William Wilson (footballer, born 2001)

{{Infobox football biography

| image = Will_Wilson_training_for_Melbourne_Victory_June_2022.jpg

| name = William Wilson

| fullname = William Lenkupae Wilson

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|12|23|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Australia

| height =

| position = Central midfielder

| currentclub = Central Coast Mariners

| clubnumber = 28

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Box Hill United

| youthyears2 = 2017–2023

| youthclubs2 = Melbourne Victory

| years1 = 2018–2023

| clubs1 = Melbourne Victory NPL

| caps1 = 49

| goals1 = 9

| years2 = 2021–2023

| clubs2 = Melbourne Victory

| caps2 = 10

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2023–

| clubs3 = Central Coast Mariners

| caps3 = 15

| goals3 = 1

| nationalyears1 = 2025–

| nationalteam1 = Kenya

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 1

| club-update = 15 January 2025

| nationalteam-update = 24 March 2025

}}

William Lenkupae Wilson (born 23 December 2001) is a kenyan professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Central Coast Mariners. Born in Australia, he plays for the Kenya national team.{{cite web | url=https://melbournevictory.com.au/news/youth-player-profile-will-wilson | title=News - Youth Player Profile Will Wilson | date=3 July 2021 }}

Club career

=Melbourne Victory=

He made his professional debut in a FFA Cup playoff match against Perth Glory on 24 November 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2021/11/24/australia/ffa-cup/perth-glory-fc/melbourne-victory-fc/3513535/|title = Perth Glory vs. Melbourne Victory - 24 November 2021 - Soccerway}} On 16 February 2022 he made first league appearance for Melbourne Victory against Western Sydney Wanderers. Wilson made his starting debut for the club in a 2-1 loss to Central Coast Mariners on the 2022 New Year's Eve fixture. On 26 August 2023 he was released by Melbourne Victory and signed for Central Coast Mariners.

=Central Coast Mariners=

Wilson made his debut for the Central Coast Mariners in an away AFC Cup tie against Terengganu FC in Malaysia. He scored his first A-League goal in an F3 Derby, scoring the Mariners' second goal in a 3-1 win at home on 25 November 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://aleagues.com.au/news/f3-derby-central-coast-newcastle-jets-aleague-men-round-5-2023-24-goals-highlights-report/|title=Drought broken! Champions win at last in F3 Derby triumph over Jets|website=aleagues.com.au|date=25 November 2023}}

Wilson was part of the Mariners' 2023-24 premiership and 2023-24 AFC Cup winning season.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-02/central-coast-mariners-secure-a-league-men-premiers-plate/103793606|title=Central Coast Mariners secure A-league Men's premier's plate with win over Adelaide United|website=ABC News (Australia)|date=2 February 2024}}

International career

Wilson was born in Australia to a Kenyan father of Samburu ethnicity, and an Australian mother.{{cite web | title=Harambee Stars midfielder reveals why he chose Kenya over Australia | website=MozzartSportKe | date=2025-03-22 | url=https://www.mozzartsport.co.ke/football/news/harambee-stars-midfielder-reveals-why-he-chose-kenya-over-australia/52021 | access-date=2025-03-25}} He received his first international call-up for the Kenyan national team in March 2025 for their 2026 World Cup Qualifying matches against Gambia and Gabon. On the 20th of March, he scored on his debut in a 3-goal draw against Gambia.

Career statistics

=International=

:Kenya score listed first, score column indicates score after each Wilson goal

class="wikitable sortable" \|+ List of international goals scored by William Wilson
scope="col"\|No. !scope="col"\|Date !scope="col"\|Venue !scope="col"\|Cap !scope="col"\|Opponent !scope="col"\|Score !scope="col"\|Result !scope="col"\|Competition !scope="col" class="unsortable"\|{{abbr\|Ref.\|Reference}}
style="text-align: center;"\|1	20 March 2025	Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, Ivory Coast	style="text-align: center;"\|1	{{fb\|Gambia}}	style="text-align: center;"\|3–3	style="text-align: center;"\|3–3	2026 FIFA World Cup qualification	style="text-align: center;"\|{{cite news\|url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8922603/mariners-star-wilson-earns-point-for-kenya-on-debut/\|title=Mariners star Wilson earns point for Kenya on debut\|date=21 March 2025\|access-date=21 March 2025\|first=Mark\|last=Gleeson\|website=The Canberra Times}}

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ List of international goals scored by William Wilson

scope="col"|No.

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Venue

!scope="col"|Cap

!scope="col"|Opponent

!scope="col"|Score

!scope="col"|Result

!scope="col"|Competition

!scope="col" class="unsortable"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

style="text-align: center;"|1

20 March 2025

Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, Ivory Coast

style="text-align: center;"|1

style="text-align: center;"|3–3

2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

style="text-align: center;"|{{cite news|url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8922603/mariners-star-wilson-earns-point-for-kenya-on-debut/|title=Mariners star Wilson earns point for Kenya on debut|date=21 March 2025|access-date=21 March 2025|first=Mark|last=Gleeson|website=The Canberra Times}}