Lucas Knecht
{{Short description|Footballer (born 1993)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name = Lucas Knecht
|image =
|full_name = Lucas Paul Knecht
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1993|03|30|df=y}}
|birth_place = Fort Wayne, Indiana,
United States
|height = 1.83 m
|position = Defender
|currentclub =
|clubnumber =
|youthyears1 =
|youthclubs1 = MP United
|youthyears2 =
|youthclubs2 = Mount Albert
|collegeyears1 = 2012–2014
|college1 = GSW Hurricanes
|collegecaps1 = 8
|collegegoals1 = 0
|years1 = |clubs1 = MP United |caps1 = |goals1 =
|nationalyears1 = 2006 |nationalteam1 = Northern Mariana Islands U14
|nationalyears2 = 2007–2014
|nationalteam2 = Northern Mariana Islands
|nationalcaps2 = 11
|nationalgoals2 = 0
|club-update =
|nationalteam-update = 12:57, 10 January 2019 (UTC)
}}
Lucas Paul Knecht (born 30 March 1993) is a footballer who holds the record as the youngest ever player in a men's international match. He made his debut for the Northern Mariana Islands national team aged 14 years and 2 days.
Early life
Knecht played youth soccer with MP United.{{cite web |url=http://www.saipantribune.com/index.php/knecht-barry-give-back-suit-blue-ayuyus/ |title=Knecht, Barry give back, suit up for Blue Ayuyus |date=14 July 2014 |accessdate=17 June 2017 |work=Saipan Tribune |first=Roselyn |last=Monroyo |archive-date=26 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426011714/https://www.saipantribune.com/index.php/knecht-barry-give-back-suit-blue-ayuyus/ |url-status=live }}
College career
Having already made his international debut, Knecht went on to study at the Mount Albert Grammar School in New Zealand, before moving to America to study at the Georgia Southwestern State University, playing for the Hurricanes soccer team. He made eight appearances during his time there, without scoring.{{cite web |url=http://www.gswcanes.com/sports/msoc/2012-13/bios/knecht_lucas_16ad?view=career&pos=kickers |title=Lucas Knecht |date=1 January 2015 |accessdate=11 January 2017 |work=Georgia Southwestern State University |archive-date=26 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426012059/http://www.gswcanes.com/sports/msoc/2012-13/bios/knecht_lucas_16ad?view=career |url-status=live }}
Club career
After leaving the Georgia Southwestern State University, it is unclear as to whether Knecht joined a club side, with some reports claiming he played for 3. Liga outfit VfL Osnabrück.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}
International career
He started playing youth international football with the Northern Mariana Islands when he was 13, being selected for a U14 tournament in Beijing, China.
He played in Northern Mariana Islands men's first international soccer victory.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mvariety.com/sports/localsports/for-the-love-of-soccer-ex-nmi-team-members-recall-sacrifices/article_4639aa08-9406-5014-a117-fb4ced7b8a84.html|title=For the love of soccer: ex-NMI team members recall sacrifices|date=25 May 2020 |publisher=mvariety.com|access-date=14 September 2022|archive-date=14 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220914182206/https://www.mvariety.com/sports/localsports/for-the-love-of-soccer-ex-nmi-team-members-recall-sacrifices/article_4639aa08-9406-5014-a117-fb4ced7b8a84.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.mvariety.com/sports/localsports/looking-back-at-the-nmi-mens-first-international-soccer-victory/article_078261c7-97eb-5b04-834f-ceb23a429e46.html|title=Looking back at the NMI men's first international soccer victory|date=24 May 2020 |publisher=mvariety.com|access-date=14 September 2022|archive-date=14 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220914182205/https://www.mvariety.com/sports/localsports/looking-back-at-the-nmi-mens-first-international-soccer-victory/article_078261c7-97eb-5b04-834f-ceb23a429e46.html|url-status=live}}
Knecht holds the record for being the youngest ever male international footballer, when he made his Northern Mariana Islands debut aged just 14 years and 2 days against Guam in a 9–0 defeat on 1 April 2007.{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/oldest-youngest.html |title=Oldest and Youngest Players and Goal-scorers in International Football |date=4 February 2016 |accessdate=11 January 2017 |work=RSSSF |archive-date=26 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220726065645/https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/oldest-youngest.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2014/08/norwegian-teenage-sensation-gets-national-team-cal.html |title=Norwegian Teenage Sensation Gets National Team Call-Up |date=19 August 2014 |accessdate=11 January 2017 |work=Paste Magazine |archive-date=13 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113152237/https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2014/08/norwegian-teenage-sensation-gets-national-team-cal.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37031482 |title=Ethan Ampadu: Exeter City 15-year-old gets first-team chance while on school holiday |date=10 August 2016 |accessdate=11 January 2017 |work=BBC |archive-date=26 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161126042051/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37031482 |url-status=live }} Since then, he has made 11 appearances for the Blue Ayuyu. He played in all three games as his nation failed to qualify for the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup.{{cite web |url=http://www.the-afc.com/afcasfeeds?fixtureid=7268&stageid=284&tMode=C&view=ajax&show=matchsummary |title=Nepal 6-0 Northern Mariana |date=2 March 2013 |accessdate=27 March 2017 |work=AFC |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304115923/http://www.the-afc.com/afcasfeeds?fixtureid=7268&stageid=284&tMode=C&view=ajax&show=matchsummary |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.the-afc.com/afcasfeeds?fixtureid=7269&stageid=284&tMode=C&view=ajax&show=matchsummary |title=Northern Mariana 0–9 Palestine |date=4 March 2013 |accessdate=27 March 2017 |work=AFC |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304073246/http://www.the-afc.com/afcasfeeds?fixtureid=7269&stageid=284&tMode=C&view=ajax&show=matchsummary |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.the-afc.com/afcasfeeds?fixtureid=7270&stageid=284&tMode=C&view=ajax&show=matchsummary |title=Bangladesh 4-0 Northern Mariana |date=6 March 2013 |accessdate=27 March 2017 |work=AFC |archive-date=23 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923161747/http://www.the-afc.com/afcasfeeds?fixtureid=7270&stageid=284&tMode=C&view=ajax&show=matchsummary |url-status=live }}
Career statistics
= International =
{{updated|matches played 6 January 2019.}}{{NFT player|pid=30299}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="8"|Northern Mariana Islands
|2007 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2008 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 2 | 0 | |
| colspan=2|Total | 11 | 0 |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerway|lucas-paul-knecht/130519}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Knecht, Lucas}}
Category:21st-century American sportsmen
Category:Northern Mariana Islands men's footballers
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Northern Mariana Islands men's international footballers