Mau Penisula: a Tuvaluan legend in Fiji

Mau Penisula is a 41-year-old player that represented Tuvalu in football and futsal. He is the player with most international caps for Tuvalu (14) and he played the Pacific Games for three times: 2003, 2007 and 2011.

Penisula signed with Nasinu this year but he has not made his official debut yet. He was added to the squad after having a great performance in the 2020 NZFFI International Veterans held in New Zealand. He helped Nasinu to finish the Grade 40s tournament in the second position after losing the final match to Nadroga by 1-0.

Despite being part of the team squad for 2020 Vodafone Premier League, he pointed that his age can be an obstacle to him – “This age is complecated to feat in the Premier League. This age (41) is good to play with a veteran team as we just came back from New Zealand where we played the Veteran’s tournament that had good level to play,” he explained.

Penisula is one of the four overseas players in Nasinu’s squad for 2020 Vodafone Premier League and the only Tuvaluan in the tournament. Atkin Kaua, Jared Rongosulia and Marlon Tahioa from Solomon Islands are the other foreigners in the team. His presence can be felt through his experience and vision that can surely bring good things for the team – “We have some weakness on defense but we are working on that. The team is good in overall,” he said.

.His first contact with football was in Tuvalu where he represented FC Tofaga in the local tournaments for eleven years before moving to Fiji in 2011 – “I started playing football there (in Tuvalu). After some years learning the game I was called to represent the National Team,” explained Penisula.

In the meantime Penisula was part of Tuvalu National Futsal Team. He played 2008 and 2010 OFC Futsal Nations Cup that were held in Fiji which means that he was part of the first ever National Futsal Team from his country.
The year of 2011 was very special for Tuvalu in the sport as they played the Pacific Games for the third straight edition and one of the most important moments of Tuvaluan football happened in the opening round of the 2011 edition when they won American Samoa by 4-0, the biggest win of Tuvalu National Team’s history. Mau Penisula was the team captain in that unforgettable match.

The 2011 Pacific Games was his last tournament representing the country. He was not part of the national team squad in the last tournaments like 2018 CONIFA World Cup but he would be a great addition for the Tuvaluan side with his huge experience.