Xuan Loke

Xuan signed his maiden professional contract with the Wellington Phoenix shortly before Christmas 2024, becoming the fourth academy player to graduate to the men’s first team squad in the calendar year.

Originally from Dunedin, Loke played for Green Island and Dunedin Technical (now Dunedin City Royals) before moving to Wellington as a 12-year-old to join the Olé Football Academy.

He switched to the Phoenix academy at the start of 2022 and made his debut for the club’s reserves the following year.

Loke featured in seven of the Phoenix reserves’ nine matches in the 2023 National League Championship, starting five of them, and was named the team’s captain for the 2024 season.

He started 16 of the reserve’s 18 Central League matches and scored four goals, including a brace against eventual champions Wellington Olympic.

Loke was rewarded with a maiden international call-up and started three of New Zealand’s matches at the 2024 OFC U-19 Championship in Samoa in July, including the 4-0 win over New Caledonia in the final.

> 2024-25 season

Xuan Loke made his first team debut off the bench in the round of 32 Australia Cup match against South Melbourne in August.

While continuing to train with the first team Loke made five appearances for the reserves in the National League Championship, starting four matches including the memorable 4-3 win over Auckland City at Kiwitea St.

He signed a two-and-a-half year deal with the Phoenix in December and was on the bench for a couple of A-League matches in January but is still waiting to make his bow in the competition.

Loke 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 there in September.