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 | Centre back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Auckland FC | ||
| Number | 4 | ||
| 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) |
| 2020–2022 | Rio Ave B | 11 | (0) |
| 2020–2022 | Rio Ave | 0 | (0) |
| 2021 | → Helsingør (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2022 | → Sligo Rovers (loan) | 31 | (1) |
| 2023–2024 | Sligo Rovers | 46 | (0) |
| 2024– | Auckland FC | 25 | (4) |
| 2025– | → Auckland FC Reserves | 1 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2019 | New Zealand U-20 | 4 | (0) |
| 2019– | New Zealand | 23 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 1 November 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 25 February 2025 | |||
Nando Zen Pijnaker (Dutch: [ˈnɑndo zɛn ˈpɛi̯.nɑ.kər];[3] born 25 February 1999) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre back for A-League Men club Auckland FC. Born in the Netherlands, he represents the New Zealand national team.
Early life
[edit | edit source]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[4] and also began playing for local club Ngongotaha, making his first-team debut at the age of 15.[5]
Club career
[edit | edit source]Western Suburbs
[edit | edit source]In 2015 Pijnaker moved to Wellington to join the Olé Football Academy,[4] 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.[6] Pijnaker was part of the team to win the Central League in 2017 and reach the final of the 2018 Chatham Cup.[7][8][6]
Eastern Suburbs
[edit | edit source]Through the Olé Academy partnership, Pijnaker signed for Olé affiliate Eastern Suburbs, winning the ISPS Handa Premiership and qualifying for the OFC Champions League.[9]
Torslanda IK
[edit | edit source]Following the conclusion of New Zealand's 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup campaign, Pijnaker joined his former coach Declan Edge at Swedish Division 2 Norra Götaland side Torslanda IK,[4] a club run in partnership with the Olé Academy.[10] He made his debut on 15 June 2019, starting in a 3–2 loss to Stenungsunds IF.[11][12]
Grasshopper
[edit | edit source]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][13][4]
Rio Ave
[edit | edit source]After the short stint at Grasshoper, Pijnaker signed a four-year deal with Portuguese Primeira Liga club Rio Ave on 30 August 2020.[2] On 31 August 2021, Pijnaker was loaned out to Danish 1st Division club FC Helsingør for the rest of 2021.[14]
Sligo Rovers
[edit | edit source]On 8 February 2022, Pijnaker joined League of Ireland Premier Division side Sligo Rovers on a season-long loan deal.[15] On 21 December 2022, his transfer was made permanent.[16] On 1 April 2024, Pijnaker suffered broken ribs in a collision with his own goalkeeper Ed McGinty in a 3–0 loss away to St Patrick's Athletic.[17] On 1 September 2024, it was announced that Pijnaker had left the club to return closer to home.[18]
Auckland FC
[edit | edit source]On 3 September 2024, Pijnaker joined the newly formed A-League Men side, Auckland FC, becoming their 22nd signing ahead of their inaugural season in the A-League Men.[19]
Pijnaker scored his first goal for Auckland FC against Sydney FC, netting the match-winner in the 97th minute. The match-worn shirt from the game was later donated to the Auckland Museum, where it became part of the museum’s collection representing Auckland FC’s inaugural A-League Men season.[20]
International career
[edit | edit source]U-20
[edit | edit source]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.[21]
National team
[edit | edit source]Pijnaker made his senior debut for New Zealand on 18 November 2019, coming on as a substitute in their 0–1 loss to Lithuania.[22]
On 25 June 2021, Pijnaker was called up to the New Zealand squad for the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics.[23]
Career statistics
[edit | edit source]![[icon]](/index.php/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (November 2024) |
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Honours
[edit | edit source]Western Suburbs
- Central League winners: 2017, 2019
- 2018 Chatham Cup runner-up: 2018
Eastern Suburbs
- New Zealand Football Championship champions: 2018–19
Auckland FC
References
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- ^ https://www.instagram.com/reel/DO7XCmGCfrr/?igsh=MWkzYWk3ZmFjd2NpYw==
- ^ a b c d Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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- ^ FC HELSINGØR LEJER DEN NEWZEALANDSKE LANDSHOLDSSPILLER NANDO PIJNAKER HOS PORTUGISISKE RIO AVE FC, fchelsingor.dk, 31 August 2021
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External links
[edit | edit source]- Nando Pijnaker at SoccerwayLua error in Module:EditAtWikidata at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
- 1999 births
- Living people
- New Zealand men's association footballers
- New Zealand expatriate men's association footballers
- New Zealand men's youth international footballers
- New Zealand men's international footballers
- Dutch men's footballers
- Dutch emigrants to New Zealand
- Footballers at the 2020 Summer Olympics
- Olympic association footballers for New Zealand
- People from Brummen
- Men's association football defenders
- Western Suburbs FC players
- Eastern Suburbs AFC players
- Grasshopper Club Zurich players
- Torslanda IK players
- Rio Ave F.C. players
- FC Helsingør players
- Sligo Rovers F.C. players
- Auckland FC players
- New Zealand Football Championship players
- Challenge League (Switzerland) players
- League of Ireland players
- New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in Sweden
- New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland
- New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in Denmark
- New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in Portugal
- New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in Ireland
- Expatriate men's footballers in Sweden
- Expatriate men's footballers in Switzerland
- Expatriate men's footballers in Portugal
- Expatriate men's footballers in Denmark
- Expatriate men's association footballers in the Republic of Ireland
- New Zealand men's under-20 international footballers
- Footballers from Gelderland
- Sportspeople from Rotorua
- People educated at Western Heights High School
- 21st-century Dutch sportsmen
- 21st-century New Zealand sportsmen