Benjamin Totori: OFC Champions League legend

Every tournament has its history; their historical teams, players, the trophies won by each club and certainly those who write the most important moments of each competition will be remembered for history. When it comes to a continental club championship, as the OFC Champions League, it is vital to remember the past achievements to set new goals for the upcoming editions of the tournament.

When we mention the records of the revamped OFC Champions League – that had its first edition in 2005 – a specific Solomon Islander steps upfront to show his importance for the competition: Benjamin Totori.

The Solomon Islands international represented teams from his homeland, Fiji and New Zealand in the OFC Champions League – being the top goalscorer of the 2006 edition when playing for New Zealand side YoungHeart Manawatu. In the 2007/08 edition Totori reached the peak of Oceania football when he and his side Waitakere United won Kossa in the final matches to be crowned champions of the continental tournament – in 2018 he and Lautoka lost for Team Wellington in the decision of OFC Champions League ending as runners-up.

What gives a perfect impression of the quality of the player are his stats in the competition: he scored 27 goals in 54 matches played since he first appeared in the OFC Champions League. He is the all-time top goalscorer of the competition and also the player who most matches played in the tournament – a true legend for Oceania football.

Totori will certainly play the next edition of the OFC Champions League, but it is still unknown which club he will represent. In this season, he helped the Fijian side Lautoka to end 2nd in the Vodafone Premier League table to qualify for the competition and then returned home to play for Solomon Warriors. Warriors is about to win the Telekom S-League title – just needing a draw in their final game to win the league – and is also already qualified for the next edition of the tournament.

The history Benjamin Totori has in the competition makes him a player to watch in the next Champions League. The now 33-year old striker is still a very important footballer of the region and some clubs might be interest to have his services for the most important club tournament of the South Pacific.