Niko Kirwan
{{short description|New Zealand footballer}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Niko Kirwan
| fullname = Niko Mario Patrick Kirwan
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1995|9|4}}
| birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand
| position = Midfielder
| height = 1.86 m
| currentclub = Padova
| clubnumber = 26
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Auckland City
| youthyears2 =
| youthclubs2 = Waitakere United
| years1 = 2016–2017
| clubs1 = Team Wellington
| caps1 = 18
| goals1 = 1
| years2 = 2017–2018
| clubs2 = Mestre
| caps2 = 21
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2018–2019
| clubs3 = Reggina
| caps3 = 35
| goals3 = 1
| years4 = 2019–2021
| clubs4 = Reggiana
| caps4 = 50
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2021–
| clubs5 = Padova
| caps5 = 100
| goals5 = 6
| nationalyears1 = 2021–
| nationalteam1 = New Zealand
| nationalcaps1 = 10
| nationalgoals1 = 1
| club-update = 29 April 2025
| nationalteam-update = 4 July 2024
| module = {{infobox person
| embed = yes
| father = John Kirwan
| mother =
| spouse =
| education =
| alma_mater =
| relatives = Jack Kirwan (great grandfather)
John Ah Kuoi (uncle)
}}
}}
Niko Mario Patrick Kirwan (born 4 September 1995) is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Italian {{Italian football updater|Padova}} club Padova and the New Zealand national team.
Club career
=Team Wellington=
Kirwan signed to play for Team Wellington in the New Zealand Football Championship for the 2016–2017 season.{{cite news|title=All Blacks legend Sir John Kirwan's son Niko set for shock All Whites call-up - report|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/nz-teams/102152944/all-blacks-legend-john-kirwans-son-niko-set-for-shock-all-whites-callup--report|accessdate=22 March 2018|publisher=Stuff.co.nz|date=10 March 2018}}
=Mestre=
On the 28 July 2017, Kirwan signed a one-year deal with Mestre who play in the Italian Serie C.{{cite news|title=Football: Bumpy road to professional football for Niko Kirwan|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11896703|accessdate=22 March 2018|publisher=The New Zealand Herald |date=29 July 2017}}
=Reggina=
On 8 July 2018, Kirwan signed a one-year deal with an option for another two with Reggina who play in the Italian Serie C.{{cite news|title=Reggina, Niko Kirwan è un nuovo calciatore amaranto|url=http://www.ottoetrenta.it/sport/reggina-niko-kirwan-nuovo-calciatore/|accessdate=8 July 2018|publisher=Ottoetrenta|date=8 July 2018}}
=Reggiana=
=Padova=
International career
On the 15 March 2018, Kirwan was called up for the New Zealand national football team as part of its 24-man squad for their friendly against Canada.{{cite news|title=John Kirwan's son Niko named in All Whites squad for Canada friendly in Spain|url=http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2018/03/john-kirwan-s-son-niko-named-in-all-whites-squad-for-canada-friendly-in-spain.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315122836/http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2018/03/john-kirwan-s-son-niko-named-in-all-whites-squad-for-canada-friendly-in-spain.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 March 2018|accessdate=22 March 2018|publisher=Newshub |date=15 March 2018}}
He made his international debut with New Zealand in a 2–1 friendly win over Curaçao on 9 October 2021.{{cite news|title= Football: Gutsy All Whites grind out impressive victory over Curacao on international return |url= https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2021/10/football-gutsy-all-whites-grind-out-impressive-victory-over-curacao-on-international-return.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20211009210604/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2021/10/football-gutsy-all-whites-grind-out-impressive-victory-over-curacao-on-international-return.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= 9 October 2021 |accessdate=10 October 2021|publisher=Newshub |date=10 October 2022}} He scored his first international goal three days later, a late winner against Bahrain.{{cite news|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/nz-teams/126599005/its-unreal-niko-kirwan-pops-up-late-to-score-winning-goal-as-all-whites-beat-bahrain|title=It's unreal: Niko Kirwan pops up late to score winning goal as All Whites beat Bahrain|website=Stuff.co.nz|date=13 October 2021|accessdate=13 October 2021|first=Andrew|last=Voerman}}
Career statistics
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" | ||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division
!Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals | ||||||||
| Team Wellington
|16 | 1 | colspan=2|— | 7{{efn|name=ofccl|Appearance in OFC Champions League}} | 0 | 2{{efn|name=nzfc-p|Appearances in New Zealand Football Championship play-offs}} | 0 | 25 | 1 |
| Mestre
|22 | 0 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | |
| Reggina 1914
|Serie C |34 | 1 | 2 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 4{{efn|Two appearances in Coppa Italia Serie C play-offs; two appearances in Serie C Promotion play-offs}} | 0 | 38 | 1 |
| rowspan=3|Reggiana 1919
|Serie C |23 | 0 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 1{{efn|name=SCP|Appearance in Serie C Promotion play-offs}} | 0 | 24 | 0 | |
| 2020–21
|23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 24 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!46||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||47||0 | ||||||||
| rowspan=5|Padova
|rowspan=4|Serie C |30 | 4 | 1 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 10{{efn|Six appearances; one goal in Coppa Italia Serie C play-offs; four appearances in Serie C Promotion play-offs}} | 1 | 41 | 5 |
| 2022–23
|2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 1{{efn|name=SCP|Appearance in Serie C Promotion play-offs}} | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 2023–24
|31 | 1 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 7{{efn|name=CISC|Appearance in Coppa Italia Serie C}} | 1 | 38 | 2 | |
| 2024–25
|32 | 1 | 1 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 2{{efn|name=CISC|Appearance in Coppa Italia Serie C}} | 0 | 35 | 1 |
| colspan="2"|Total
!95||6||3||0||0||0||20||2||118||8 | ||||||||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!213||8||5||0||7||0||27||2||252||10 |
{{notelist}}
International goals
| class="wikitable" | ||||||
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 12 October 2021 | Bahrain National Stadium, Riffa, Bahrain | {{fb|BHR}} | align=center|1–0 | align=center| 1–0 | Friendly |
Personal life
Kirwan is the son of New Zealand All Black Sir John Kirwan. He lived in Italy for 10 years which is where he got his love of football from and learnt Italian. He is of Italian descent through his mother Fiorella.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/domestic/95217245/kiwi-footballer-niko-kirwan-signs-first-professional-deal-with-italian-third-division-side|title=Kiwi footballer Niko Kirwan signs first professional deal with Italian third division side|date=28 July 2017|website=Stuff }} He also holds Italian citizenship.{{Cite news|url=https://sport.sky.it/calciomercato/2017/07/18/niko-kirwan-figlio-di-john-kirwan-in-prova-al-mestre.html|title=Il figlio di John Kirwan in prova al Mestre|last=Sport|first=Sky|access-date=2018-03-24|language=it-IT}}
Honours
=Club=
;Team Wellington
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerway|niko-kirwin/465789}}
- {{Tuttocalciatori|Kirwan_Niko_Marco_Patrick}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Calcio Padova squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirwan, Niko}}
Category:Association footballers from Auckland
Category:New Zealand people of Italian descent
Category:New Zealand men's association footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:New Zealand Football Championship players
Category:Team Wellington FC players
Category:AS Reggina 1914 players
Category:AC Reggiana 1919 players
Category:Calcio Padova players
Category:New Zealand expatriate men's association footballers
Category:New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in Italy
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Italy
Category:People educated at Sacred Heart College, Auckland
Category:New Zealand men's international footballers
Category:21st-century New Zealand sportsmen
{{NewZealand-footy-bio-stub}}