Michael Woud

Michael Woud
Michael Woud playing for Auckland FC in 2025.
Personal information
Full name Michael Cornelis Woud[1]
Date of birth (1999-01-16) 16 January 1999
Place of birth Auckland, New Zealand
Height 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Position Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Auckland FC
Number 1
Youth career
–2014 Waitakere City
2015 Bay Olympic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015 Bay Olympic
2015–2018 Sunderland 0 (0)
2018–2021 Willem II 5 (0)
2020–2021 → Almere City (loan) 21 (0)
2021 Almere City 29 (0)
2022–2024 Kyoto Sanga 0 (0)
2023 → Ventforet Kofu (loan) 1 (0)
2024– Auckland FC 21 (0)
International career‡
2015 New Zealand U17 9 (0)
2017–2019 New Zealand U20 12 (0)
2021 New Zealand U23 3 (0)
2018– New Zealand 6 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16 March 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 2 July 2024

Michael Cornelis Woud (Dutch: [ʋʌut];[2] born 16 January 1999) is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for A-League club Auckland FC and the New Zealand national team.

Club career

Sunderland

Woud first signed a contract to play for Sunderland, but only played for their academy teams.[3] After the contract termination of fellow goalkeeper Mika, Woud acted for a short time as third-choice goalkeeper at the club; following Sunderland's relegation to League One, Woud was one of four goalkeepers training with the first team.

Willem II

On 14 July 2018, with a year remaining on his Sunderland contract, Woud signed a two-year deal with Willem II in the Eredivisie for an undisclosed fee.[4]

Woud made his professional debut on 30 March 2019, in a 3–2 win against Fortuna Sittard.[5]

On 1 July 2020, Woud moved to Eerste Divisie club, Almere City, on a 1-year loan. On 26 January 2021, the loan was made permanent, with Woud signing a deal until June 2024.[6]

Kyoto Sanga

On 4 January 2022, Woud signed with Kyoto Sanga in Japan.[7]

Ventforet Kofu (loan)

On 16 August 2023, Woud signs for Ventforet Kofu on loan transfer for the remainder of 2023 J2 League season.[8]

Auckland FC

On 30 May 2024, Woud was announced as one of Auckland FC's first four signings.[9] During the 2024–25 season, Woud was the second choice goalkeeper behind Bournemouth loanee Alex Paulsen and did not make a single appearance.

Woud made his Auckland FC debut in the Australia Cup Round of 32, keeping a clean sheet in a 4–0 win over Gold Coast Knights.[10] He made his A-League debut in a 0–0 draw with Melbourne Victory.[11]

After a run of errors, culminating in spilling the ball for a late equaliser in a 2–2 draw against the Central Coast Mariners,[12][13] Michael Woud was benched the following game to make way for Oliver Sail to debut against his former club Perth Glory. However, he was substituted on with the score at 1–0 after Sail ruptured a tendon in his leg, and Auckland FC would go on to lose the match 2–1.[14][15] Woud went on to remain unbeaten with Auckland FC during the month of February, keeping three clean sheets,[16][17] including a dominant 5–0 win over Wellington Phoenix in the New Zealand Derby.[18]

International career

Woud competed for New Zealand in both the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup and the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup, starring in the latter, but being knocked out in the round of 16 on both occasions. He received his first callup to the New Zealand senior team for a friendly against Japan in October 2017, and made his first appearance in the 2018 Intercontinental Cup in a 2–1 win over India.

Woud remains eligible for both New Zealand and the Netherlands. In August 2018, Woud was called up to the Netherlands under-20 national team for a friendly against Portugal; however, he rejected this offer in order to further his national career with New Zealand.[19]

Woud played for the New Zealand under-20 football team in the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup. In the round of 16 following a 1–1 draw with Colombia after extra time, Woud made 3 straight saves in the penalty shootout. However, following the third save, the referee ruled that he moved off his line too early and ordered a retake. Colombia went on to win the penalty shootout and advance to the next round.[20]

Woud was called up to play for the New Zealand under-23 football team at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.[21] Playing in all three pool games,[22] Woud helped the team pickup their first win at the Olympics as well as qualify for the first time to the knockout stage.[23]

Woud received his first call-up to the All Whites since 2023 following a good run of form, for the upcoming FIFA Series matches against the Finland and Chile.[24][25]

Honours

Auckland FC

New Zealand U17

New Zealand U20

Individual

References

  1. ^ "FIFA U-20 World Cup Poland 2019: List of Players: New Zealand" (PDF). FIFA. 13 June 2019. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 February 2020.
  2. ^ https://www.instagram.com/reel/DO7XCmGCfrr/?igsh=MWkzYWk3ZmFjd2NpYw==
  3. ^ "Young New Zealand goalkeeper Michael Woud inks three-year pro deal with Sunderland". Stuff. 6 July 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  4. ^ "Willem II Slaagt Voor Eerste Serieuze Test". Willem II (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 July 2018.
  5. ^ "Isak penalties lead Willem II past 10-man Fortuna Sittard". Football Oranje. 30 March 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  6. ^ Haak, Jordy (26 January 2021). "Almere City FC neemt Woud definitief over van Willem II". Almere City FC (in Dutch). Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  7. ^ "マイケル・ウッド選手 アルメレ・シティFC（オランダ）より完全移籍加入のお知らせ" (Press release) (in Japanese). Kyoto Sanga. 4 January 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  8. ^ "マイケル ウッド 選手 京都サンガF.C.より期限付き移籍加入のお知らせ". www.ventforet.jp (in Japanese). Ventforet Kofu. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  9. ^ "Kiwi internationals lead Auckland FC's first player announcement". 1News. 30 May 2024.
  10. ^ "Post-Match Report: Gold Coast Knights 0–4 Auckland FC". Auckland FC. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  11. ^ "Post-Match Report: Melbourne Victory 0–0 Auckland FC". Auckland FC. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  12. ^ "RD 14 Post Match Report: Auckland FC 2 - 2 Central Coast Mariners". Auckland. 26 January 2026. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  13. ^ "Michael Woud error coughs up victory as wasteful Auckland FC draw with Central Coast Mariners". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  14. ^ "All Whites 'keeper Oli Sail 'out for quite a while' after suffering injury". Friends of Football. 31 January 2026. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  15. ^ "RD 14 Post Match Report: Perth Glory 2 – 1 Auckland FC". Auckland. 2 February 2026. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  16. ^ Voerman, Andrew. "Auckland FC snap three-match winless run with nervy win over Sydney FC". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  17. ^ "RD 19 Match Report: Auckland FC 3 - 0 Melbourne City FC". Auckland. 28 February 2026. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  18. ^ "RD 18 Match Report: Wellington Phoenix 0 - 5 Auckland FC". Auckland. 22 February 2026. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  19. ^ "Young goalkeeper Michael Woud committed to New Zealand despite Dutch interest". Stuff. 26 August 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  20. ^ "FIFA". fifa.com. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  21. ^ Voerman, Andrew (25 June 2021). "Chris Wood named in OlyWhites, Winston Reid a maybe, Sarpreet Singh left out". Stuff. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  22. ^ Rollo, Phillip (22 July 2021). "OlyWhites make perfect start to Tokyo Olympics with famous win over South Korea". Stuff. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  23. ^ Voerman, Andrew (28 July 2021). "Goalkeeper bounces back as OlyWhites advance to Tokyo Olympics quarterfinals". Stuff.
  24. ^ "Five Auckland FC Players Named in All Whites Squad for Final International Window Before World Cup". Auckland. 15 March 2026. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  25. ^ Voerman, Andrew. "Newcastle Jets star Lachlan Bayliss gets chance to press FIFA World Cup case with All Whites". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  26. ^ "New Zealand seal sixth title". Oceania Football Confederation. 16 September 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
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