Alex Paulsen

Alex Paulsen
Paulsen playing for the Wellington Phoenix in 2024
Personal information
Full name Alexander Noah Paulsen[1]
Date of birth (2002-07-04) 4 July 2002[1]
Place of birth Auckland, New Zealand
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Position Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Lechia Gdańsk
(on loan from Bournemouth)
Number 18
Youth career
–2017 Eastern Suburbs & Onehunga Sports
2018 Wellington Phoenix
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2023 Wellington Phoenix Reserves 21 (0)
2018 → Wellington United (loan) 2 (0)
2019–2021 → Lower Hutt City (loan) 39 (0)
2021–2024 Wellington Phoenix 33 (0)
2024– Bournemouth 0 (0)
2024–2025 → Auckland FC (loan) 28 (0)
2025– → Lechia Gdańsk (loan) 13 (0)
International career‡
2018–2019 New Zealand U17 8 (0)
2019– New Zealand U23 5 (0)
2024– New Zealand 5 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  New Zealand
OFC Nations Cup
Winner 2024 Fiji/Vanuatu
OFC U-16 Championship
Winner 2018 Tonga/Solomon Islands
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 3 February 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 09:34, 15 October 2025 (UTC)

Alexander Noah Paulsen (born 4 July 2002) is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Ekstraklasa club Lechia Gdańsk, on loan from AFC Bournemouth, and the New Zealand national team.

Born in Auckland, Paulsen joined the academy of Wellington Phoenix in 2018 and signed his first professional contract in September 2021.[3] After establishing himself as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper, he signed for AFC Bournemouth in June 2024.[4] He was subsequently loaned to sister club Auckland FC for their inaugural A-League Men season,[5] before joining Lechia Gdańsk on loan for the 2025–26 campaign.[6] Paulsen represented New Zealand at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics.[7][8][9]

Early life

Paulsen was born in Auckland to a South African father and Namibian mother.[10][11] He played futsal throughout his childhood, and only committed to playing football as a goalkeeper at the age of 13 after beginning as an outfielder.[12] Paulsen initially played in the youth ranks of Eastern Suburbs and then Onehunga Sports under the tutelage of noted youth development coach Hiroshi Miyazawa. In 2018, aged 15, Paulsen moved to Wellington to join the Wellington Phoenix academy through their affiliation with Onehunga Sports, following in the footsteps of fellow graduates Sarpreet Singh and Max Mata.[12]

Club career

Wellington Phoenix

Early career

After progressing through the Wellington Phoenix age-grade sides, Paulsen was regularly named as a substitute for Wellington Phoenix Reserves throughout the 2018–19 and 2019–20 New Zealand Football Championship seasons, but did not make an appearance. During this time, Paulsen played for Wellington Phoenix affiliate clubs Wellington United and Lower Hutt City in the Central League. On 14 November 2020, Paulsen finally made his reserves debut, starting in a 1–0 loss to Team Wellington in the opening game of the 2020–21 season. Paulsen remained a consistent starter throughout the season, and despite the team finishing last, Paulsen was named the league's Most Valuable Player.[13] His performances for the reserves culminated in his first professional contract, signing for the senior team on a three-year deal alongside fellow reserve standout Ben Old.[3]

Paulsen entered the 2021–22 A-League Men season as second-choice goalkeeper behind club captain Oliver Sail. On 19 December 2021, following an injury to Sail, Paulsen made his A-League debut as a substitute in a 2–1 loss against Sydney FC.[14] Paulsen would remain starter in Sail's absence; in an FFA Cup quarterfinal match against Melbourne City on 5 January 2022, Paulsen made three saves in a 0–0 (4–3) penalty shootout extra time win to secure the Phoenix's maiden semifinal appearance in the competition.[15] Upon Sail's return from injury, however, Paulsen returned to a bench role, and he did not make an appearance the following season.

Breakout season

Sail departed the club to sign with Perth Glory prior to the start of the 2023–24 season.[16] Paulsen became starting goalkeeper under new head coach Giancarlo Italiano, and played every minute as the Wellington Phoenix finished second, achieving their highest ever finish while conceding the lowest number of goals in club history.[17] Paulsen was named the Wellington Phoenix Members' Player of the Year, Players' Player of the Year and Under–23 Player of the Year.[18] He was named A-League Men Goalkeeper of the Year, and shared the Young Footballer of the Year award with Nestory Irankunda; this marked the first ever time a Wellington Phoenix player had won the award.[19] He was also named in the A-League Men Team of the Season, receiving the most votes out of any player.[20] Paulsen's season has since been noted as among the best of any A-League goalkeeper in history.[21]

On 20 May 2024, Paulsen was called up to the A-League All Stars for a friendly match against Newcastle United; Paulsen started the match as the All Stars won 8–0.[22][23]

Paulsen left the Phoenix having made 37 first-team appearances, keeping a club-record 11 clean sheets in 27 league matches during the 2023–24 season. He also saved three penalties, denying Adam Taggart, Jamie Maclaren, and Ulises Dávila from the spot.[24] His departure represented a club-record transfer fee, surpassing the previous record set by Sarpreet Singh to Bayern Munich in 2019.[25]

AFC Bournemouth

In June 2024, Paulsen signed for Premier League club AFC Bournemouth for a reported initial fee of £850,000, rising to £2 million with add-ons, on a four-year contract running until the end of the 2027–28 season.[4][26]

Auckland FC (loan)

Ahead of the 2024–25 A-League Men season, the Australian Professional Leagues, the governing body for the A-League Men, announced the removal of the Caceres rule; this allowed Paulsen to be loaned to sister club Auckland FC.[27][5]

Paulsen was part of an Auckland side that set a new Australian football record by going 532 minutes before conceding their first goal, including a 2–0 win over his former club Wellington Phoenix in the first-ever New Zealand Derby.[28] Paulsen played every minute as Auckland won the A-League Premiership in their debut season, marking his first major honour at club level. He was named the A-League Men Goalkeeper of the Year for a second consecutive season and was also included in the Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) A-League Team of the Season, alongside teammates Hiroki Sakai, Francis de Vries, and Louis Verstraete.[29][30]

Paulsen returned to AFC Bournemouth on 12 June 2025, making 28 appearances and keeping 13 clean sheets during his loan spell.[31]

Lechia Gdańsk (loan)

On 26 August 2025, Bournemouth loaned Paulsen to Lechia Gdańsk of the Polish Ekstraklasa for the 2025–26 season.[6][32]

Paulsen made his first appearance for the club in a 2–0 loss to Jagiellonia Białystok.[33] Two weeks later, he kept his first clean sheet in his second appearance, a 2–0 win over GKS Katowice on 12 September.[34][35]

International career

In September 2018, Paulsen was called up for New Zealand to compete in the 2018 OFC U-16 Championship. Paulsen made three competition appearances, and was presented the Golden Glove award. In the final against the Solomon Islands, Paulsen saved two penalties – one in regular time, one in the penalty shootout – as New Zealand prevailed to win their eighth title, qualifying for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup in the process.[36]

Paulsen played in all three of New Zealand's games in the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup, being eliminated in the group stage. Despite making a high-profile error in a 3–0 loss to Brazil, Paulsen recovered to keep a clean sheet in a 1–0 win over Canada.[37]

Aged just 17, Paulsen was called up by Des Buckingham to the New Zealand under-23 squad for the 2019 OFC Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Paulsen made one appearance, as a late substitute in a 6–1 win over Samoa, as New Zealand won the title and qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics.[38] Danny Hay named Paulsen as a traveling reserve for the tournament, with Michael Woud and Jamie Searle preferred in the main squad; Paulsen did not make an appearance as New Zealand reached the quarter-finals.[38]

In September 2022, Paulsen was first called up to the senior national team for a two-game friendly series against Australia, but did not play in either match.[39] He was later called up for friendlies against Greece and Ireland in November 2023, and then in March 2024 for two FIFA Series matches against Egypt and Tunisia, but again did not play ahead of incumbent Max Crocombe.[40]

On 18 June 2024, Paulsen finally made his senior international debut, keeping a clean sheet against the Solomon Islands in a 3−0 2024 OFC Men's Nations Cup win. Crocombe started all subsequent tournament games as New Zealand eventually claimed the trophy.[41][42]

Personal life

Paulsen attended St Heliers School and Selwyn College in Auckland, before moving to Scots College in Wellington after joining the Wellington Phoenix academy in 2018.[43]

Paulsen's brother, Adam, represents the New Zealand national futsal team.[44] The brothers played futsal regularly growing up, and Paulsen attributes this as a major influence on his ball-playing ability as a goalkeeper.[12]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 3 October 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Wellington Phoenix Reserves 2018–19 NZ Premiership 0 0 — — — 0 0
2019–20 NZ Premiership 0 0 — — — 0 0
2020–21 NZ Premiership 13 0 — — — 13 0
2022 National League 3 0 — — — 3 0
2023 National League 5 0 — — — 5 0
Total 21 0 — — — 21 0
Wellington United 2018 Central League 2 0 — — — 2 0
Lower Hutt City 2019 Central League 12 0 — — — 12 0
2020 Central League 17 0 — — — 17 0
2021 Central League 10 0 1 0 — — 11 0
Total 39 0 1 0 — — 40 0
Wellington Phoenix 2021–22 A-League Men 4 0 2 0 — — 6 0
2022–23 A-League Men 0 0 0 0 — — 0 0
2023–24 A-League Men 27 0 2 0 — 2[b] 0 31 0
Total 31 0 4 0 — 2 0 37 0
Bournemouth 2024–25 Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0
Auckland FC (loan) 2024–25 A-League Men 26 0 — — 2[b] 0 28 0
Lechia Gdańsk (loan) 2025–26 Ekstraklasa 5 0 1 0 — — 6 0
Career total 124 0 6 0 0 0 4 0 134 0

International

As of match played 14 October 2025[45]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
New Zealand
2024 3 0
2025 2 0
Total 5 0

Honours

Auckland FC

New Zealand

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b "Men's Olympic Football Tournament Paris 2024: Squad list" (PDF). FIFA. 24 July 2024. p. 11. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Alex Paulsen" (in Polish). Lechia Gdańsk. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Wellington Phoenix Sign Academy Players Ben Old and Alex Paulsen". 13 September 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Cherries complete signing of goalkeeper Paulsen". AFC Bournemouth. 4 June 2024. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  5. ^ a b jakerosengarten (8 August 2024). "Auckland FC sign Alex Paulsen on loan from AFC Bournemouth: Full details". A-Leagues. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  6. ^ a b "AFC Bournemouth send All Whites goalkeeper Alex Paulsen on season-long loan to Lechia Gdansk in Poland". Stuff. 26 August 2025. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  7. ^ Ben Grounds (15 July 2021). "Football at Olympics Tokyo 2020: Which Premier League stars are heading to the Games?". SkySports. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  8. ^ Andrew Voerman (2 November 2019). "Fifa Under-17 World Cup: New Zealand stay alive thanks to Alex Paulsen's saves". Stuff. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  9. ^ "Men's Football Team Announced for Paris 2024". New Zealand Football. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
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  11. ^ "Paulsen Bounces Back at First Opportunity". FIFA. 2 November 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  12. ^ a b c "Match Programme Feature - Alex Paulsen". 4 December 2023.
  13. ^ Ellie (21 March 2021). "Team Wellington crowned 2020/21 ISPS Handa Men's Premiership champions | ISPS Handa". Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  14. ^ Rollo, Phillip (19 December 2021). "'Not up to standard': Wellington Phoenix lose third A-League Men game in a row". Stuff.
  15. ^ Rollo, Phillip (6 January 2022). "Alex Paulsen saves the day to send Wellington Phoenix into FFA Cup final four". Stuff. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  16. ^ "Glory swoop to bring Sail on board". 9 March 2023.
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  18. ^ "Barry and Barbarouses crowned players of the year". 30 April 2024.
  19. ^ "Every Isuzu UTE A-League award winner: Johnny Warren Medalist, Goal of the Year & more". 25 May 2024.
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  21. ^ "The $4 million man: Why Premier League club chased Kiwi star". The New Zealand Herald. 19 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
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  27. ^ jakerosengarten (8 August 2024). "'Caceres Clause' to be reviewed ahead of 2024-25 A-Leagues Season". A-Leagues. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
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  38. ^ a b "New Zealand U-23 secure Olympic qualification". 5 October 2019.
  39. ^ "New Zealand Football". www.nzfootball.co.nz. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  40. ^ "Paulsen one of three Nix called up to the All Whites". Wellington Phoenix. 6 November 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  41. ^ "Match".
  42. ^ "All Whites claim Nations Cup". 30 June 2024.
  43. ^ "Facebook". www.facebook.com.
  44. ^ "Five Things to Know About AFF Flanker Adam Paulsen".
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