Francis de Vries
Francis de Vries | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 28, 1994 New Zealand |
| Occupation | Professional footballer |
| Years active | 2012– |
| Known for | Footballer for Auckland FC and New Zealand national team |
Francis de Vries (born 28 November 1994) is a professional footballer from New Zealand who currently represents Auckland FC in the A-League and is also a member of the New Zealand national football team.
Club career
De Vries started his football development at the APFA Academy based in Christchurch, which has affiliations with clubs such as Chelsea FC and FC Basel. He initially signed with Canterbury United before earning a six-month contract with FC Basel in 2012. Following his release from Basel, he relocated to the United States to compete in college soccer at Saint Francis University, where he accumulated 79 appearances and netted 15 goals.
In addition to his college commitments, De Vries played for the Premier Development League team Michigan Bucks.
On 13 January 2017, he was picked 29th overall in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft by Vancouver Whitecaps FC, subsequently signing with their USL affiliate, Whitecaps FC 2, in March of that year.
De Vries returned to New Zealand in November 2017, joining Canterbury United FC competing in the ISPS Handa Premiership. By July 2018, he had transferred to Swedish club Nyköpings BIS competing in the Division 1 Norra.
In January 2019, he signed with IFK Värnamo, a club playing in Sweden’s Division 1 Södra. He played a significant part in their back-to-back promotions culminating in reaching the Allsvenskan. De Vries featured in the first eleven matches of their debut season at the top tier before sustaining a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury in July 2022, which led him to return to New Zealand for rehabilitation.
On 30 May 2024, De Vries committed to a contract with Auckland FC.
International career
Born in New Zealand, De Vries has Dutch and Swiss heritage. He earned his first cap for New Zealand on 16 November 2021, entering as a substitute during stoppage time in a friendly match against The Gambia.
Club
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
International goals
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 18 November 2024 | Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand | Template:Fb | 6–0 | 8–0 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Honours
IFK Värnamo
- Superettan: 2021
Auckland FC
- A-League Premiership: 2024–25