Alyssa Whinham

Alyssa Whinham
Personal information
Full name Alyssa Maree Whinham
Date of birth (2003-10-26) 26 October 2003
Height 1.62 m (5 ft 4 in)
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Wellington Phoenix
Number 10
Youth career
2021 Wellington Phoenix Academy
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020 Canterbury United Pride
2021 Coastal Spirit
2021– Wellington Phoenix 62 (3)
International career‡
2022 New Zealand U20 3 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 11 March 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 11 March 2026

Alyssa Maree Whinham (born 26 October 2003) is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for the Wellington Phoenix of the A-League Women. She previously played for New Zealand Women's National League (NZWNL) club Canterbury United Pride and Canterbury Women's Premiership League club Coastal Spirit.[1] Whinham represented the New Zealand under-20 national team, in 2022.[2]

Early life

Whinham was born on 26 October 2003 and is from Canterbury, New Zealand.[3]

Club career

Canterbury United Pride

In 2020, Whinham played for Canterbury United Pride of the New Zealand Women's National League (NZWNL). She formed part of the squad that won a third consecutive national league title that year, alongside future Phoenix teammates Kate Taylor and Zoe McMeeken.[1]

Coastal Spirit

In 2021, Whinham played for Coastal Spirit in the Canterbury Women's Premiership League (WPL), where she formed part of the team which won the premiership and the Reta Fitzpatrick Cup. Coastal Spirit won all 15 of their matches in the WPL.[4]

Wellington Phoenix

In 2021, the Wellington Phoenix signed Whinham on a scholarship contract to form part of the Phoenix's inaugural season in the A-League Women. Whinham made her debut as a substitute in the club's first match, on 3 December 2021 against Western Sydney Wanderers. After featuring in the first four matches she received an automatic contract upgrade from scholarship to a full contract.[5] She featured in all 14 of the Phoenix's matches that season. Whinham scored her first goal for the Phoenix on 16 January 2022 in a 3–2 defeat against Brisbane Roar.[1][5]

On 18 July 2022, Whinham re-signed with the Phoenix for 2 years.[6] She would go on to make 8 appearances in the 2022–23 season.

Whinham made 16 appearances in the 2023–24 season and on 11 July 2024 she signed a new 2-year deal with the club.[7][8]

During the 2024–25 season, she made 22 appearances. On 9 January 2025, Whinham scored a 35-metre goal only seven seconds into the second half in a 3–0 win against the Western Sydney Wanderers.[9][10]

On 19 January 2025, Whinham made her 50th appearance for the Wellington Phoenix.[11][12]

Two matches into the 2025–26 season, Whinham suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, sidelining her for the rest of the season.[13][14]

International career

New Zealand U20

On 26 July 2022, Whinham was named as part of the 21-woman Junior Football Ferns squad for the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Costa Rica.[15] She played in all three of New Zealand's matches,[2] with the team exiting the tournament at the group stage following two draws and one defeat.[16]

New Zealand

On 28 September 2022, Football Ferns head coach Jitka Klimkova named Whinham as part of the 24-player squad ahead of a friendly match against Japan the following month.[17] However, Whinham would not feature in the match.[1]

Honours

Canterbury United Pride
Coastal Spirit

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Alyssa Whinham". Wellington Phoenix. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  2. ^ a b Burgess, Michael (28 September 2022). "Football: Wellington Phoenix teenager Alyssa Whinham called into Football Ferns squad for Japan mission". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  3. ^ "Young player of the year finalist commits to the Nix". Wellington Phoenix. 18 July 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  4. ^ "2020-24". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  5. ^ a b Rollo, Phillip (21 January 2022). "Wellington Phoenix almost missed out on signing young star Alyssa Whinham". Stuff. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  6. ^ "Alyssa Whinham: Wellington Phoenix midfielder on re-signing with the club for two more seasons". Newstalk ZB. 19 July 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  7. ^ "Alyssa Whinham's mental shift nets new Phoenix deal". RNZ. 11 July 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  8. ^ "'I thought my time was up': Emotional moment as Phoenix fan favourite signs two-year extension". A-Leagues. 11 July 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  9. ^ Rollo, Phillip (10 January 2025). "Wellington Phoenix midfielder Alyssa Whinham scores wondergoal against 10-woman Wanderers". Stuff. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  10. ^ Dodd, James (9 January 2025). "Wellington gun's brilliant response after game-winning golazo: 'I do that at training as well!'". A-Leagues. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  11. ^ Rollo, Phillip (19 January 2025). "Wellington Phoenix stun Newcastle Jets with stoppage-time Olimpico". Stuff. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  12. ^ "Wellington Phoenix grab dramatic last-gasp win over Jets". RNZ. 19 January 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  13. ^ Rollo, Phillip (21 November 2025). "Wellington Phoenix lose Tessel Middag and Alyssa Whinham to season-ending ACL injuries". Stuff. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  14. ^ "Women suffer double injury blow". Wellington Phoenix. 21 November 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  15. ^ "Junior Football Ferns squad announced for U-20 Women's World Cup Costa Rica". New Zealand Football. 26 July 2022. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  16. ^ Voerman, Andrew (17 August 2022). "Wonder goal no help as Junior Football Ferns exit World Cup after 2-2 draw with Colombia". Stuff. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
  17. ^ "Phoenix teenager Alyssa Whinham added to Football Ferns squad". 1News. 28 September 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2026.
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