Andrew Durante

Andrew James Durante (born 3 May 1982 in Sydney, New South Wales) is a New Zealand international footballer who plays for Wellington Phoenix in the A-League.

Born in Sydney, Australia, Durante played youth football with Sydney Olympic before making his senior debut at the club. He also played for Parramatta Power before moving to Singapore to play for Balestier Khalsa. After returning to Australia to play for Sydney United, Durante joined Newcastle Jets in the newly formed A-League. Durante joined Wellington Phoenix in 2008, and is currently the player with the most appearances for the club. He has also spent time on loan at Sydney FC for the Asian Champions League in 2011.

Durante became eligible to play for New Zealand in 2013, having lived in the country for five years, and made nine appearances for the national team before stepping aside from international football in 2015. In September 2016, he made himself available again for national team selection and was subsequently named in the team to tour the United States to play USA and Mexico in October 2016.

Newcastle Jets

Durante with the Newcastle Jets.

Durante won the A-League Grand Final with the Jets in 2008 and was awarded the Joe Marston Medal in a man-of-the-match performance.

Wellington Phoenix

Durante joined the Phoenix in as captain at the start of the 2008–09 season and made an instant impact helping them make the final of the Pre-Season cup against Melbourne Victory, only narrowly losing 7–8 on penalty kicks.

In October 2009 Durante extended his contract with Wellington Phoenix until the end of 2011–12 season. Durante played every minute of the 2009–10 season for the Phoenix and along with Ben Sigmund for most of the season and utility Jon McKain, helped Wellington to their best defensive season in their history, conceding just 29 goals in 27 league matches of the regular season.

Durante led the Phoenix to a first-ever A-League finals appearance at the conclusion of the 2009–10 season after finishing in 4th place, earning them a home playoff match against 5th placed Perth Glory.

In March 2010, Durante scored his first ever A-league and Wellington Phoenix goal against Sydney FC in the preliminary final.

On 21 February 2011, Durante and the Phoenix announced that he would be loaned to Sydney FC for their Asian Champions League campaign. He made 5 appearances for Sydney FC during the campaign.

In January 2012 Durante extended his contract with Wellington by a further two years keeping him at the club until at least 2015.

Durante was selected in Pim Verbeek's Socceroo squad in February 2010 for Australia's 2011 AFC Asian Cup qualification match against Indonesia. Durante became a New Zealand Citizen on 6 March 2013 and the next day was named in his first All Whites squad. He made his international debut for New Zealand in their World Cup Qualifier against the Solomon Islands in Honiara.

In August 2015, Durante ruled himself to be unavailable for national selection for reasons including to spend more time with his family and the physical strain of international football. He returned to the team just over a year later for a tour of North America.

International career statistics

Club

Sydney Olympic

• NSL Championship: 2001–02

Newcastle Jets

• A-League Championship: 2008

Individual

• Joe Marston Medal: 2008
• Wellington Phoenix Player of the Year: 2009–10, 2012–13
• PFA A-League Team of the Season: 2011–12, 2014–15