Christian Schaffner

Christian John Eizmendi Schaffner (born September 25, 2000) is a professional soccer player who plays a defender for Philippines Football League team Manila Digger. Born in the United States, he is eligible to represent the Philippines internationally.

Youth career Schaffner was born in Palo Alto, California, and played soccer for Junipero Serra High School. In 2016, he temporarily moved to Zaragoza, Spain to learn the language and culture and played for the youth team of CF Hernán Cortés, returning for another year in 2018.

Club career College career After spending time in Spain, Schaffner first played college soccer at Ithaca College in 2019, playing four matches in only one season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Early club career While playing soccer at both Ithaca and Academy of Art, he played club soccer for Bay Cities, who were at the time participating in the National Independent Soccer Association.

Philippines Football League In 2023, the Philippines Football League clubs held a combine in the San Francisco Bay Area to scout for trialists for their clubs. Schaffner made it to the first team of Maharlika Manila. He made his debut in the second half of the season, captaining the team in a 1–0 win over Mendiola, the team's first of the season. After the season's conclusion, he signed for Stallion Laguna as a reinforcement for the club's campaign in the 2023–24 AFC Cup, scoring in the 2023 Copa Paulino Alcantara.

Honors Manila Digger Philippines Football League: 2025–26