Eddy Kaspard

Eddy Kaspard
Personal information
Full name Eddy Helfara Aru Kaspard[1]
Date of birth (2001-05-27)27 May 2001[1]
Place of birth Papeete, Tahiti
Date of death 14 August 2025(2025-08-14) (aged 24)
Place of death Pāʻea, Tahiti
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
2006–2011 A.S. Manu-Ura
2011–2016 A.S. Tefana
2017–2020 Trélissac
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2022 Trélissac 0 (0)
2022–2023 Pouzauges Bocage 11 (1)
2023–2024 A.S. Tefana (7)
2024–2025 A.S. Vénus (37)
International career
2017 Tahiti U17 3 (1)
2018–2019 Tahiti U20 6 (3)
2022–2025 Tahiti 15 (4)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Tahiti
OFC Nations Cup
Third place 2024 Fiji/Vanuatu
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Eddy Helfara Aru Kaspard (27 May 2001 – 14 August 2025) was a Tahitian professional footballer who played as a forward for Tahiti Ligue 1 club A.S. Vénus and the Tahiti national team.

Club career

As a youth Kaspard began playing with A.S. Manu-Ura from age five to ten. He then moved to A.S. Tefana where he remained until 2015. That year he participated in a trial in Metropolitan France organized by Tefana. After being spotted by Ligue 1 club Saint-Étienne in a tournament, he was invited to return when he turned sixteen.[2] However, the return trial was unsuccessful and he then had a test period with Auxerre. After not being offered a spot in the club, he had a successful trial with Trélissac of the Championnat National 2 in 2017.[3][4][5][6] That year he reportedly also drew interest from Monaco.[7] In the 2021–22 Coupe de France Kaspard appeared for Trélissac in the club's Seventh Round victory over A.S. Vénus, Tahiti's representative in the tournament that season.[8]

In December 2022, Kaspard moved to Pouzauges Bocage FC of the Championnat National 3.[9]

At the time of his death, he was playing for A.S. Vénus.[10]

International career

As a youth Kaspard represented Tahiti at the under-17 and under-20 levels. He captained the Tahiti team at the 2017 OFC U-17 Championship[7] and scored against Papua New Guinea in the final match of the Group Stage.[11][12] After turning down an offer to play for France at the under-19 level, Kaspard scored three goals in the 2018 OFC U-19 Championship. He scored against New Zealand[13] and Papua New Guinea[14] in the Group Stage before adding a goal against the Solomon Islands in the Semi-finals.[15] Kaspard's three goals put him tied for third place in the tournament's Golden Boot race.[16] Tahiti ultimately finished as runners-up in the tournament and qualified for the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland.[17][7] Kaspard was then named to Tahiti's final roster for the tournament[18] and appeared in all three of the nation's Group Stage matches.[19] Ahead of the tournament he was identified as Tahiti's Player to Watch by Goal.[20]

In February 2022, Kaspard was named to Tahiti's roster for a training camp in France and 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification. He was one of four foreign-based players in the squad.[8][21]

Personal life and death

Kaspard's father, Abet Kaspard Tahi, is a former footballer from Pentecost Island, Vanuatu and a former member of the New Hebrides national team. His mother is from Tahiti where the younger Kaspard was born and raised.[7]

On 14 August 2025, Kaspard died following a road collision in Pāʻea. He was 24.[10][22]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by national team and year[23]
National team Year Apps Goals
Tahiti 2022 2 0
2023 6 3
2024 6 1
2025 1 0
Total 15 4
Scores and results list Tahiti's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kaspard goal.
List of international goals scored by Eddy Kaspard
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 28 August 2023 Stade Pater Te Hono Nui, Pirae, French Polynesia  Cook Islands 2–0 9–1 Friendly
2 31 August 2023 Stade Pater Te Hono Nui, Pirae, French Polynesia  Cook Islands 2–0 3–0 Friendly
3 24 November 2023 SIFF Academy Field, Honiara, Solomon Islands  Northern Mariana Islands 5–0 5–0 2023 Pacific Games
4 15 November 2024 Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, New Zealand  Samoa 1–0 3–0 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Tahiti

References

  1. ^ a b c "FIFA U-20 World Cup Poland 2019: List of Players: Tahiti" (PDF). FIFA. 13 June 2019. p. 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 February 2020.
  2. ^ "Deux joueurs du club en stage à l'AS Saint-Etienne" (in French). AS Tefana. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  3. ^ "Football – Coupe du monde U19 : Focus sur Eddy Kaspard" (in French). Tahitian Football Federation. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Caroline Tang reçoit Teva Ferrari et Eddy Kaspard" (in French). Delegation de la Polynesie Francais a Paris. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Deux Tahitiens en formation dans un club de Ligue 1" (in French). tntv.pf. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  6. ^ Obrize, Orianne. "Football - Quatre jeunes de Tefana sélectionnés" (in French). actua.fr. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d Abel, Jason. "Vanuatu Native in Tahiti's U-20 World Cup Team". Vanuatu Daily Post. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Tahiti confirm 23-strong group for Oceania Qualifiers in Qatar". Oceania Football Confederation. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  9. ^ "Football. National 3 : deux mois de frustration pour Pouzauges" (in French). ouest-france.fr. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  10. ^ a b "The Oceania Football Confederation is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Eddy Kaspard, a talented AS Vénus player, 2024/25 Ligue 1 top scorer, and proud Tahiti international". Oceania Football Confederation, Tahitian Football Federation. 15 August 2025.
  11. ^ Taule, Troy. "PNG Beats Hosts Tahiti at OFC U-17 Championship Meet". Loop PNG. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  12. ^ "Papua New Guinea 2 Tahiti 1". Oceania Football Confederation. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  13. ^ "New Zealand 2 Tahiti 1". Oceania Football Confederation. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  14. ^ "Tahiti 6 Papupa New Guinea 0". Oceania Football Confederation. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  15. ^ "Suri apologies to nation". The Island Sun. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  16. ^ "NZ CLAIM TITLE IN TAHITI". Fiji One.tv. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  17. ^ Jakanduo, Leo. "NZ and Tahiti book World Cup berths". Papua New Guinea Football Association. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  18. ^ "Football : deux joueurs du Trélissac FC sous les couleurs de Tahiti" (in French). Sud Ouest. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  19. ^ "GSA profile". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  20. ^ "Under-20 World Cup: Squads, favourites and players to watch in Poland". goal.com. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  21. ^ Romena, Romeka. "Tahiti Names Final Squad for Qualifiers". Fiji Live. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  22. ^ Diagne, Mamadou. "Drame dans le football polynésien : un jeune talent fauché à 24 ans" [Pacific football drama: a young talent knocked down at 24]. Sunugal En Clair (in French).
  23. ^ "NFT profile". National Football Teams. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  24. ^ "Coupe des Nations 2024 de l'OFC : Découvrez la liste officielle des joueurs sélectionnés!" (in French). Retrieved 31 October 2024.
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