# Nigel Boogaard

Nigel Boogaard (/ˈboʊɡɑːrd/ BOH-gard; born 14 August 1986) is a former Australian professional footballer who played as a central defender in the A-League. Boogaard currently plays for Charlestown Azzurri in the Northern NSW Football National Premier Leagues competition.

## Club career
### Central Coast Mariners

Coming from the Weston Workers Bears, Boogaard has had a rollercoaster career. He scored his first A-League goal for the Mariners in a match against bitter rivals Newcastle Jets on 14 August 2009 (also his 23rd birthday). It was a miscued header off the shoulder after poor defending and the keeper dropped it over the line.

### Adelaide United

Boogaard signed with Adelaide United on 6 November 2009 and joined them for their upcoming AFC Champions League campaign.
On 8 May 2012, it was announced that Boogaard had signed for a further two years with Adelaide United.
On 20 July 2013, Boogaard started for the A-League All Stars in the inaugural A-League All Stars Game against Manchester United, a match in which the A-League All Stars were thrashed 5-1, courtesy of goals from Danny Welbeck, Jesse Lingard and Robin van Persie. Boogaard, along with Brisbane Roar forward Besart Berisha, were the only players to play out the full match.

### Newcastle Jets

Boogaard signed a three-year deal with his hometown club, the Newcastle Jets, on 16 February 2015.

### Retirement

On the 11th of June, 2021, Boogaard announced that he would retire, ending his sixteen-year playing career. As of this date, Boogaard is currently completing "his coaching badges", stating his plans to "give back to the game in some way".

### Charlestown Azzurri

Nigel joined Charlestown Azzurri for the 2022 National Premier Leagues Northern NSW season, alongside another former A-League Men's player in Jacob Melling. Fellow former Newcastle Jets player, Taylor Regan, joined Nigel halfway through the season.

## Career statistics

| Club | Season | A-League | A-League | Finals | Finals | Asia | Asia | Other $_1$ | Other $_1$ | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Central Coast Mariners | 2005–06 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Central Coast Mariners | 2006–07 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Central Coast Mariners | 2007–08 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 22 | 1 |
| Central Coast Mariners | 2008–09 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| Central Coast Mariners | 2009–10 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 2 |
| Central Coast Mariners | Club subtotal | 51 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 66 | 3 |
| Adelaide United | 2010–11 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Adelaide United | 2011–12 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| Adelaide United | 2012–13 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| Adelaide United | 2013–14 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Adelaide United | 2014-15 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 27 | 2 |
| Adelaide United | Club subtotal | 92 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 114 | 4 |
| Newcastle Jets | 2015–16 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Newcastle Jets | 2016–17 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 2 |
| Newcastle Jets | 2017-18 | 21 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 1 |
| Newcastle Jets | 2018-19 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 1 |
| Newcastle Jets | 2019-20 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Newcastle Jets | 2020-21 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 1 |
| Newcastle Jets | Club subtotal | 120 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 125 | 5 |
| Charlestown Azzurri | 2022 | 19 | 3 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 0 | 0 | 19 | 3 |
| Charlestown Azzurri | 2023 | 16 | 4 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 0 | 0 | 16 | 4 |
| Charlestown Azzurri | Club subtotal | 19 | 3 | 0 | 0 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 0 | 35 | 7 |
| Total | Total | 311 | 15 | 12 | 0 | 17 | 2 | 13 | 2 | 353 | 19 |
$_1$Includes FFA Cup, A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup

## Honours
### Club
#### Adelaide United

* FFA Cup: 2014

### International
#### Australia national football team

* OFC U-17 Championship: 2003
Individual
* A-League All Stars: 2013