Bertrand Patrice Charles Kaï (born 6 June 1983) is a New Caledonian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Hienghène Sport. He is one of only two New Caledonians to be named Oceania Footballer of the Year.

International career Kaï made his debut for New Caledonia on 14 June 2008 in the 0–0 draw against Vanuatu.Player Statistics: Bertrand Kaï FIFA.com. 14 June 2008. Retrieved 11 September 2011.

Kaï was called up to New Caledonia's squad for the 2011 Pacific Games. He was the tournament's top scorer with ten goals. Half of Kaï's goal tally for the tournament came in one match, the 9–0 win over Guam on 30 August 2011.Guam 0–9 New Caledonia Oceania Football Confederation. 30 August 2011. Retrieved 9 September 2011. He scored all ten of his goals in the group stage before also featuring in the semi-final win over Tahiti and the 2–0 victory over the Solomon Islands in the final.

On 1 June 2012, Kaï scored a hat-trick in New Caledonia's opening game at the 2012 OFC Nations Cup, a 5–2 victory over Vanuatu.Match Report: Vanuatu 2–5 New Caledonia FIFA.com. 1 June 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2012. He featured in both of New Caledonia's other group stage fixtures but was used sparingly in each game, being substituted at half-time in the 4–3 defeat to Tahiti on 3 June and being introduced from the bench in the second half against Samoa in a 9–0 win on 5 June.Match Report: Tahiti 4–3 New Caledonia FIFA.com. 3 June 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2012.Match Report: New Caledonia 9–0 Samoa FIFA.com. 5 June 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2012.

On 8 June, he scored New Caledonia's first goal in a 2–0 win over New Zealand in the semi-final, helping his country to the second Nations Cup final in their history.New Zealand 0–2 New Caledonia FIFA.com. 8 June 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2012 Kaï played the entirety of the final against Tahiti on 10 June but was unable to prevent a 1–0 loss as New Caledonia finished as runners-up.Match Report: Tahiti 1–0 New Caledonia FIFA.com. 10 June 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2012. With four goals, Kaï was the tournament's joint-third top-scorer, tied with Benjamin Totori of the Solomon Islands and Tahiti's Jonathan and Alvin Tehau.2012 OFC Nations Cup Competition Summary Oceania Football Confederation. 10 June 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2012.

Following his showing at the 2011 Pacific Games and the 2012 OFC Nations Cup, in July 2012 the Oceania Football Confederation announced that Kaï had won the men's Oceania Footballer of the Year award, beating fellow nine fellow nominees including New Zealand's Shane Smeltz and Chris Wood, and Jean Kaltack of Vanuatu.Kai and Smith pick up OFC titles Oceania Football Confederation. 21 July 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2012. Kaï became only the second footballer from New Caledonia to win the award, following Christian Karembeu's titles in 1995 and 1998, and the first player from the Pacific Islands to be named Oceania's best player since 2005.Oceanian Player of the Year RSSSF. 26 February 2009. Retrieved 24 August 2012.Smith named Oceania's top female footballer Television New Zealand. 21 July 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2012.

Speaking shortly after winning the award, Kaï admitted he was surprised to have beaten off such fierce competition to win the title, saying "To be honest, I couldn't believe [I had won] – it was a real surprise when it was announced. It was only afterwards that I realised what [an] honour it is to have been elected ahead of professional footballers from New Zealand, and I am very proud to have followed in the footsteps of Christian Karembeu...this trophy is also good for New Caledonia football because it shows we have talented players. I would like to thank the football family in my country because without them I could not have reached this level."OFC title a huge honour for Kai Oceania Football Confederation. 30 July 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2012.

In December 2012, Kaï was named New Caledonia's joint Player of the Year along with Patrick Wajoka in the inaugural Football Oscars; both attained 22.38% of the vote in national newspaper Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes.New Caledonia's best inseparable Oceania Football Confederation. 29 December 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2013. Kaï was also included in the New Caledonian Football Federation's "Team of the Year". New Caledonian Football Federation. 22 December 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2013.

Career statistics Club

+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClub Season LeagueCupContinental OtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsHienghène Sport2007–08Super Ligue2008–091120091120101120112012TotalMagenta2013Super Ligue12222Gaïca2014Super Ligue14343Hienghène Sport2015Super Ligue114201620173420182019642020202021202262202320TotalCareer total

International Scores and results list New Caledonia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kaï goal.

+ List of international goals scored by Bertrand KaïNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition1 3 October 2008 Stade Marville, Saint-Malo, France 2–2 3–2 2008 Coupe de l'Outre-Mer2 30 August 2011 Stade Rivière Salée, Nouméa, New Caledonia 1–0 9–0 2011 Pacific Games3 2–04 3–05 4–06 9–07 3 September 2011 Stade Rivière Salée, Nouméa, New Caledonia 1–0 8–0 2011 Pacific Games8 2–09 3–010 6–011 5 September 2011 Stade Rivière Salée, Nouméa, New Caledonia 1–1 1–2 2011 Pacific Games12 1 June 2012 Lawson Tama Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands 1–0 5–2 2012 OFC Nations Cup13 2–114 4–215 8 June 2012 Lawson Tama Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands 1–0 2–0 2012 OFC Nations Cup16 12 September 2012 Stade Pater Te Hono Nui, Pirae, Tahiti 2–0 4–0 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification17 26 March 2016 Port Vila Municipal Stadium, Port Vila, Vanuatu 1–0 1–2 Friendly18 5 June 2016 Sir John Guise Stadium, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea 1–0 1–1 2016 OFC Nations Cup19 5 October 2016 Lawson Tama Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands 1–0 3–0 Friendly20 3–021 8 October 2016 Lawson Tama Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands 1–0 1–0 Friendly22 8 July 2019 National Soccer Stadium, Apia 2–0 5–0 2019 Pacific Games23 3–0

Honours Player Hienghène Sport New Caledonia Super Ligue: 2017, 2019 New Caledonia Cup: 2013, 2015, 2019 OFC Champions League: 2019

AS Magenta New Caledonia Super Ligue: 2014

New Caledonia OFC Nations Cup: Runner-up, 2008, 2012 Pacific Games: Gold Medalist, 2011; Silver Medalist, 2019

Individual Pacific Games Golden Boot: 2011 Oceania Footballer of the Year: 2011 New Caledonian Football Federation Player of the Year: 2015 OFC Champions League Golden Ball: 2019

References

External links