612013502014732015102201660201740201810Total519
#DateVenueOpponentResultScoredCompetition15 March 2005Chungshan Soccer Stadium, Taipei, Taiwan6–012005 EAFF Championship Preliminary27 March 2005Chungshan Soccer Stadium, Taipei, Taiwan15–002005 EAFF Championship Preliminary311 March 2005Chungshan Soccer Stadium, Taipei, Taiwan5–012005 EAFF Championship Preliminary413 March 2005Chungshan Soccer Stadium, Taipei, Taiwan0–202005 EAFF Championship Preliminary521 October 2007Gianyar Stadium, Gianyar, Indonesia3–202010 FIFA World Cup qualification628 October 2007Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong8–112010 FIFA World Cup qualification710 November 2007Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong0–002010 FIFA World Cup qualification818 November 2007Olympic Stadium, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan0–302010 FIFA World Cup qualification99 October 2009Outsourcing Stadium, Shizuoka, Japan0–602011 AFC Asian Cup qualification1017 November 2010Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong0–70Friendly119 February 2011Shah Alam Stadium, Kuala Lumpur0–20Friendly123 June 2011Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground, Hong Kong1–10Friendly1329 February 2012Mong Kok Stadium, Hong Kong5–10Friendly141 June 2012Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong1–01Friendly1510 June 2012Mong Kok Stadium, Hong Kong1–20Friendly1618 August 2012Jurong West Stadium, Singapore0–20Friendly1716 October 2012Mong Kok Stadium, Mong Kok, Kowloon0–30Friendly1814 November 2012Shah Alam Stadium, Shah Alam, Malaysia1–10Friendly1922 March 2013Mong Kok Stadium, Mong Kok, Hong Kong1–002015 AFC Asian Cup qualification204 June 2013Mong Kok Stadium, Mong Kok, Hong Kong0–10Friendly6 September 2013Thuwunna Stadium, Yangon, Myanmar0–00Friendly2110 September 2013Mong Kok Stadium, Mong Kok, Hong Kong1–00Friendly2215 October 2013Hong Kong Stadium, So Kon Po, Hong Kong0–402015 AFC Asian Cup qualification2319 November 2013Hong Kong Stadium, So Kon Po, Hong Kong0–202015 AFC Asian Cup qualification245 March 2014Mỹ Đình National Stadium, Hanoi, Vietnam1–312015 AFC Asian Cup qualification256 September 2014Lạch Tray Stadium, Hai Phong, Vietnam1–31Friendly269 September 2014Hougang Stadium, Hougang, Singapore0–00Friendly2710 October 2014Mong Kok Stadium, Hong Kong2–10Friendly2814 October 2014Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong0–70Friendly2916 November 2014Taipei Municipal Stadium, Taipei, Taiwan1–012015 EAFF East Asian Cup preliminary round 23019 November 2014Taipei Municipal Stadium, Taipei, Taiwan0–002015 EAFF East Asian Cup preliminary round 23128 March 2015Mong Kok Stadium, Hong Kong1–00Friendly326 June 2015Shah Alam Stadium, Selangor, Malaysia0–00Friendly3311 June 2015Mong Kok Stadium, Hong Kong7–012018 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round3416 June 2015Mong Kok Stadium, Hong Kong2–012018 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round353 September 2015Bao'an Stadium, Shenzhen, China0–002018 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round368 September 2015Mong Kok Stadium, Hong Kong2–302018 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round379 October 2015Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand0–10Friendly3813 October 2015Changlimithang Stadium, Thimphu, Bhutan1–002018 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round397 November 2015Mong Kok Stadium, Hong Kong5–00Friendly4012 November 2015National Football Stadium, Malé, Maldives1–002018 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC second round411 September 2016Mong Kok Stadium, Hong Kong4–20Friendly426 October 2016Olympic Stadium, Phnom Penh, Cambodia2–00Friendly4311 October 2016Mong Kok Stadium, Hong Kong2–00Friendly446 November 2016Mong Kok Stadium, Hong Kong3–20EAFF E-1 Football Championship 2017 Round 2459 November 2016Mong Kok Stadium, Hong Kong4–20EAFF E-1 Football Championship 2017 Round 24612 November 2016Mong Kok Stadium, Hong Kong0–10EAFF E-1 Football Championship 2017 Round 2477 June 2017Mong Kok Stadium, Hong Kong0–00Friendly4831 August 2017Jalan Besar Stadium, Kallang, Singapore1–10Friendly495 September 2017Hang Jebat Stadium, Malacca City, Malaysia1–102019 AFC Asian Cup qualifying round – third round5014 November 2017Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong0–102019 AFC Asian Cup qualifying round – third round5127 March 2018Kim Il-sung Stadium, Pyongyang, North Korea0–202019 AFC Asian Cup qualifying round – third round
Honours Kitchee Hong Kong Premier League: 2014–15, 2016–17, 2017–18 Hong Kong First Division: 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14 Hong Kong Senior Shield: 2016–17 Hong Kong FA Cup: 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2016–17, 2017–18 Hong Kong Sapling Cup: 2017–18 Hong Kong League Cup: 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16
Rangers Hong Kong Sapling Cup: 2023–24
References
External links
Lam Ka Wai at HKFA