Bill Tuiloma

Bill Poni Tuiloma is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a centre-back or defensive midfielder for the Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer.[1]

Bill Tuiloma
Tuiloma with Portland Timbers in 2019
Personal information
Full name Bill Poni Tuiloma
Date of birth (1995-03-27) 27 March 1995
Place of birth Beach Haven, New Zealand
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position(s) Defensive midfielder
Defender
Club information
Current team
 Portland Timbers
Number 25
Youth career
2011 Birkenhead United
2011 Asia–Pacific FA
2011–2012 Waitakere United
2012–2013 Birkenhead United
2013–2015 Marseille
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2012 Waitakere United 1 (0)
2013–2017 Marseille B 35 (3)
2015–2017 Marseille 2 (0)
2015–2016 → Strasbourg (loan) 9 (0)
2015–2016 → Strasbourg B (loan) 7 (1)
2017– Portland Timbers 38 (2)
2017– Portland Timbers 2 20 (4)
National team‡
2011 New Zealand U17 6 (1)
2013–2015 New Zealand U20 9 (1)
2015 New Zealand U23 3 (1)
2013– New Zealand 26 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 09:46, 16 October 2019 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12:15, 18 November 2019 (UTC)

Tuiloma has represented New Zealand internationally since 2013, and was the first New Zealander to play in Ligue 1, the highest division of French football.

Early life

Born in Beach Haven, New Zealand, Tuiloma is of Samoan descent.[2] He attended Lincoln High School. He was part of the first intake of players to be invited to the Asia Pacific Football Academy which worked with Chelsea FC.

Club career

Marseille

Following trials with LA Galaxy and Queens Park Rangers, Tuiloma signed a deal with French side Olympique de Marseille in July 2013.[3][4] In a 2013 interview, he was questioned about his journey from relative football obscurity to his eventual move to Marseille.

I went to QPR and trialed there for a week and somehow, I think they have a connection with Marseille, because Joey Barton was with Marseille for a little while, so I think that’s where they have the connection… So I went there for a week, trialed, played a game as well, came back and got some good feedback from them, and then a few months later they wanted to sign me. I was over the moon, I was speechless, it was really good news for me.

To be honest, I only knew Joey Barton played there, that was pretty much it, I didn’t know much about Marseille or who played for them, I had a little bit of info there but that was pretty much it.

He also admitted that Queens Park Rangers and Wellington Phoenix were also interested in signing him if the Marseille deal fell through.[5]

Tuiloma made his first-team debut for the club on 7 February 2015, when he came on as a late substitute for Florian Thauvin in a 2–2 draw with Rennes.[6] Upon making his debut he became the first New Zealander ever to play in Ligue 1.[7] It was one of only two senior appearances he made, however, before signing on loan for Strasbourg for the 2015–16 season, and then permanently for Portland Timbers in 2017.[8][9]

Portland Timbers

On 25 July 2017, Tuiloma officially signed with MLS side Portland Timbers.[9] He made three appearances with Portland Timbers 2 in 2017, and made his first-team debut on 24 March 2018, in a 1–1 draw with FC Dallas.[10] The Timbers resigned Tuiloma on 24 January 2018.[10]

International career

Tuiloma represented New Zealand under-17 at the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup and New Zealand under-20, for whom he was also the captain, at the 2013 and 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cups.[2]

He made his senior international debut for New Zealand on 15 October 2013, at the age of 18, when he came on as a substitute in a 0–0 draw with Trinidad and Tobago in Port of Spain.[11][12]

Career statistics

Club
As of 22 October 2019[1][13]
Club Season League Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Waitakere United 2011–12 Premiership 1000—00—10
Marseille 2013–14 Ligue 1 00000000—00
2014–15 200000——20
2016–17 000000——00
Total 200000000020
Strasbourg (loan) 2015–16 Championnat National 900000——90
Portland Timbers 2017 MLS 0000———00
2018 13140———171
2019 25110———261
Total 38250000000432
Career total 50250000000552

International
As of match played 19 July 2019.[14]
National teamYearAppsGoals
New Zealand 201320
201450
201520
201660
201790
Total240

Honours

Club

Waitakere United

Strasbourg[1]

Portland Timbers

Country

New Zealand[1]

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References
  1. Bill Tuiloma at Soccerway
  2. Harvey, Sarah (31 May 2015). "Junior All Whites captain Bill Tuiloma gets back to his roots during U-20 World Cup". Stuff. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  3. Kilgallon, Steve (27 July 2013). "Oui, oui: Kiwi teen Tuiloma signs for Marseille". Stuff. Archived from the original on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  4. "Approaches align for Tuiloma". New Zealand Football. 18 November 2014. Archived from the original on 23 April 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  5. Giordani, Enzo (29 December 2013). "An interview with Bill Tuiloma". In the Back of the Net. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  6. "Tuiloma makes Marseille debut". New Zealand Football. 14 February 2015. Archived from the original on 23 April 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  7. West, Aaron (15 June 2017). "5 things to know about New Zealand at the Confederations Cup". FOX Sports. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  8. "Official: Bill Tuiloma joins Strasbourg on loan". Get French Football News. 30 August 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  9. Stejskal, Sam (26 July 2017). "Portland Timbers sign New Zealand international Bill Tuiloma". MLS. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  10. "Bill Tuiloma".
  11. Smith, Tony (16 October 2013). "Tuiloma impresses on debut; earns playoff spot". Stuff. Archived from the original on 12 May 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  12. "FIFA Confederations Cup Russia: Player Profile - Bill Tuiloma". FIFA. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  13. "Bill Tuiloma". Portland Timbers.
  14. "Bill Tuiloma". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman.
  15. "Dario Zuparic goal clinches MLS Back is Tournament for Portland Timbers". The Guardian. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
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