Gabriel Sloane-Rodrigues

Gabriel Sloane-Rodrigues signed his first pro contract with the Wellington Phoenix in April 2024, three months before his 17^th birthday, putting pen to paper on a three-year deal, the first two years of which are on scholarship terms.

The young winger started training with the first team during 2023-24 pre-season after Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano spotted him playing for the Phoenix thirds in the Capital Premier League.

Sloane-Rodrigues was born in Hong Kong to Kiwi and Brazilian parents but grew up in Auckland.

He played his junior football for East Coast Bays AFC and Auckland United FC before moving to Wellington with his mum Donna when he was 14 to join the Phoenix academy.

Sloane-Rodrigues made his debut for the reserves in the penultimate match of the 2023 Central League and featured in five National League matches that followed.

In November he went to Indonesia for the FIFA U-17 Men’s World Cup and he came off the bench in all three of New Zealand’s group matches.

Upon his return to the Phoenix, Sloane-Rodrigues was named in matchday squads for A-League matches in January and February 2024 before finally making his professional bow at the end of stoppage time in the round 20 match against Melbourne City.

In the process he became the then youngest player in Wellington Phoenix history at 16 years and 250 days.

Sloane-Rodrigues helped New Zealand qualify for the 2025 FIFA U-20 Men’s World Cup by being a key part of the side which dominated the OFC U-19 Men’s Championship in July.

> 2024-25 season

Gabriel Sloane-Rodrigues started his first full pro season in the reserves, starting six of their nine matches in the National League.

Sloane-Rodrigues scored three goals, including a brace in a 4-3 win over Auckland City at Kiwitea St.

Injuries then disrupted his campaign, and he had to wait until March to be included in the first team’s matchday squad.

Sloane-Rodrigues featured off the bench in the final match of the season and started the Australia Cup playoff against Brisbane Roar in Darwin, setting up the winning goal.

He headed to Chile in June to represent the New Zealand U-20 side in two friendlies in preparation for the FIFA U-20 World Cup later in the year.