Naea Bennett

Naea Bennett
Minister of Youth, Crime Prevention and Sports
In office 21 February 2022 – 15 May 2023
President	Édouard Fritch
Preceded by	Heremoana Maamaatuaiahutapu
Succeeded by	Nahema Temarii
Personal details
Born	(1977-07-08) 8 July 1977 (age 47) Tahiti
Political party	Tapura Huiraatira

Personal information
Position(s)	Striker
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1995–2001	AS Vénus	?	(?)
2001–2014	AS Pirae	?	(91)
International career^‡
1996–2010	Tahiti	17	(12)
Managerial career
2018	Tahiti
2018–2022	AS Pirae
Medal record Men's football Representing  Tahiti OFC Nations Cup Runner-up 1996 Oceania 2002 New Zealand
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 October 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21 October 2024

Naea Tommy Irving Bennett[1] (born 8 July 1977) is a French Polynesian former footballer, politician, and former Cabinet Minister. He last played as a striker for AS Pirae and also represented the Tahiti national beach soccer team. He is son of Erroll Bennett, a former Tahitian footballer who was runner-up at 1973 and 1980 OFC Nations Cup.[2]

Football career

In 2002, Naea Bennett took part in 4 qualifying matches for the World Cup with the Tahiti team. While playing for AS Pirae, Bennett joined the Tahiti beach soccer team, and competed in both the 2011 and 2015 World Cups. In all he took part in 8 matches for as many wins as losses and 5 goals scored. In October 2013 he was appointed a knight of the Order of Tahiti Nui.[3][4]

Bennett is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and refuses to play football on Sundays.[5] In 2015, he refused to play in the 2015 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup final due to his religious beliefs.[6]

In 2018 he was appointed interim head coach of the Tahiti national football team.[7][8]

Political career

In February 2022 he was appointed to the cabinet of Édouard Fritch as Minister of Youth, Crime Prevention and Sports.[9][10]

International goals

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	4 June 2001	North Harbour Stadium, Albany	Vanuatu	2-0	6–1	2002 FIFA World Cup Qualification
2				3-0
3				5-1
4	11 June 2001		Cook Islands	4-0	6–0
5	30 June 2003	National Stadium, Suva	Micronesia	8-0	17–0	2003 South Pacific Games
6				11-0
7				14-0
8				17-0
9	3 July 2003		Papua New Guinea	1-0	3–0
10				3-0
11	7 July 2003	Churchill Park, Lautoka	Tonga	3-0	4–0
12				4-0

Honours

Tahiti

• OFC Nations Cup: runner-up 1996;[11] 3rd 2002[12]

References

1. "FTF – TIKI TOA : la liste des joueurs révélée sur FIFA.com". Fédération Tahitienne de Football.
2. "Football – Focus : La légende Errol Bennett" (in French). Tahiti Infos. 29 October 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
3. "LISTE DES TITULAIRES". 21 July 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
4. "L'Ordre de Tahiti Nui pour les Tiki Toa" (in French). Tahiti Infos. 4 October 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
5. Janet Thomas (September 2014). "In His Father's Steps". churchofjesuschrist.org.
6. "Tiki Toa: la polémique qui gâche la fête" (in French). Tahiti Infos. 21 July 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
7. "Naea Bennet becomes Tahiti's eleven-a-side National coach". 17 March 2018.
8. "Football - Tahiti vs Calédonie : Naea Bennett devient coach de la sélection" (in French). Tahiti Infos. 6 March 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
9. "La composition du nouveau gouvernement Fritch" (in French). Tahiti Infos. 21 February 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
10. "Virginie Bruant et Naea Bennett entrent au gouvernement" (in French). Tahiti Infos. 21 February 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
11. "Oceania Nations Cup 1996". Retrieved 31 October 2024.
12. "Oceania Nations Cup 2002". Retrieved 31 October 2024.

External links

• Naea Bennett at National-Football-Teams.com
• Naea Bennett – FIFA competition record (archived)