Jump to content

Aivi Luik

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Aivi Luik
Luik with Brisbane Roar in 2009
Personal information
Full name Aivi Belinda Kerstin Luik[1]
Date of birth (1985-03-18) 18 March 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth Perth, Australia
Height 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
BK Häcken FF
Number 3
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2004 Brescia University
2005–2006 Nevada Wolf Pack 42 (9)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2009 F.C. Indiana 84 (11)
2009–2012 Brisbane Roar 29 (1)
2010 Ottawa Fury
2011–2012 Brøndby IF
2012–2014 Perth Glory 10 (2)
2015 Fylkir 8 (3)
2015–2020 Melbourne City 49 (6)
2016–2017 Notts County 14 (0)
2017 Vålerenga 21 (3)
2018 Kalmar 9 (1)
2018–2019 Levante 26 (0)
2019 Avaldsnes 11 (0)
2019–2020 Melbourne City 12 (1)
2020–2021 Sevilla 30 (0)
2021–2022 Pomigliano 14 (1)
2022– BK Häcken 9 (1)
International career
2010– Australia 42 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22 March 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 07 April 2023

Aivi Belinda Kerstin Luik (born 18 March 1985) is an Australian soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Swedish club BK Häcken FF. She represented the Australia national team, making over 30 appearances.[2]

She previously played for Brisbane Roar and Perth Glory in the W-League, Brøndby IF in Denmark's Elitedivisionen, Fylkir in Iceland's Úrvalsdeild kvenna, Notts County F.C. in England's FA WSL, Vålerenga in Norway and for Spanish Primera División club Sevilla FC.

Early life and collegiate career

[edit]

Luik was born in Perth to Estonian and Swedish parents and moved to the Gold Coast at a young age where she played junior football for Palm Beach and attended Elanora State High School.[3][4] Following high school graduation, she enrolled at Brescia University in Kentucky before transferring to the University of Nevada, Reno where she was a two-year starter for the Nevada Wolf Pack from 2005 to 2006.[4] During her senior year, she captained the squad and scored the game-winning penalty kick to win the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and lift the NCAA College Cup for the first time.[5][4]

Luik ended her collegiate career at Nevada having made 41 starts in 42 games. She scored nine goals, served seven assists for 25 points. As of 2010, she ranked second in the history of the team for game-winning goals and seventh for goals scored.[4] She earned All-WAC second team honors in 2005 and was named Nevada's most valuable player in 2006.[4]

Luik played for FC Indiana and Ottawa Fury in the USL W-League.[6][4]

Club career

[edit]

Brisbane Roar, 2009–2011

[edit]

In 2009, Luik joined Brisbane Roar in the Australian W-League.[5] During the 2009 season, she started in all eleven games for Brisbane.[7] Brisbane finished in third place and advanced to the semi-finals where they defeated Central Coast Mariners 1–0.[8] Brisbane lost the 2009 W-League Grand Final to Sydney FC.[9]

Brøndby IF, 2011–12

[edit]

Luik moved to Europe where she played for Brøndby IF in Denmark's Elitedivisionen during the 2011–12 season. Brøndby finished in first place with a 17–0–1 record.[7]

Melbourne City FC, 2015–2020

[edit]
Luik during a match against Brisbane Roar, December 2015
Luik during a match against Brisbane Roar, December 2015

In 2015, Luik joined Melbourne City FC for their inaugural season in the W-League.[10][11] During a match against the Melbourne Victory, she converted a free-kick to score the game-winning goal.[12] City won all 12 of its regular season games and finished in first place during the regular season with Luik starting in the midfielder in all games.[7] After advancing to the semi-finals, Melbourne City won the 2016 W-League Grand Final.[13] She was named W-League Player of the Year by the club.[11]

After re-signing with Melbourne City for the 2016–17 season, Luik started in the midfield in 13 of the 14 matches she played, including the semifinal and Grand Final. Melbourne finished in fourth place during the regular season with a 6–4–2 record and advanced to the semi-finals.[14][15] After defeating Brisbane Roar in penalty kicks,[16] Melbourne City advanced and won the 2017 W-League Grand Final for the second consecutive year.[17]

Notts County, 2016

[edit]

In March 2016, Luik signed with English side Notts County F.C. on a two-year deal.[18][19] During the 2016 FA WSL season, she made 14 appearances including 9 starts.[7] Notts County finished in sixth place with a 4–8–4 record.[7]

Pomigliano

[edit]

In August 2021 Luik signed for newly-promoted Italian Serie A club Pomigliano.[20]

International career

[edit]

Luik made her debut for the Australian national team in February 2010 in a friendly match against New Zealand. A year later she was part of the squad for the 2010 AFC Women's Asian Cup, which Australia won. In the summer of 2021, she was part of Australia's squad for the delayed 2020 Olympics and made three appearances during the tournament. Shortly after the Olympic Games, in August 2021, she announced her retirement from the national team, having made over 30 appearances.[21] Five months later, Luik returned from retirement and was named in Australia's 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup squad.[22]

Luik was selected for the Australian Matildas football team which qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The Matildas advanced to the quarter-finals with one victory and a draw in the group play. In the quarter-finals they beat Great Britain 4-3 after extra time. However, they lost 1–0 to Sweden in the semi-final and were then beaten 4–3 in the bronze medal playoff by USA.[23]

Luik missed Australia's second match of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup due to concussion.[24]

See also

[edit]

International goals

[edit]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 21 January 2022 Mumbai Football Arena, Mumbai, India  Indonesia 17–0 18–0 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup

Honours

[edit]

Brisbane Roar

Brøndby IF

Melbourne City

Vålerenga

Australia

Further reading

[edit]
  • Grainey, Timothy (2012), Beyond Bend It Like Beckham: The Global Phenomenon of Women's Soccer, University of Nebraska Press, ISBN 0803240368
  • Williams, Jean (2007), "A Beautiful Game: International Perspectives on Women's Football", A&C Black, ISBN 1845206754

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Aivi Luik at the Norwegian Football Federation (in Norwegian) Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ "The road to the World Cup – Aivi Luik". Football Federation Australia. 22 May 2011. Archived from the original on 19 December 2017. Retrieved 8 November 2015 – via Sportstar.com.
  3. ^ "LUIK VISITS HOME TOWN CLUB PALM BEACH SHARKS". Melbourne City FC. 10 March 2018. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Former Soccer Star Aivi Luik Wins Asian Cup with Australia, Qualifies for the World Cup". University of Nevada. 4 June 2010. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  5. ^ a b "Focus only on Jets, says Luik". Brisbane Roar. Archived from the original on 3 December 2017. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  6. ^ "Cosmopolitan Luik helps Naftokhimik bid". UEFA. 7 October 2008. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Aivi Luik at Soccerway. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  8. ^ "Roar through to Westfield W-League decider". Brisbane Roar. Archived from the original on 3 December 2017. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  9. ^ Smith, Peter. "Sydney FC claim W-League crown". Daily Telegraph. Sydney: News Corp Australia. AAP. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  10. ^ "Melbourne City FC and Moreland City Council Develop Relationship For Westfield W-League and Foxtel National Youth League Seasons". Melbourne City. 8 October 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  11. ^ a b "City re-signs Fishlock and Luik, signs American defender Barnes". Melbourne City. 30 October 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  12. ^ "City too strong for Victory in maiden Derby". Melbourne Victory. 25 October 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  13. ^ "Melbourne City complete dominant W-League season with grand final win over Sydney FC". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 31 January 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  14. ^ Melbourne City FC (9 February 2017), Westfield W League | Aivi Luik Previews Sunday's Grand Final, retrieved 3 December 2017
  15. ^ "Grand final veteran Aivi Luik is ready to claim a piece of W-League history". The Women's Game. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  16. ^ "Melbourne City, Sydney FC advance to W-League final". The Equalizer. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  17. ^ "Melbourne City win back-to-back W-League titles with 2–0 defeat of Glory". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 12 February 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  18. ^ "Rachel Yankey among three Notts County Ladies signings". BBC Sport. 18 March 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  19. ^ Ferris, Ian (18 March 2016). "Australian international defender Luik signs for Notts County Ladies". Tribal Football. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  20. ^ Paquette, Catherine (22 August 2021). "Matildas' new Serie A star announces international retirement". The Women's Game. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  21. ^ Cootes, Isobel (19 August 2021). "Aivi Luik announces her retirement from the Matildas after Tokyo". The Canberra Times.
  22. ^ "Retired Avi Luik returns as Matildas target Asian Cup success". The Guardian. 8 January 2022.
  23. ^ "Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo 2021". The Roar. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  24. ^ "More Matildas injury woe as Mary Fowler ruled out of Women's World Cup clash against Nigeria". Guardian. 26 July 2023.
[edit]