{{Short description|Vanuatuan footballer (born 2004)}} {{Infobox football biography | embed = | name = Nicolas King | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | full_name = Nicolas Francis King<ref name="soccerway">{{cite web |url=https://uk.soccerway.com/players/nicolas-francis-king/864630/ |title=N. King: Summary |website=Soccerway |publisher=Perform Group |access-date=3 December 2023}}</ref> | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2004|4|14|df=y}}<ref name="soccerway"/> | birth_place = Port Vila, Vanuatu | height = 1.90 m<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 June 2024 |title=Nicolas King: A star in the making, aiming to follow in Brian Kaltak’s Footsteps |url=https://oceaniafootballcenter.org/2024/06/07/nicolas-fking-a-star-in-the-making-aiming-to-follow-in-brian-kaltaks-footsteps/ |access-date=23 November 2025 |website=Oceania Football Center}}</ref> | position = Defender | currentclub = Vanuatu United | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Mauriki | years1 = 2020–2023<ref name="ref0" /><ref name=":2" /> | clubs1 = Mauriki | caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = 2024–2025 | clubs2 = Valentine FC | caps2 = 22 | goals2 = 2+ | years3 = 2025 | clubs3 = Mauriki | caps3 = | goals3 = | years4 = 2026– | clubs4 = Vanuatu United | caps4 = 2 | goals4 = 0 | nationalyears1 = 2022 | nationalteam1 = Vanuatu U19 | nationalcaps1 = 1 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | nationalyears2 = 2023– | nationalteam2 = Vanuatu U23 | nationalcaps2 = 4 | nationalgoals2 = 2 | nationalyears3 = 2024–<ref name=":2" /> | nationalteam3 = Vanuatu | nationalcaps3 = 7 | nationalgoals3 = 1 | club-update = 21:34, 6 February 2026 (UTC) | nationalteam-update = 21:34, 6 February 2026 (UTC) | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's football}} {{MedalCountry|{{fb|VAN}}}} {{MedalComp|MSG Prime Minister's Cup}} {{Medal|W|2025 Papua New Guinea|}} }}
'''Nicolas Francis King''' (born 14 April 2004) is a Vanuatuan footballer who plays as a defender for OFC Professional League club Vanuatu United and the Vanuatu national team. == Early life == King was born on 14 April 2004<ref name="soccerway"/> in Port Vila to Francis and Gloria Julia King.<ref name="ref0">{{cite web |last1=Campo |first1=Jose |title=Vanuatun teen eyes Central Coast Mariners breakthrough |url=https://www.theroar.com.au/2023/12/11/vanuatu-teen-eyes-central-coast-mariners-breakthrough/ |website=The Roar |access-date=15 December 2023 |date=11 December 2023 |archive-date=11 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231211080519/https://www.theroar.com.au/2023/12/11/vanuatu-teen-eyes-central-coast-mariners-breakthrough/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="ref1">{{cite web |last1=Evans |first1=Kyle |title=Central Coast Mariners turn their sights on another Vanuatu footballer |url=https://www.abc.net.au/pacific/programs/pacificbeat/nicholas-king-gains-attention-of-central-coast-mariners/103204936 |website=ABC Pacific |access-date=15 December 2023 |language=en-AU |date=7 December 2023 |archive-date=9 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231209031635/https://www.abc.net.au/pacific/programs/pacificbeat/nicholas-king-gains-attention-of-central-coast-mariners/103204936 |url-status=live }}</ref> His father is a businessman and former Member of Parliament for the Efate Rural constituency in Vanuatu.<ref name="ref0"/><ref name="ref1"/> His mother is also a Member of Parliament and was a former international footballer and manager for Vanuatu.<ref name="ref0"/><ref name="ref1"/> King attended Central School in Port Vila and played football for Mauriki, becoming youth team captain in 2018<ref name=":3" /> and eventually breaking into their first team at the age of 16.<ref name="ref0"/><ref name="ref1"/> He was offered a two-week trial by A-League Men club Central Coast Mariners in Gosford, Australia through Brian Kaltak's agent in December 2023.<ref name="ref0"/><ref name="ref1"/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Mwia |first1=Nicholas |title=U-23 captain leaving for trial with Central Coast Mariners |url=https://www.dailypost.vu/vanuatu_sports/u-23-captain-leaving-for-trial-with-central-coast-mariners/article_95f2fc19-031e-5f80-b9dc-2f6885dd3107.html |website=Vanuatu Daily Post |access-date=15 December 2023 |language=en |date=2 December 2023}}</ref>
== Club career == Following his trial with Central Coast Mariners, King was announced in January 2024 to have joined Valentine FC in the National Premier Leagues Northern NSW.<ref name=":3">{{cite web |last1=Mwai |first1=Nicholas |title=King to play for Valentine FC in Australia |url=https://www.dailypost.vu/vanuatu_sports/king-to-play-for-valentine-fc-in-australia/article_acc572f1-ac1d-5362-aeea-de9d7a89207b.html |website=Vanuatu Daily Post |access-date=26 January 2024 |language=en |date=10 January 2024}}</ref> He scored on his debut for the club and played all twenty-two matches in the 2024 season.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":4" />
After one year King rejoined Mauriki,<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 November 2025 |title=Nicholas King joins Vanuatu United FC |url=https://www.dailypost.vu/vanuatu_sports/nicholas-king-joins-vanuatu-united-fc/article_03271881-9315-5aad-8e70-eb875098cbee.html |access-date=23 November 2025 |website=Daily Post Digital Network}}</ref> and then in November 2025, he joined OFC Professional League club Vanuatu United ahead of the inaugural 2026 season.<ref name=":4">{{cite web |title=Vanuatu FC Renamed “Vanuatu United FC” to Represent the Whole Nation |url=https://www.vff.vu/vanuatu-fc-renamed-vanuatu-united-fc-to-represent-the-whole-nation/ |access-date=11 September 2025 |website=vff.vu |publisher=Vanuatu Football Federation}}</ref>
== International career == King represented the Vanuatu under-19 in the OFC U-19 Championship and Vanuatu under-23 squads.<ref name="soccerway"/><ref name="ref0"/><ref name="ref1"/> He was named captain for the under-23s ahead of the 2023 OFC Olympic Qualifying Tournament.<ref name="ref0"/><ref name="ref1"/>
During the 2024 MSG Prime Minister's Cup, King made his debut for the Vanuatu senior team against Solomon Islands on 9 December 2024.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Nicolas King |url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/96830/Nicolas_King.html |website=National Football Teams}}</ref> He scored his first goal for Vanuatu as they lost the match 4–1.<ref name=":0" /> He was then included in the squad and played against Papua New Guinea Gold in the 2025 MSG Prime Minister's Cup final on 23 November 2025 which was won by Vanuatu.<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 November 2025 |title=Vanuatu Stun PNG in Port Moresby to Claim First-Ever MSG Cup Crown |url=https://news.pngfacts.com/2025/11/vanuatu-stun-png-in-port-moresby-to.html |access-date=23 November 2025 |website=Papua New Guinea Today}}</ref>
== Career statistics == ===International=== :''As of match played 11 December 2025''.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Nicolas King (Valentine) |url=https://www.flashscore.com/player/king-nicolas/fFR9qs9B/ |access-date=17 December 2024 |website=Flashscore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Nicolas King |url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/96830/Nicolas_King.html |website=National Football Teams}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |+ Appearances and goals by national team and year |- !National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals |- | rowspan="2" |Vanuatu |2024||4||1 |- |2025 |3 |0 |- !colspan="2"|Total||7||1 |}
:''Scores and results list Vanuatu's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each King goal''.<ref name=":1" />
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" |+ List of international goals scored by Nicolas King |- !scope="col"|No. !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Venue !Cap ! scope="col" |Opponent !scope="col"|Score !scope="col"|Result !scope="col"|Competition !scope="col" class="unsortable"|{{Abbr|Ref.|References}} |- | 1. || style="text-align:left;" | 10 December 2024 || style="text-align:left;" | Lawson Tama Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands |1|| style="text-align:left;" | {{fb|SOL}}|| '''1'''–3 || 1–4 || 2024 MSG Prime Minister's Cup |<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=10 December 2024 |title=Solomon Islands MSG Cup Defense |url=https://www.tavulinews.com.sb/solomon-islands-vanuatu-msg-prime-ministers-cup-2024/ |access-date=17 December 2024 |website=Tavuli News}}</ref> |}
== Honours == '''Vanuatu''' *MSG Prime Minister's Cup: 2025 <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://vbtc.vu/vanuatu-names-final-20-man-squad-for-2025-msg-prime-ministers-cup-in-png/|title=Vanuatu Names Final 20-Man Squad for 2025 MSG Prime Minister’s Cup in PNG|date=November 4, 2025|access-date=February 17, 2026}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.pngfacts.com/2025/11/vanuatu-stun-png-in-port-moresby-to.html|title=Vanuatu Stun PNG in Port Moresby to Claim First-Ever MSG Cup Crown|date=November 23, 2025|access-date=February 17, 2026}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:King, Nicolas}} Category:Vanuatuan men's footballers Category:2004 births Category:Living people Category:Men's association football defenders Category:OFC Professional League players