The journey of Lennard Atterwell to represent the Kapuls at the OFC Nations Cup

Lennard Atterwell, 18-year-old football prodigy, has recently been called up to represent Papua New Guinea in the OFC Nations Cup. Atterwell, who finished the season playing for Alcochetense’s U19 side in Portugal, is ready to make his mark on the international stage with the Kapuls. His journey to this point has been anything but conventional, marked by perseverance and dedication.

Reflecting on his early years, Atterwell shared, “I was everywhere in Brisbane, Queensland. Some would say I started quite late in under-10s at my local club in Queensland, Bayside United. After two seasons there, I joined another local club called Wynnum Wolves where I spent three seasons. After that, I joined a club a little further away from me, Rochdale Rovers, for another three seasons (U14, U15, U16/U18).” It was during his time with Rochdale Rovers that Atterwell’s potential began to shine. He was selected for the TSP Queensland program, Joey Talent ID, and also played for his high school, Iona College.

Atterwell’s commitment to his development saw him moving to the Gold Coast to join the Gold Coast Knights. “I was traveling 1hr 30min to 2 hours for training 3/4 times a week,” he explained. His dedication paid off when he was scouted and offered a scholarship at Escuela Huesca (EF Huesca) in Spain. “I spent one season there in the Juvenile B league while also training in a professional environment with CD Brea and the Juvenile A team.”

However, his journey in Europe was not without challenges. “I had many setbacks in Europe, one definitely being not having a European passport which affected me signing anywhere in Europe. At that time, I was only 16/17 years old, moving across the world away from family,” Atterwell recounted. After his first season in Spain, he decided to move to Portugal to finish his Juvenile season with Grupo Deportivo Alcochetense’s U19 national 2nd team.

Atterwell’s performance in Portugal was impressive. “The season was great; I learned a lot. I arrived in Portugal quite confident actually, and the quality there was great. My teammates tried teaching me here and there as well as my own studies. The season was good; it could’ve been better, but we stayed up in the National 2nd tier. I was progressing well, I was dominating in the U19 and was also training with the seniors at the club.” Alcochetense senior side plays the 4th tier of the Portuguese league’s system, while the U19 side, where Atterwell was mainly used, is in the second youth division.

As for his future, Atterwell remains optimistic and focused. “I am a free agent. Mainly A-League NPL clubs wanted me to come down and assess me in their environment, so right now, I’m just looking at my options. Right now, I’m in Melbourne training with Western United seniors, doing my best to look or break into a senior team by this season, whether that’s in Europe or Australia.”

To represent Papua New Guinea is also a significant step for Atterwell – a country that he hasn’t visited for long: “I was back and forth until the age of 11, then I never went back,” he shared. Known for his speed and versatility, Atterwell primarily plays as a full-back but can be deployed in all positions along the right flank.

He credits much of his success to his mentor and manager, Kerwin Jean-Pierre. “Kerwin Jean-Pierre is my mentor and manager; he helped me throughout my whole footballing career since I was 11 to now.”

With the OFC Nations Cup on the horizon, Papua New Guinea is grouped alongside Samoa, Fiji, and Tahiti, with their games set to be played in Suva, Fiji. Should they advance, the semifinals will be held in Port Vila, Vanuatu, with a potential final to follow. Lennard Atterwell is poised and ready to contribute to the Kapuls’ success and continue his remarkable journey in football.