Lukas Kelly-Heald

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Lukas Kelly-Heald
Kelly-Heald playing for the Wellington Phoenix in 2025
Personal information
Full name Lukas Eric Kelly-Heald[1]
Date of birth (2005-03-18) 18 March 2005 (age 20)[1]
Place of birth Wellington, New Zealand
Height 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)[1]
Position Defender
Team information
Current team
 Wellington Phoenix
Number 18
Youth career
Island Bay United
North Wellington AFC
Lower Hutt City AFC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021 Lower Hutt City AFC 1 (0)
2021– Wellington Phoenix Reserves 36 (0)
2023– Wellington Phoenix 33 (0)
International career‡
2022– New Zealand U-20 10 (0)
2023– New Zealand U-23 6 (0)
2024– New Zealand 3 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  New Zealand
OFC Nations Cup
Winner 2024 Fiji/Vanuatu
OFC U-19 Championship
Winner 2022 Tahiti
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 19 March 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of 6 October 2025

Lukas Eric Kelly-Heald (born 18 March 2005) is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a centre-back or left-back for Wellington Phoenix.[2][3][4]

His twin brother Alby Kelly-Heald, a goalkeeper, played for the same youth clubs and the Phoenix academy. In January 2025, they became the third pair of twins to play together in the A-League Men, and the first for the Phoenix.[5]

Club career

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In July 2023, the Wellington Phoenix signed Kelly-Heald to a four-year professional contract.[6] He made his club debut on 4 August 2023 against Peninsula Power FC in the Australia Cup.[7]

Kelly-Heald made his A-League Men debut for the Phoenix on the opening matchday of the 2023–24 season in a 0–0 draw away to Western Sydney Wanderers.

International career

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New Zealand U20

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Kelly-Heald was named as part of the 21-player New Zealand U-20 squad for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup that took place in Chile from September to October 2025.[8] Kelly-Heald made three appearances in the tournament, with New Zealand exiting after the conclusion of the group stage.[9][10][11]

Honours

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New Zealand

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Men's Olympic Football Tournament Paris 2024: Squad list" (PDF). FIFA. 24 July 2024. p. 11. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  2. ^ Rollo, Phillip (11 February 2024). "Wellington Phoenix twin goes from selling popcorn at the movies to playing football for a living". Stuff. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
  3. ^ "Getting to know Lukas Kelly-Heald". 11 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Phoenix teenager Lukas Kelly-Heald named in latest All Whites squad". Friends of Football. 10 March 2024.
  5. ^ Rollo, Phillip (15 January 2025). "Kelly-Heald twins create Wellington Phoenix history after sharing the pitch in the A-League Men". Stuff. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  6. ^ Waters, Victoria (6 July 2023). "Wellington Phoenix future-proof defence with tall timber". 1News. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  7. ^ "Wellington Phoenix debutants star with winning goal in extra-time Australia Cup strike". Stuff. 5 August 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  8. ^ "Squad Named for September's FIFA U-20 World Cup 2025". New Zealand Football. 12 September 2025. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  9. ^ "Match Centre – Chile vs New Zealand". FIFA. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  10. ^ "Match Centre – Egypt vs New Zealand". FIFA. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  11. ^ "Match Centre – New Zealand vs Japan". FIFA. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
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