Abby Erceg

Abby May Erceg (born 20 November 1989) is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a defender for Racing Louisville FC in the National Women's Soccer League. She has previously played for Chicago Red Stars and North Carolina Courage in the NWSL, Jena in the German Bundesliga, FC Saitama in the Japanese Nadashiko League and Adelaide United in the Australian W-League. She formerly played for the New Zealand national team, where she became the first player (male or female) from New Zealand to play 100 international matches.

Abby Erceg
Erceg with Racing Louisville FC in 2023
Personal information
Full name Abby May Erceg[1]
Date of birth (1989-11-20) 20 November 1989[1]
Place of birth Whangārei, New Zealand[2]
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Racing Louisville
Number 20
Youth career
0000–2004 Three Kings United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2006 Three Kings United 36 (17)
2007–2008 Western Springs FC 22 (12)
2009 Three Kings United 23 (15)
2009–2010 Espanyol 0 (0)
2010 Fencibles United 25 (14)
2011–2013 Adelaide United 22 (0)
2013–2014 FF USV Jena 30 (5)
2014–2015 Chicago Red Stars 26 (0)
2016 Western New York Flash 19 (2)
2017–2022 North Carolina Courage 73 (4)
2023- Racing Louisville 0 (0)
International career‡
2007–2009 New Zealand U-20 24 (13)
2006–2023 New Zealand 146[3] (6)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 June 2020
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 27 July 2021

Early life

Erceg attended Mount Roskill Grammar School.[4]

Club career

Erceg signed with German side Jena in 2013. She was loaned to the Chicago Red Stars, an NWSL club, and played there for two months during the Bundesliga's 2014 summer break.[5] After she returned and played the first half of the 2014–15 Bundesliga season, she and the Jena club ended her contract during the winter break.[6]

Erceg then signed with the Chicago Red Stars in May 2014.[7]

In November 2015, the Red Stars traded her to the Western New York Flash.[8]

In 2016, she captained the Western New York Flash to a NWSL League Championship.

Erceg became part of the North Carolina Courage in 2017 after the Western New York Flash were sold to the owners of North Carolina FC. She would remain captain as the Courage won the 2017 NWSL Shield and appeared in the 2017 NWSL Final where they lost 1–0 to the Portland Thorns.[9] Erceg was named to the NWSL Second XI for the 2017 season.[10]

Erceg was named the NWSL Team of the Month for May, June, July & August in the 2018 season.[11] She helped the Courage to win their second straight NWSL shield. North Carolina broke the record for fewest goals conceded during a season, and only suffered 1 loss.[12] The North Carolina Courage won the 2018 NWSL Championship after beating the Portland Thorns 3–0. They didn't concede a goal in either of their play-off games. Erceg was named to the 2018 NWSL Best XI, and was named 2018 NWSL Defender of the Year.[13]

Erceg was again named in the NWSL Second XI for 2019 as the Courage won the NWSL Shield and Championship again.

In January 2023, the Courage traded Erceg, along with Carson Pickett, to Racing Louisville FC in exchange for Emily Fox.[14]

International career
Abby Erceg at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup

Erceg made her full Football Ferns début in a 0–3 loss to China on 14 November 2006, and represented New Zealand at the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup finals in China,[15] where they lost to Brazil 0–5, Denmark (0–2) and China (0–2).

Erceg was also included in the New Zealand squad for the 2008 Summer Olympics where they drew with Japan (2–2) before losing to Norway (0–1) and USA (0–4).[16] In the following tournament, Erceg helped New Zealand reach the quarterfinals, the Ferns' first ever knockout game in a FIFA tournament.[17] There they lost 2–0 to the United States.

She was included in the U-20 squad for the 2008 Women's U-20 World Cup finals in Chile.[18] Erceg earned her 50th cap for New Zealand aged just 21 when starting New Zealand's 2011 Cyprus Cup opening match against the Netherlands on 2 March 2011 and becoming the third most capped female player in New Zealand Football history with 62 caps to her name. Erceg was also a part of the team that qualified for the Women's Football World Cup that took place in Germany, in 2011 where they finished 12th overall.

Erceg's experience led her to be named captain of the Football Ferns in 2014.[7] In the first game of the 2014 OFC Women's Nations Cup, she became the first player from New Zealand to reach 100 international caps.[19]

She featured in all New Zealand's three matches at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada.[20] Erceg was named for the 2016 Olympics squad, which will be her sixth international tournament representing New Zealand.[21]

In February 2017, Erceg announced her retirement from the international game on social media, writing "Due to the unfortunate and unfavourable circumstances within the organisation that is NZF, it is with regret and great sadness that today is the day that I announce my retirement from the international game. Without being able to justify my involvement any longer I will be stepping back in the hopes to create change for the current and future generations of NZ footballers."[22][23]

In February 2018, Erceg came out of retirement to play for New Zealand in their two friendlies against Scotland in Spain.[24] She then retired again for the second time in May 2018 before New Zealand's friendly against Japan.[25]

In January 2019, Erceg came back out of international retirement ahead of the 2019 Cup of Nations and the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.[26]

In April 2019, Erceg was named to the final 23-player squad for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.[27]

In June 2021, Erceg was named to the roster for the 2020 Summer Olympics.[28]

In January 2023, Erceg again retired from the national team.[29]

International goals
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetitionRef
1.9 April 2007Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium, Lae, Papua New Guinea Tonga3–06–12007 OFC Women's Championship[30]
2.29 September 2010North Harbour Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand Vanuatu7–014–02010 OFC Women's Championship[31]
3.1 October 2010 Cook Islands8–010–0[32]
4.29 October 2014Kalabond Oval, Kokopo, Papua New Guinea Cook Islands2–011–02014 OFC Women's Nations Cup[33]
5.23 January 2016PNGFA Academy, Lae, Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea6–07–12016 OFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament[34]

Personal life

Erceg is of Croatian-Māori descent,[35] and affiliates to the Ngāpuhi iwi.[36]

Honours
Western New York Flash

North Carolina Courage

Individual

References
  1. "List of Players – 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  2. "NZ Football – HOME". www.nzfootball.co.nz. Archived from the original on 21 June 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  3. "Women's Olympic Football Tournament Tokyo 2020" (PDF). FIFA. p. 9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  4. "Weekly Newsletter" (PDF). Mount Roskill Grammar School. February 2019.
  5. Juchem, Markus (7 May 2014). "Jena leiht Abby Erceg nach Chicago aus". www.womensoccer.de (in German). Archived from the original on 19 June 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  6. Juchem, Markus (17 December 2014). "Abby Erceg verlässt FF USV Jena". www.womensoccer.de (in German). Archived from the original on 1 July 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  7. "Red Stars Sign New Zealand Defender Abby Erceg". 5 May 2014. Archived from the original on 18 November 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
  8. "Red Stars Acquire Engen & 4th Round Pick in 2017 College Draft". Chicago Red Stars. 10 November 2015. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2015. the team has acquired U.S. Women's National Team defender Whitney Engen and a fourth-round pick in the 2017 National Women's Soccer League College Draft from Western New York Flash. In exchange, Western New York received Abby Erceg, Adriana Leon and a first-round (No. 9 overall) selection in the 2016 NWSL College Draft
  9. "Western New York Flash sold, will move to North Carolina". 6 January 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  10. "Catley And Morgan Named to 2017 NWSL Second XI Honors". 12 October 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  11. "Five Teams Represented in the NWSL Team of the Month for June". 7 June 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  12. "NC COURAGE BREAK MULTIPLE NWSL RECORDS IN 5–0 WIN OVER HOUSTON DASH". 8 September 2018. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  13. "Defender of the Year: Abby Erceg, North Carolina Courage". 27 September 2018. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
  14. "Courage acquire Emily Fox from Racing in trade for Carson Pickett, Abby Erceg".
  15. "New Zealand Squad List, 2007 Women's World Cup". FIFA. Archived from the original on 13 July 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
  16. "Olympic Football Squads Named". New Zealand Olympic Committee. 4 July 2008. Archived from the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2008.
  17. "NZ Football – HOME". www.nzfootball.co.nz. Archived from the original on 6 October 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  18. "New Zealand (NZL)". FIFA. Archived from the original on 25 October 2008. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
  19. "Football Ferns captain earns her 100th cap". stuff.co.nz. 25 October 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  20. "FIFA player's stats". FIFA. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  21. FIFA.com (10 June 2016). "Kiwi captain Erceg leading from the front". Archived from the original on 12 June 2016.
  22. Lee, Allison. "Abby Erceg retires from international competition – Equalizer Soccer".
  23. "Football Ferns Captain Abby Erceg Retires Due to Lack of Support From NZ Football". 20 February 2017.
  24. "Football Ferns – Big names come back for Scotland". New Zealand Football. Archived from the original on 23 February 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
  25. "Football: Abby Erceg retires again ahead of Football Ferns' clash with Japan". Newshub. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
  26. "Football Ferns veteran Abby Erceg comes out of retirement again ahead of World Cup". Stuff. 15 January 2019.
  27. "Football Ferns squad revealed for World Cup". The New Zealand Herald.
  28. "ABBY ERCEG TO REPRESENT NEW ZEALAND IN 2020 TOKYO OLYMPICS". 24 June 2021.
  29. "ABBY ERCEG RETIRES FROM NEW ZEALAND".
  30. "OFC - Kiwis trounce Tonga in World Cup opener". Oceania Football Confederation. 9 April 2007. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  31. "New Zealand 14–0 Vanuatu". Oceania Football Confederation. 29 September 2010. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  32. "Cook Islands 0–10 New Zealand". Oceania Football Confederation. 1 October 2010. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  33. "Cook Islands 0-11 New Zealand". Oceania Football Confederation. Archived from the original on 29 October 2014. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  34. "PNG 1-7 NZL". Oceania Football Confederation. Archived from the original on 29 January 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  35. Gol.hr, Meet footballer of Croatian-Maori descent published 12 December 2013, access date 16 June 2017
  36. "43 Māori athletes to head to Rio Olympics". Te Karere. 5 August 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  37. "IFFHS WOMAN TEAM – OFC – OF THE DECADE 2011–2020". IFFHS. 31 January 2021.
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