NZ footballer with a Solomon father makes it to World Cup

At the FIFA Women’s Under 20 World Cup in Colombia, Maddy Iro will not only be playing for New Zealand but also Solomon Islands.

Little did people know that one of New Zealand’s goalkeepers has blood ties to the Solomon Islands where her father comes from.

As the name suggests, Maddy is Malaitan given Iro is a popular name across the island.

Maddy’s father William Lui Iro is from Malaita (from Kwai & Ambu) is married to a New Zealand woman and he and his family have been living there for over 30 years.

But as one Maddy’s relatives puts it to SBMOnline, Maddy and her family still call Solomon Islands home as they normally come home for holidays with their last visit was in November 2023.

Though she lives in New Zealand she has moved to the US this year to attend a Sports College there and to train.

“From a family perspective, the dad is really proud of her daughter as well as her family back here in theSolomon Islands and we all rally behind her and get to watch her matches online & sending word of encouragement via facebook,” one of her relatives told SBMOnline.