Nathan Mao
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nathan Mao Zhi Xuan | ||
| Date of birth | 26 March 2008 | ||
| Place of birth | Singapore | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Young Lions (on loan from Lion City Sailors) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2020–2023 | Lion City Sailors | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023– | Lion City Sailors | 3 | (0) |
| 2025– | → Young Lions (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2023–2024 | Singapore U16 | 2 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 9 April 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 9 April 2025 | |||
Nathan Mao Zhi Xuan (born 26 March 2008) is a Singaporean professional footballer who plays as a forward for Singapore Premier League club Young Lions on loan from Lion City Sailors.
Mao currently holds the record of being the youngest player to play in the Singapore Premier League at 15 years and 5 days in the match against Tampines Rovers.
Early life
Mao started playing football at the age of four. He attended Zhonghua Secondary School.
Club career
Lion City Sailors
As a youth product, Mao joined the academy of Lion City Sailors in 2020, when he was eight.[1]
In November 2021, while he was in the LCS Academy U14 Elite squad, Mao was sent abroad for a six-week European training camp in Germany and Netherlands.[2] He was sent overseas again from 29 October to 14 November 2022 to embark on a 16-day training stint at the Feyenoord Academy when he was in the U17 Elite squad.[3]
On 31 March 2023, Mao became Singapore Premier League's youngest debutant at 15 years and 5 days old when he was introduced as a substitute against Tampines Rovers.[4] Mao was first involved in the continental stage when he was part of Lion City Sailors' squad in the 2023–24 AFC Champions League campaign. He made into head coach Aleksandar Ranković's matchday 1 squad in the 2–1 defeat to Bangkok United. He became the youngest player to be named in an AFC Champions League Elite matchday squad since 2012 at 15 years and 178 days old, surpassing Suphanat Mueanta's 15 years and 203 days record.[5][6]
On 16 September 2023, Mao assisted Haiqal Pashia in the stoppage time to secure a 3–1 league win over Geylang International.
International career
Youth
In 2023, Mao was part of the Singapore U15 squad for the Lion City Cup (LCC). During the semi-finals, he scored a brace in the 3-1 win over Selangor FC.[7] In the LCC final match against Thailand’s BG Pathum, Singapore U-15 conceded an own goal early in the match and Mao helped to equalised late in the match with a corner kick which goalkeeper Kittiphob Poomee could not parry out of the goal.[8] BG Pathum eventually won the final 4-3 on penalty kicks.[8]
Mao was called up to the Singapore U16 squad for the 2024 ASEAN U-16 Boys Championship held in Indonesia.
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 9 April 2025[9]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Lion City Sailors | 2023 | Singapore Premier League | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2024–25 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | |||
| Total | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | ||
Honours
Lion City Sailors
References
- ^ "Continued growth the key as young Nathan relishes the spotlight". Lion City Sailors. 29 March 2025. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
- ^ "Sailors Abroad: A journey of self-discovery, self-realisation – and inspiration". Lion City Sailors. 8 February 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
- ^ "Sailors Abroad: Learning and gleaning from the best in Feyenoord". Lion City Sailors. 6 December 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
- ^ Ang, Ervin (31 March 2023). "SPL leaders Tampines defeat Sailors 4-3 to open up four-point lead". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
- ^ "Sailors Academy pride Nathan Mao relishing opportunity to shine on Asia's biggest stage". Lion City Sailors. 23 September 2023. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
- ^ "Shopee Cup: 5 young stars to look out for". aseanutdfc.com. 17 August 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
- ^ Lin, Tianbao (1 September 2023). "Nathan Mao scores double to fire Singapore U-15s into Lion City Cup final". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
- ^ a b Teoh, Melvyn (3 September 2023). "Singapore U-15s lose on penalties to Thai side BG Pathum in Lion City Cup final". The Straits Times. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
- ^ Nathan Mao at Soccerway. Retrieved 9 April 2025.