Nando Pijnaker
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Nando Zen Pijnaker[1] | ||
Date of birth | 25 February 1999 | ||
Place of birth | Brummen, Netherlands | ||
Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[2] | ||
Position(s) | Centre back | ||
Team information | |||
Current team |
Sligo Rovers (on loan from Rio Ave) | ||
Number | 28 | ||
Youth career | |||
–2014 | Ngongotaha | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2014 | Ngongotaha | ||
2015–2019 | Western Suburbs | 20 | (1) |
2018–2019 | Eastern Suburbs | 16 | (1) |
2019 | Torslanda IK | 14 | (0) |
2020 | Grasshopper | 2 | (0) |
2020– | Rio Ave B | 11 | (0) |
2020– | Rio Ave | 0 | (0) |
2021 | → Helsingør (loan) | 1 | (0) |
2022– | → Sligo Rovers (loan) | 31 | (1) |
International career‡ | |||
2019 | New Zealand U-20 | 4 | (0) |
2019– | New Zealand | 11 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14 November 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14 November 2022 |
Nando Zen Pijnaker (born 25 February 1999) is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a centre back for League of Ireland Premier Division side Sligo Rovers, on loan from Primeira Liga club Rio Ave. Pijnaker also plays for the New Zealand national team.
Early life
Pijnaker was born in the Netherlands and migrated to New Zealand with his family at the age of three, settling in Rotorua. He attended and played football for Western Heights High School[3] and also began playing for local club Ngongotaha, making his first-team debut at the age of 15.[4]
Club career
Western Suburbs
In 2015 Pijnaker moved to Wellington to joined the Olé Football Academy,[3] then run by Declan Edge, and played for affiliated club Western Suburbs in the Central League that features teams from the lower half of the North Island of New Zealand.[5] Pijnaker was part of the team to win the Central League in 2017 and reach the final of the 2018 Chatham Cup.[6][7][5]
Eastern Suburbs
Through the Olé Academy partnership, Pijnaker signed for Olé affiliate Eastern Suburbs, winning the ISPS Handa Premiership and qualifying for the OFC Champions League.[8]
Torslanda IK
Following the conclusion of New Zealand's 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup campaign, Pijnaker joined his former coach Declan Edge at Division 2 Norra Götaland side Torslanda IK,[3] a club run in partnership with the Olé Academy.[9] He made his debut on 15 June 2019, starting in a 3–2 loss to Stenungsunds IF.[10][11]
Grasshopper
After a 10 day trial, Pijnaker signed in January 2020 with Swiss Challenge League club Grasshopper, joining international teammate Max Mata. He made two appearances for the club.[2][12][3]
Rio Ave
After the short stint at Grasshoper, Pijnaker signed a four year deal with Primeira Liga club Rio Ave on the 30 August 2020.[2] On 31 August 2021, Pijnaker was loaned out to Danish 1st Division club FC Helsingør for the rest of 2021.[13] On 8 February 2022, Pijnaker joined League of Ireland Premier Division side Sligo Rovers on a season-long loan deal.[14]
International career
U-20
Pijnaker was named in the New Zealand U-20 side for the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Pijnaker played in all four games, playing full 90 minutes in all but one of them.[15]
National team
Pijnaker made his senior debut for New Zealand on 18 November 2019, coming on as a substitute in their 0–1 loss to Lithuania.[16]
Honours
Western Suburbs
- Central League winners: 2017, 2019
- 2018 Chatham Cup runner-up: 2018
Eastern Suburbs
- New Zealand Football Championship champions: 2018–19
References
- ^ "FIFA U-20 World Cup Poland 2019: List of Players: New Zealand" (PDF). FIFA. 13 June 2019. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 February 2020.
- ^ a b c Smith, Tony (30 August 2020). "All Whites defender Nando Pijnaker signs for Portuguese premier league club". Stuff. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
- ^ a b c d Beck, David (4 February 2020). "Former Rotorua footballer Nando Pijnaker signs professional contract". NZ Herald. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
- ^ "Football: Rising star wins place at top academy". 25 February 2015 – via www.nzherald.co.nz.
- ^ a b Hyslop, Liam (21 September 2018). "Moulding a Kiwi Messi: Ole Football Academy's neverending football quest". Stuff. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- ^ Hyslop, Liam (30 July 2017). "Western Suburbs win Central League title with two games to go". Stuff. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- ^ "Western Suburbs". Ultimatenzsoccer. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- ^ Voerman, Andrew (1 April 2019). "Eastern Suburbs' national league win a showcase for youth development". Stuff. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- ^ "The Torslanda Project - The Gothenburg Post". Olé Football Academy. 20 August 2019.
- ^ "Stenungsund vs. Torslanda - 15 June 2019 - Soccerway". Soccerway. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
- ^ "Flying Kiwis – June 18". The Niche Cache. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
- ^ @ElemenTwelve (28 January 2020). "🇳🇿 Nando Pijnaker joins..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ FC HELSINGØR LEJER DEN NEWZEALANDSKE LANDSHOLDSSPILLER NANDO PIJNAKER HOS PORTUGISISKE RIO AVE FC, fchelsingor.dk, 31 August 2021
- ^ "Pijnaker joins Rovers on loan from Rio Ave". Sligo Rovers FC. 8 February 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ Voerman, Andrew (3 June 2019). "Progress made as Fifa Under-20 World Cup campaign ends with heartbreak, not history". Stuff. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- ^ Voerman, Andrew. "Second-string All Whites fail to seize opportunities in loss to Lithuania". Stuff. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
External links
- Nando Pijnaker at Soccerway
- 1999 births
- Living people
- New Zealand association footballers
- New Zealand expatriate association footballers
- New Zealand youth international footballers
- New Zealand international footballers
- Dutch footballers
- Dutch emigrants to New Zealand
- Footballers at the 2020 Summer Olympics
- Olympic association footballers of New Zealand
- People from Brummen
- Association football defenders
- Western Suburbs FC (New Zealand) players
- Eastern Suburbs AFC players
- Grasshopper Club Zürich players
- Torslanda IK players
- Rio Ave F.C. players
- FC Helsingør players
- Sligo Rovers F.C. players
- New Zealand Football Championship players
- Swiss Challenge League players
- League of Ireland players
- New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in Sweden
- New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland
- New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in Denmark
- Expatriate footballers in Sweden
- Expatriate footballers in Switzerland
- Expatriate footballers in Portugal
- Expatriate footballers in Denmark
- Expatriate association footballers in the Republic of Ireland
- New Zealand under-20 international footballers
- Footballers from Gelderland
- Sportspeople from Rotorua
- People educated at Western Heights High School