David Browne

David Eric Browne (born 27 December 1995) is a Papua New Guinean professional footballer who plays as a forward or a midfielder for the Papua New Guinea national team.

He is the first Papua New Guinean footballer to play professionally in Europe.

Besides New Zealand, he has played in the Netherlands and Finland.

Around the age of 10, Browne began playing football as a goalkeeper.

He began his football career in the Port Moresby suburb of Kaugere at the Living Light Academy.

Between 2007 and 2010, he changed schools three times, attending Korobosea International School from 2007 to 2008, St Josephs International School in 2009, and Port Moresby International School in 2010.

Browne turned 17 only 11 days after the 16 December final, making him older than only Víctor Mañón who was part of Mexico's C.F. Pachuca's squad in 2008.

Browne played for two years for local development team Port Moresby School of Excellence FC of the Port Moresby Soccer Association from 2010 to 2011.

POMSOE FC was founded in 2010 and featured mostly players from the Papua New Guinea national under-17 team.

Central United accumulated a 10–1–7 record, finishing in 3rd place for the season.

Following his one season with the club, he was named the Player of the Year.

He was also the first Papua New Guinea player to take part in the competition since Hekari United qualified in 2010.

He was St. Peter's top scorer in 2011 and voted a member of the state team.

He left Papua New Guinea for a football scholarship in New Zealand in 2012.

While participating in Under-17 World Cup qualification, Browne was spotted and offered a scholarship by St Peter's College in Auckland, New Zealand.

While playing for the college, he also played for Central United of the Northern League at age 16.

During the 2012 season with Central United, he was then spotted by Auckland City FC of the ASB Premiership because of a partnership between the two clubs.

He was 16 when he signed for Auckland and immediately joined the club's first team.

Between 2012 and 2015, Browne scored a total of 10 league goals in 33 league matches.

He also participated in the 2012, 2013, and 2014 FIFA Club World Cups and earned the surprise bronze medal in 2014 after beating Mexico's Cruz Azul on penalties, in addition to multiple other league and confederation championships and awards.

In 2012, he was the youngest player at the FIFA Club World Cup at age 16 and was selected by head coach Ramon Tribulietx after being with the club for only three months.

At that time, he was the youngest ever player from Papua New Guinea to take part in the tournament and the second youngest player ever overall.

Browne attended St Peter's College for three years before graduating in 2013.

He won the OFC Champions League with the club twice, in 2013 and 2014.

Following the 2014–15 ASB Premiership season, Browne was named the player with the most potential in the league by a columnist of The New Zealand Herald because of his exciting style of play, full range of talent, and performances which included a hat-trick against Waitakere United in the league semi-final.

Following his final season with Auckland City, he was given the team's Young Player of the Year award.

That season he was also the team's joint top scorer, tied with Joao Moreira.

In 2015, Browne was among players selected from 30 countries to trial in the Nike Most Wanted Global Showcase.

After impressing in the showcase, he had the option to join the Nike Football Academy or sign for a professional team in the Netherlands.

He was one of roughly 50 players from around the world who were offered the opportunity to join the academy based at the St George's Park National Football Centre.

However, he chose the latter option and was signed to Jong PEC Zwolle, the reserve side of PEC Zwolle of the Eredivisie.

He scored on his debut for the Zwolle U21 side, a 3–1 victory over Helmond Sport in the opening match of the season on 10 August 2015.

He also scored in a friendly against Jong FC Twente the following month.

Browne played in the reserve side's final match of the season, a 0–4 defeat to Jong SC Cambuur which saw Zwolle finish at the bottom of its group.

He first appeared on the first team's match day roster on 27 February 2016 as an unused substitute in a league match against SC Cambuur.

He was a member of both the reserve and first teams.

He appeared in 7 reserve league matches, scoring one goal, but never made a first team appearance over the course of the season.

In June 2016 it was announced that Browne had been signed by FC Groningen, also of the Eredivisie, in part to be a replacement for the injured attacker Kasper Oldenburger in the reserve team.

When training for the 2016–17 season commenced, Browne practiced with FC Groningen U23, formerly known as Jong FC Groningen prior to that season, which competed in the Derde Divisie.

Browne and the U23 side were undefeated in their first five exhibitions matches of the season.