19 Facts About Nathaniel Lepani

Nathaniel Lepani was born on 20 January 1982 and is a footballer from Papua New Guinea.

Nathaniel Lepani has played for Menlo Oaks in the US as well as several other clubs in Australia and Papua New Guinea.

Nathaniel Lepani moved to Belgium with his family in 1991 when his father became Papua New Guinea's Ambassador to Belgium.

Nathaniel Lepani lasted for the maximum trial period of a month, and was one of two Papua New Guineans to be selected for trial but neither player was awarded a permanent contract.

In 2005, Nathaniel Lepani joined Brisbane Premier League outfit Brisbane City FC.

Nathaniel Lepani was finally able to resume a regular career at club level after returning to Papua New Guinea in 2009.

Nathaniel Lepani signed for mid-table top-flight club Eastern Stars FC.

Eastern Stars finished as league runners-up that season, but this didn't stop Nathaniel Lepani leaving the club to join Gigira Laitepo Morobe in the same league.

Nathaniel Lepani left Gigira Laitepo at the end of the season.

Nathaniel Lepani played for Papua New Guinea U-20 in the 2001 OFC U-20 Championship held in the Cook Islands and New Caledonia.

Nathaniel Lepani went on to make eight appearances that year, scoring against Fiji in a 2004 Summer Olympics qualifier on 18 January 2004, and netting against Samoa three times over two games.

Nathaniel Lepani was later substituted off the pitch after Cyril Muta's red card.

Nathaniel Lepani later admitted he was "extremely" disappointed not to have made the squad, and revealed that a gash to his knee, which required "7 stitches and one week out from training camp" contributed to his exclusion.

Nathaniel Lepani attended Port Moresby International School and St Peter's College in Papua New Guinea and Menlo College, California in the United States.

Nathaniel Lepani then graduated from the Queensland University of Technology in 2006, after studying business.

Nathaniel Lepani's mother is from the United States and his father is Papua New Guinean.

Nathaniel Lepani's father, Charles Lepani, was a diplomat and served as Papua New Guinea's High Commissioner to Australia from 2005 to 2017; he is considered as one of the "Gang of Four" public servants who came to prominence after Papua New Guinea's independence in 1975.

Nathaniel Lepani's grandmother is from the Trobriand Islands and still lives there.

In November 2006, Nathaniel Lepani met World Cup winner Christian Karembeu at the launch of the Oceania Football Confederation's OFC Champions League 2007.