# Ben Waine

Benjamin Peter Waine (born 11 June 2001) is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a forward for EFL League One side Mansfield Town, on loan from EFL Championship club Plymouth Argyle and the New Zealand national team.

## Club career
### Wellington Phoenix

On 7 August 2018, Waine made his debut for the senior side in their FFA Cup loss to Bentleigh Greens.
After his debut for the Phoenix in the FFA, Waine played most of his games for the Wellington Phoenix Reserves in the ISPS Handa Premiership scoring a team high of 8 goals, before getting called up to the senior team again in March 2019
On 30 March 2019, Waine made his professional debut for the Wellington Phoenix coming on as a substitute in their 4–1 win over the Newcastle Jets.
On 28 April 2019, Waine made his first start for the Phoenix in a 5–0 loss to the Perth Glory.
On 21 June 2019, Waine signed a two-year contract with the Phoenix. The first year being a scholarship deal, with the second year moving him onto a full-time contract. Just before the 2019–20 season kicked off, the first year of this contract was upgraded to full-time.
On 3 November 2019, Waine scored his first professional goal off the bench in Wellington's 3–2 loss to Melbourne City, passing Liberato Cacace to become the youngest goalscorer in the club's history at 18 years and 145 days.

### Plymouth Argyle

On 30 December 2022, Waine agreed to join League One leaders Plymouth Argyle for an undisclosed fee on a two-and-a-half-year deal, the transfer going through on 1 January when the transfer window opened.

### Mansfield Town (loan)

On 30 August 2024, Waine joined League One side Mansfield Town on a season-long loan in order to gain some more game time, having played as a substitute on 33 of his 43 occasions in the previous season.

## International career
### New Zealand U-20s

On 16 April 2019, Waine was selected as one of the 21 players for the New Zealand U-20 who played at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland. He scored a brace in their opening match against Honduras on 24 May. He made two further appearances in the tournament, starting in both New Zealand's 2–0 victory over Norway and the 1–1 loss on penalties to Colombia in the Round of 16.

### New Zealand U-23s

In September, Waine was a member of the New Zealand U-23 team, known as the "Oly-Whites", who took part in the 2019 OFC Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament. He was second top goal scorer for the tournament with 8 goals including one in the final, helping New Zealand to qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

### New Zealand

Waine made his international debut on 18 March 2022, including scoring his first international goal for New Zealand in their World Cup qualification match against Papua New Guinea, winning the game 1–0.

## Personal life

Waine attended school at Hutt International Boys' School in Upper Hutt where he was the Junior school captain in 2019.
Waine is a dual citizen of New Zealand and the United Kingdom, as his parents are both from England.

## Career statistics
### Club

As of match played 3 November 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Wellington Phoenix Reserves | 2017–18 | Premiership | 16 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | 0 |
| Wellington Phoenix Reserves | 2018–19 | Premiership | 17 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | 8 |
| Wellington Phoenix Reserves | 2019–20 | Premiership | 5 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 7 |
| Wellington Phoenix Reserves | Total | Total | 38 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 38 | 15 |
| Wellington Phoenix | 2018–19 | A-League | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| Wellington Phoenix | 2019–20 | A-League | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 16 | 1 |
| Wellington Phoenix | 2020–21 | A-League | 14 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | 7 |
| Wellington Phoenix | 2021–22 | A-League | 25 | 6 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 29 | 8 |
| Wellington Phoenix | 2022–23 | A-League | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 9 | 3 |
| Wellington Phoenix | Total | Total | 65 | 17 | 7 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 72 | 19 |
| Plymouth Argyle | 2022–23 | League One | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 2 |
| Plymouth Argyle | 2023–24 | Championship | 32 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 5 |
| Plymouth Argyle | 2024–25 | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Plymouth Argyle | Total | Total | 43 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 47 | 8 |
| Mansfield Town (loan) | 2024–25 | League One | 16 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 2 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 137 | 36 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 144 | 43 |
* 1 2 3 4 Appearances in FFA Cup
* 1 2 Appearances in EFL Trophy

### International

As of match played 18 November 2024.
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National Team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| New Zealand | 2022 | 7 | 1 |
| New Zealand | 2023 | 4 | 0 |
| New Zealand | 2024 | 11 | 7 |
| Total | | 22 | 8 |
| Total | Total | 30 | 18 |
International goals
    Scores and results list the New Zealand goal tally first.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1. | 17 March 2022 | Qatar SC Stadium, Doha, Qatar | Papua New Guinea | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2. | 18 June 2024 | VFF Freshwater Stadium, Port Vila, Vanuatu | Solomon Islands | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2024 OFC Nations Cup |
| 3. | 18 June 2024 | VFF Freshwater Stadium, Port Vila, Vanuatu | Solomon Islands | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2024 OFC Nations Cup |
| 4. | 27 June 2024 | VFF Freshwater Stadium, Port Vila, Vanuatu | Tahiti | 2–0 | 5–0 | 2024 OFC Nations Cup |
| 5. | 27 June 2024 | VFF Freshwater Stadium, Port Vila, Vanuatu | Tahiti | 4–0 | 5–0 | 2024 OFC Nations Cup |
| 6. | 10 September 2024 | TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, United States | United States | 1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 7. | 11 October 2024 | VFF Freshwater Stadium, Port Vila, Vanuatu | Tahiti | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 8. | 18 November 2024 | Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand | Samoa | 8–0 | 8–0 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |

## Honours

Plymouth Argyle
* EFL League One: 2022–23
* EFL Trophy runner-up: 2022–23
New Zealand
* OFC Nations Cup: 2024
Individual
* OFC Men's Nations Cup Silver Boot: 2024