Ryan Nelsen
Encyclopedia
Ryan William Nelsen, ONZM
(born 18 October 1977) is a New Zealand
footballer who plays as a defender
, and is captain of Premier League club Blackburn Rovers
. Nelsen captains the New Zealand national team, the All Whites. He joined Blackburn back in 2005 on a free transfer from D.C. United
. Nelsen wears the number 6 jersey for both club and country.
. After attending Our Lady of the Assumption primary school and St Thomas of Canterbury College
, he moved to the United States to play for Greensboro College
in North Carolina
in 1997. After spending two years at Greensboro and leading The Pride to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III championship match, only to lose to Ohio Wesleyan University
, he transferred to Stanford University
where he played his final two years of college soccer. He was named Stanford's Most Valuable Player as a junior and an NSCAA All-American as a senior while playing as a defensive midfielder. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science
.
in the United States. He'd already had Three or Four seasons with Christchurch United
before he went stateside.
by D.C. United
, with whom he spent four years in Major League Soccer
. After emerging as a starter in 2002, Nelsen was named team captain in 2003, replacing Marco Etcheverry
in that role, as well as winning the team's Defender of the Year Award and being named to the league's Best XI
. He was named to the Best XI again in 2004, after captaining DC to its fourth MLS Cup
. In four years in MLS, Nelsen scored seven goals and added five assists.
, shortly after the completion of the 2004 MLS season. In the summer of 2005, after just 6 months at the club, Nelsen signed a new three year contract after impressing manager Mark Hughes
and helping to turn Blackburn's defence into one of the stingiest in the Premiership. Nelsen was successfully awarded a work permit
on appeal after the initial application had been refused due to New Zealand being ranked outside the top 70 in the FIFA World Rankings
.
In the 2005–06, Blackburn qualified for the UEFA Cup
with a sixth place finish, but Nelsen missed the last couple of games after breaking his foot in a 2–0 win at Charlton Athletic
. Nevertheless, his performances since arriving in England prompted much interest from rival clubs including Portsmouth, who's bid for Nelsen was rejected by Blackburn. On 1 February 2006, he started and played the full 90 minutes alongside then Andy Todd in a 4-3 league victory over Manchester United at Ewood Park
.
Nelsen was dealt another blow before the start of the 2006–07 season, with a serious hamstring injury forcing him out until the new year. On his return to the team in an FA Cup
fourth round win at Luton Town
, he was immediately made captain. In July 2007, he signed a new five-year deal with the club which will see him there until at least the summer of 2012. He scored his first league goal for Blackburn with a header against Wigan Athletic
on 26 April 2009 in a 2–0 win. He then scored his second Premier League goal against Portsmouth with a header from a corner taken by David Dunn on 7 November 2009, and has also scored goals against Birmingham City and Fulham. On 11 April 2010, Nelsen came on for the injured Chris Samba against Manchester United
at Ewood Park
in a 0-0 draw. Nelsen made his 175th appearance for Blackburn Rovers, captaining the team in a 3–2 defeat to Everton
at Ewood Park on 17 April 2010. In all competitions, Nelsen made a total of 33 appearances, and scored four goals, for Blackburn in 2009–10.
On 13 November 2010, he scored for Blackburn against Tottenham Hotspur
at White Hart Lane
for his first goal of the 2010–11 Premier League season. On 27 November, he played the full 90 minutes partnering Christopher Samba
, but this time in a disastrous 7-1 defeat at the hands of Manchester United at Old Trafford
. He then added his second and third goals of the campaign by scoring against Wolverhampton Wanderers
on 4 December in a 3-0 win and against West Ham United
on 18 December in a 1-1 draw.
With Blackburn's tenth successive Premier League season (and their 17th in 19 seasons) now underway, Nelsen has welcomed the club's proposed takeover by India
n owned Venky's Group who has promised up to £100million for Sam Allardyce
to spend on strengthening the squad – with Nelsen feeling that the squad could do with "freshing up". On 15 January 2011, he made his 200th appearance for Blackburn in the away game against Chelsea
at Stamford Bridge
.
Nelsen signed a one-year contract extension with Rovers in late January 2011 which will keep him at the club until the summer of 2013.
on 19 June 1999.
Although he has been selected to play on numerous occasions, Nelsen had not represented New Zealand between his last appearance in 2004 and 2008 due largely to a recurring hamstring injury.
Nelsen captained the New Zealand U-23 squad for their first appearance at the Olympic Games against China
. Although he was only available for the opening two matches as Blackburn had requested that he return in time to prepare for their opening Premier League game of the 2008–09 season against Everton.
Nelsen captained the All Whites side as they qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
, beating Bahrain
in a two-legged playoff in November 2009.
On 10 May 2010, Nelsen was named in New Zealand's final 23-man squad to compete at the 2010 FIFA World Cup
.
On 15 June, 28 years to the day after New Zealand made their first appearance in a FIFA World Cup Finals, Nelsen captained New Zealand to their first ever point in a FIFA World Cup Finals match in a 1–1 draw with World Cup debutants Slovakia
. On 24 June, Nelsen again skippered the All Whites in a 0–0 draw with Paraguay, but New Zealand were knocked out of the group stages.
Nelsen was named in a football "World Cup Best XI" by American sports channel, ESPN
on 10 July 2010.
(ONZM) for his services to football.
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
(born 18 October 1977) is a New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
footballer who plays as a defender
Defender
Defender usually refers to a position in association football .Defender or The Defender may also refer to:-Film and television:* The Defender or The Bodyguard from Beijing, a film starring Jet Li...
, and is captain of Premier League club Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
. Nelsen captains the New Zealand national team, the All Whites. He joined Blackburn back in 2005 on a free transfer from D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
. Nelsen wears the number 6 jersey for both club and country.
Early life
Nelsen was born in ChristchurchChristchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
. After attending Our Lady of the Assumption primary school and St Thomas of Canterbury College
St Thomas of Canterbury College
St Thomas of Canterbury College is a college for year 7 to 13 boys and offers a Catholic education to its students. It is located in Christchurch, New Zealand...
, he moved to the United States to play for Greensboro College
Greensboro College
Greensboro College is a four-year, independent, coeducational liberal-arts college, also offering four master's degrees, located in Greensboro, North Carolina, and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1838...
in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
in 1997. After spending two years at Greensboro and leading The Pride to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III championship match, only to lose to Ohio Wesleyan University
Ohio Wesleyan University
Ohio Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college in Delaware, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1842 by Methodist leaders and Central Ohio residents as a nonsectarian institution, and is a member of the Ohio Five — a consortium of Ohio liberal arts colleges...
, he transferred to Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
where he played his final two years of college soccer. He was named Stanford's Most Valuable Player as a junior and an NSCAA All-American as a senior while playing as a defensive midfielder. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
.
Christchurch United
Serendipitously, Nelsen - then 20 - was home for a semester's sabbatical from his university soccer scholarship with Greensboro CollegeGreensboro College
Greensboro College is a four-year, independent, coeducational liberal-arts college, also offering four master's degrees, located in Greensboro, North Carolina, and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1838...
in the United States. He'd already had Three or Four seasons with Christchurch United
Christchurch United
Christchurch United is a semi-professional association football club in Christchurch, New Zealand. They compete in the Robbie's Premier Football League.-Club history:...
before he went stateside.
DC United
Nelsen was drafted 4th overall in the 2001 MLS SuperDraft2001 MLS SuperDraft
-Round 1:-Round 2:-Round 3:-Round 4:-Round 5:-Round 6:-External links:*...
by D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
, with whom he spent four years in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
. After emerging as a starter in 2002, Nelsen was named team captain in 2003, replacing Marco Etcheverry
Marco Etcheverry
Marco Antonio Etcheverry Vargas is a retired Bolivian footballer, considered one of the greatest Bolivian players of all time.-Career:...
in that role, as well as winning the team's Defender of the Year Award and being named to the league's Best XI
MLS Best XI
The MLS Best XI is an acknowledgement of the best eleven players in the league in a given season for Major League Soccer in Canada and the United States.-Winners:*Players in bold text also won the Major League Soccer MVP Award award for that season....
. He was named to the Best XI again in 2004, after captaining DC to its fourth MLS Cup
MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
. In four years in MLS, Nelsen scored seven goals and added five assists.
Blackburn Rovers
Nelsen was signed by Blackburn Rovers on a free transfer in January 20052004-05 in English football
The 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League...
, shortly after the completion of the 2004 MLS season. In the summer of 2005, after just 6 months at the club, Nelsen signed a new three year contract after impressing manager Mark Hughes
Mark Hughes
Leslie Mark Hughes, OBE , is a former Welsh international footballer. As an international footballer, he made 72 appearances and scored 16 goals....
and helping to turn Blackburn's defence into one of the stingiest in the Premiership. Nelsen was successfully awarded a work permit
Work permit
Work permit is a generic term for a legal authorization which allows a person to take employment.It is most often used in reference to instances where a person is given permission to work in a country where one does not hold citizenship, but is also used in reference to minors, who in some...
on appeal after the initial application had been refused due to New Zealand being ranked outside the top 70 in the FIFA World Rankings
FIFA World Rankings
The FIFA World Rankings is a ranking system for men's national teams in association football, currently led by Spain. The teams of the member nations of FIFA , football's world governing body, are ranked based on their game results with the most successful teams being ranked highest...
.
In the 2005–06, Blackburn qualified for the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
with a sixth place finish, but Nelsen missed the last couple of games after breaking his foot in a 2–0 win at Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
. Nevertheless, his performances since arriving in England prompted much interest from rival clubs including Portsmouth, who's bid for Nelsen was rejected by Blackburn. On 1 February 2006, he started and played the full 90 minutes alongside then Andy Todd in a 4-3 league victory over Manchester United at Ewood Park
Ewood Park
Ewood Park is a football stadium in the English town of Blackburn, Lancashire, and is the home of Blackburn Rovers Football Club — one of the founder members of the Football League and Premier League. Rovers have played there since they moved from Leamington Street in the summer of 1890. The...
.
Nelsen was dealt another blow before the start of the 2006–07 season, with a serious hamstring injury forcing him out until the new year. On his return to the team in an FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
fourth round win at Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
, he was immediately made captain. In July 2007, he signed a new five-year deal with the club which will see him there until at least the summer of 2012. He scored his first league goal for Blackburn with a header against Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
on 26 April 2009 in a 2–0 win. He then scored his second Premier League goal against Portsmouth with a header from a corner taken by David Dunn on 7 November 2009, and has also scored goals against Birmingham City and Fulham. On 11 April 2010, Nelsen came on for the injured Chris Samba against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
at Ewood Park
Ewood Park
Ewood Park is a football stadium in the English town of Blackburn, Lancashire, and is the home of Blackburn Rovers Football Club — one of the founder members of the Football League and Premier League. Rovers have played there since they moved from Leamington Street in the summer of 1890. The...
in a 0-0 draw. Nelsen made his 175th appearance for Blackburn Rovers, captaining the team in a 3–2 defeat to Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
at Ewood Park on 17 April 2010. In all competitions, Nelsen made a total of 33 appearances, and scored four goals, for Blackburn in 2009–10.
On 13 November 2010, he scored for Blackburn against Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
at White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, London, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,230....
for his first goal of the 2010–11 Premier League season. On 27 November, he played the full 90 minutes partnering Christopher Samba
Christopher Samba
Veijeany Christopher Samba , more commonly known as Christopher Samba, is a Congolese footballer who plays as a defender for Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League.-Sedan:...
, but this time in a disastrous 7-1 defeat at the hands of Manchester United at Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
. He then added his second and third goals of the campaign by scoring against Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
on 4 December in a 3-0 win and against West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
on 18 December in a 1-1 draw.
With Blackburn's tenth successive Premier League season (and their 17th in 19 seasons) now underway, Nelsen has welcomed the club's proposed takeover by India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n owned Venky's Group who has promised up to £100million for Sam Allardyce
Sam Allardyce
Samuel "Sam" Allardyce , nicknamed "Big Sam", is an English football manager and former professional player. In June 2011 he was appointed as manager of West Ham United....
to spend on strengthening the squad – with Nelsen feeling that the squad could do with "freshing up". On 15 January 2011, he made his 200th appearance for Blackburn in the away game against Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
at Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge (stadium)
Stamford Bridge is a football stadium in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, West London, and is the home of Chelsea Football Club. The stadium is located within the Moore Park Estate also known as Walham Green and is often referred to as simply The Bridge...
.
Nelsen signed a one-year contract extension with Rovers in late January 2011 which will keep him at the club until the summer of 2013.
International career
Nelsen made his New Zealand All Whites debut against PolandPoland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
on 19 June 1999.
Although he has been selected to play on numerous occasions, Nelsen had not represented New Zealand between his last appearance in 2004 and 2008 due largely to a recurring hamstring injury.
Nelsen captained the New Zealand U-23 squad for their first appearance at the Olympic Games against China
China national football team
The China PR national football team is the national association football team of the People's Republic of China and is governed by the Chinese Football Association...
. Although he was only available for the opening two matches as Blackburn had requested that he return in time to prepare for their opening Premier League game of the 2008–09 season against Everton.
Nelsen captained the All Whites side as they qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
, beating Bahrain
Bahrain national football team
The Bahrain national football team is the national team of the Kingdom of Bahrain and is controlled by the Bahrain Football Association; it was founded in 1951 and joined FIFA in 1966. They have never reached the finals of the World Cup, but have twice come within one match of doing so...
in a two-legged playoff in November 2009.
On 10 May 2010, Nelsen was named in New Zealand's final 23-man squad to compete at the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
.
On 15 June, 28 years to the day after New Zealand made their first appearance in a FIFA World Cup Finals, Nelsen captained New Zealand to their first ever point in a FIFA World Cup Finals match in a 1–1 draw with World Cup debutants Slovakia
Slovakia national football team
The Slovakia national football team represents Slovakia in association football and is controlled by the Slovak Football Association , the governing body for football in Slovakia. Slovakia's home stadium is Štadión Pasienky and their head coach is Vladimír Weiss...
. On 24 June, Nelsen again skippered the All Whites in a 0–0 draw with Paraguay, but New Zealand were knocked out of the group stages.
Nelsen was named in a football "World Cup Best XI" by American sports channel, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
on 10 July 2010.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Minute | Final Score | Result | Competition | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19 August 2000 | Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million... , Malaysia |
2–0 | Win | Merdeka Tournament Invitational Friendly | ||||||
| 2 | 5 July 2002 | Albany Albany, New Zealand Albany is a northern suburb of Auckland, one of the several cities in northern New Zealand. The name derives from Alba and its Latinisation. It is located to the north of the Waitemata Harbour, 15 kilometres northwest of the Auckland city centre. The suburb is in the Albany ward, one of the... , New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga... |
30' | 4–0 | Win | 2002 OFC Nations Cup | |||||
| 3 | 7 July 2002 | Albany Albany, New Zealand Albany is a northern suburb of Auckland, one of the several cities in northern New Zealand. The name derives from Alba and its Latinisation. It is located to the north of the Waitemata Harbour, 15 kilometres northwest of the Auckland city centre. The suburb is in the Albany ward, one of the... , New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga... |
54' | 9–1 | Win | 2002 OFC Nations Cup 2002 OFC Nations Cup -Results:-Match Schedule:-------------------- and progress to the knockout tournament.-Results:-Match Schedule:-------------------- and progress to the knockout tournament.-Knockout Rounds:-Semi-Finals:----... |
|||||
| 4 | 14 July 2002 | Auckland Auckland The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world... , New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga... |
78' | 1–0 | Win | 2002 OFC Nations Cup | |||||
| 5 | 27 May 2003 | Edinburgh Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area... , Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the... |
1–1 | Draw | Friendly | ||||||
| 6 | 4 June 2004 | Adelaide Adelaide Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million... , Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... |
82' | 10–0 | Win | 2004 OFC Nations Cup | |||||
| Last updated 15:00, 17 June 2011 (UTC) | |||||||||||
Club career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Christchurch United Christchurch United Christchurch United is a semi-professional association football club in Christchurch, New Zealand. They compete in the Robbie's Premier Football League.-Club history:... |
1995 Mainland Premier League The Mainland Premier League or Robbie's Premier Football League for sponsorship reasons is a semi-professional status league competition run by for Association football clubs located in the northern half of the South Island, New Zealand.... |
24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 2 |
| 1996 Mainland Premier League The Mainland Premier League or Robbie's Premier Football League for sponsorship reasons is a semi-professional status league competition run by for Association football clubs located in the northern half of the South Island, New Zealand.... |
26 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 5 | |
| 1997 Mainland Premier League The Mainland Premier League or Robbie's Premier Football League for sponsorship reasons is a semi-professional status league competition run by for Association football clubs located in the northern half of the South Island, New Zealand.... |
22 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 3 | |
| 1998 Mainland Premier League The Mainland Premier League or Robbie's Premier Football League for sponsorship reasons is a semi-professional status league competition run by for Association football clubs located in the northern half of the South Island, New Zealand.... |
24 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 6 | |
| Total | 96 | 12 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 109 | 16 | |
| DC United | 2001 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| 2002 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 4 | |
| 2003 | 25 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 1 | |
| 2004 | 17 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 2 | |
| Total | 81 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 86 | 7 | |
| Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers F.C. Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football.... |
2004–05 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| 2005–06 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 0 | |
| 2006–07 | 12 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 0 | |
| 2007–08 | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 30 | 0 | |
| 2008–09 | 35 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 1 | |
| 2009–10 | 28 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 4 | |
| 2010–11 | 28 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 3 | |
| 2011–12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 172 | 8 | 14 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 208 | 8 | |
| Career totals | 357 | 27 | 32 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 412 | 31 | |
Writing career
Nelsen and New Zealand author Tony Smith co-wrote the book Ryan Nelsen's Road to the World Cup.Awards
On 31 December 2010, as part of the 2011 New Year's Honours, Nelsen was named an Officer of the New Zealand Order of MeritNew Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
(ONZM) for his services to football.
See also
- New Zealand national football team
- New Zealand at the FIFA World CupNew Zealand at the FIFA World CupThe New Zealand national football team has participated in two FIFA World Cups, the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain and the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa....
- New Zealand national football team results
- List of New Zealand international footballers
External links
- Ryan Nelsen at the MLS Official Website
- Ryan Nelsen at rovers.co.uk