Oliver Kelaart

{{Short description|Sri Lankan footballer (born 1998)}}

{{EngvarB|date=October 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Oliver Kelaart

| image =

| caption =

| image_size =

| fullname = Oliver James Kelaart Torres{{Cite web|url=https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/oliver-kelaart/|title=Oliver Kelaart|website=worldfootball.net|access-date=June 15, 2024}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|4|16|df=y}}

| birth_place = Melbourne, Australia

| height = 1.78m

| position = Winger

| currentclub = Haukar

| clubnumber = 77

| youthyears1 = –2017

| youthclubs1 = Orihuela U19

| years1 = 2017–2018

| clubs1 = Orihuela

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 2019–2020

| clubs2 = Calamonte

| caps2 = 11

| goals2 = 2

| years3 = 2020

| clubs3 = Kormákur/Hvöt

| caps3 = 5

| goals3 = 1

| years4 = 2021

| clubs4 = Keflavík

| caps4 = 9

| goals4 = 1

| years5 = 2022

| clubs5 = Þróttur Vogum

| caps5 = 6

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2023

| clubs6 = Njarðvík

| caps6 = 14

| goals6 = 5

| years7 = 2024

| clubs7 = Haukar

| caps7 = 8

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2025–

| clubs8 = Hume City

| caps8 = 11

| goals8 = 0

| pcupdate = 5 May 2025

| nationalyears1 = 2024–

| nationalteam1 = Sri Lanka

| nationalcaps1 = 10

| nationalgoals1 = 2

| ntupdate = 20 March 2025

}}

Oliver James Kelaart Torres ({{langx|si|{{Nastaliq|ඔලිවර් කෙලාර්ට්}}}}; born 16 April 1998) is a footballer who plays as a winger for NPL Victoria club Hume City. Born in Australia, he represents Sri Lanka at international level.

International career

Born in Melbourne, Kelaart is eligible to represent Sri Lanka as his father was born in Colombo.{{Cite web|url=https://kick360.co/oliver-kelaart-on-his-hopes-of-representing-sri-lanka-and-his-move-to-icelands-second-tier/|title=Oliver Kelaart on his hopes of representing Sri Lanka and his move to Iceland's second tier|first=Cameron|last=Wyper|date=June 29, 2022|access-date=June 15, 2024|website=kick360.co|archive-date=8 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240608173648/https://kick360.co/oliver-kelaart-on-his-hopes-of-representing-sri-lanka-and-his-move-to-icelands-second-tier/|url-status=live}}

He was first approached by the Football Federation of Sri Lanka to represent the nation in 2020, under the recommendation of the coach at the time, Amir Alagic. However, due to the federation's FIFA ban in 2023, Kelaart's opportunity to play international football was further delayed.{{Cite web|url=https://www.frontpagefootball.net/post/melburnian-forward-oliver-kelaart-realises-his-dream-representing-sri-lanka|title=Melburnian forward Oliver Kelaart realises his dream representing Sri Lanka|first=Cam|last=Wyper|date=March 30, 2024|access-date=June 15, 2024|website=Front Page Football}}

On 22 March 2024, Kelaart made his debut for the Sri Lanka national team against Papua New Guinea during the 2024 FIFA Series. In the following game, three days later, Kelaart scored his first international goal in a 2–0 victory over Bhutan.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailynews.lk/2024/03/27/sports/467031/sri-lanka-football-savour-its-finest-moment/|title=Sri Lanka football savour its finest moment|date=March 27, 2024|access-date=June 15, 2024|website=dailynews.lk}}

Personal life

Kelaart was born in Melbourne, Australia to a Sri Lankan Burgher father and Spanish mother.

Career statistics

=International=

{{updated|25 March 2024.}}{{NFT player|94322|access-date=June 15, 2024}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year

National teamYearAppsGoals
Sri Lanka

|2024

62
colspan="2"|Total||6||2

=International goals=

:Scores and results list Sri Lanka's goal tally first.

class="wikitable"
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.25 March 2024Colombo Racecourse, Colombo, Sri Lanka{{fb|BHU}}align=center | 2–0align=center| 2–02024 FIFA Series
2.10 September 2024Olympic Stadium, Phnom Penh, Cambodia{{fb|CAM}}align=center|1–0align= center| 2–2 {{aet}}
4–2 {{pen.}}
2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification

References

{{reflist}}