Lukas Kelly-Heald
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.jpg) Kelly-Heald playing for the Wellington Phoenix in 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Lukas Eric Kelly-Heald[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 18 March 2005[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 | 58 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022– | New Zealand U-20 | 10 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023– | New Zealand U-23 | 6 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024– | New Zealand | 5 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17 April 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 23 January 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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]
Kelly-Heald attended St Patrick's College, Wellington where he played for the first XI.[6]
Club career
In July 2023, the Wellington Phoenix signed Kelly-Heald to a four-year professional contract.[7] He made his club debut on 4 August 2023 against Peninsula Power FC in the Australia Cup.[8]
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.[9] He made his 50th league appearance for the Phoenix in a 3–0 win away to the Brisbane Roar on 3 January 2026.
International career
New Zealand U-20
Kelly-Heald was named as part of the 23-player New Zealand U-19 squad for the 2022 OFC U-19 Championship.[10] New Zealand would go on to win the tournament by defeating Fiji 3–0 in the final on 24 September 2022.[11][12] Kelly-Heald made four appearances in the tournament, including the semifinal and final.
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.[13] Kelly-Heald made three appearances in the tournament, with New Zealand exiting after the conclusion of the group stage.[14][15][16]
New Zealand
Kelly-Heald formed part of the New Zealand squad for the 2024 OFC Men's Nations Cup.[17] He made his debut on 18 June 2024 in a group stage match against the Solomon Islands in a 3–0 win, coming on for Tim Payne in the 75th minute.[18] New Zealand would go on to win the Nations Cup, defeating Vanuatu 3–0 in the final on 30 June.[19] Kelly-Heald was substituted on in the 88th minute of the final,[20] and made three appearances overall in the tournament.
