Nicholas Duarte

Nicholas Recoba Duarte (born 16 December 2003) is an Australian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Central Coast Mariners.

Nicholas Duarte

Personal information
Full name	Nicholas Recoba Duarte
Date of birth	(2003-12-16) 16 December 2003 (age 21)
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Striker
Team information
Current team	Central Coast Mariners
Number	29
Youth career
–2022	Wollongong Wolves
2023–2024	Central Coast Mariners
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2021–22	Wollongong Wolves	19	(1)
2023–2024	CCM Academy	34	(6)
2023–	Central Coast Mariners	13	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 5 May 2025

Career

Wollongong Wolves

Duarte begun his senior career at Wollongong Wolves in the National Premier Leagues NSW (NPL NSW) competition, breaking into their first grade team in the 2021 season. Duarte made 19 league appearances for Wollongong, scoring his first senior goal in a 3-0 home win over Mount Druitt Town Rangers in April 2022.^[1] Duarte also came off the bench against future club, Central Coast Mariners, in an FFA Cup tie.

Central Coast Mariners

Duarte moved to the Central Coast Mariners to join their youth set up for the 2023 season. However, Duarte found himself immediately in calculations for the senior team,^[2] making his A-League debut against the Western Sydney Wanderers on 4 March 2023 at Western Sydney Stadium.^[3] Duarte also appeared off the bench the following week against Macarthur FC at Glen Willow Regional Sports Stadium,^[4] before spending the rest of the season playing for the Mariners' youth team in the NPL NSW.

Duarte received a scholarship contract to be part of the Mariners' senior squad for the 2023-24 season.^[5] Duarte had an injury interrupted season, only making 2 appearances for the senior team, however he returned mid-way through the 2024 NPL season, where he finished the season with 6 goals, including two goals in the second-leg to help overturn a first-leg deficit in a promotion/relegation play-off against Bulls FC Academy.^[6][7]

Duarte scored his first senior goal for the Mariners in an AFC Champions League Elite match against Shanghai Port on 23 October 2024.^[8] Having broken through to become a regular member of the senior team for the 2024-25 season, in November he suffered a broken ankle at training,^[9] which sidelined him for four months. Duarte made his return in early March,^[10] scoring his first ever A-League goal a couple of weeks later against Auckland FC.^[11]

Honours

Central Coast Mariners

• A-League Men Championship: 2022–23, 2023–24
• A-League Men Premiership: 2023–24
• AFC Cup: 2023–24