Xuan Loke

DOB 26/3/05

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

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 started four of the reserves’ final five matches in the 2023 Central League.

He was one of a dozen Nix players named in the New Zealand squad for the 2024 OFC U-19 Championship in Samoa.

> 2023-24 season

Xuan Loke featured in seven of the Phoenix reserves’ nine matches in the 2023 National League Championship, starting five of them.

Loke captained the reserves in the 2024 Central League, starting 16 of their 18 matches and scoring four goals, including a brace against eventual champions Wellington Olympic.

He 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.

Loke made his first team debut off the bench in the Australia Cup round of 32 defeat to South Melbourne the following month.

He thanked academy coaches Chris Greenacre and Luke Tongue after graduating to the first team.

“The past two years with Greeny and Luke has been absolutely amazing,” Loke said. “I’ve grown so much as a person and a player and I owe a lot to them for my development.

“They’re not only great coaches, they’re great people as well. They’ve also helped me through personal challenges.

“I give them a lot of credit for the position I’m in now.”