Etienne Mermer (born 26 January 1977) is a Vanuatuan football manager and former footballer who played as a forward.

Etienne Mermer
Personal information
Date of birth (1977-01-26) 26 January 1977 (age 49)
Place of birth Luganville, New Hebrides
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 9+12 in)
Position Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2000 Nipikinamu Lenakel
2001 Tafea
2002 Nipikinamu Lenakel
2003–2004 Mitchelton
2005–2006 Tafea
2006–2007 AS Manu-Ura (11+)
2008 Port Vila Sharks
2008–2010 Tafea
International career
1998–2008 Vanuatu 33 (15)
Managerial career
2010 Vanuatu U15
2012–2016 Vanuatu U17
2013–2017 Vanuatu U20
2014–2016 Spirit 08
2016–2017 Erakor Golden Star
2017 Vanuatu U20 (assistant)
2017–2018 Vanuatu
2019–2023 Vanuatu
2019–2022 Vanuatu U23
2023 Vanuatu (assistant)
2025 Vanuatu U16
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

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In 2004, Mermer and Richard Iwai were both the first, and at the time only, footballers from Vanuatu to be playing abroad, with both of them also briefly being teammates at Mitchelton in Australia.[1]

International career

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Mermer made a total of 33 appearances for Vanuatu between 1998 and 2008, scoring 15 goals and representing his country at five OFC Nations Cups.[2]

In August 2007, during a 15–0 win against American Samoa, he scored four goals while teammate Seule Soromon scored five, becoming the last time two players scored a poker (4+ goals) in a single match until Erling Haaland and Thelo Aasgaard in Norway's 11–1 win against Moldova in 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification.[3]

Managerial career

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In 2010, Mermer was the manager of Vanuatu's under-15 national team at that year's Summer Youth Olympics in Singapore.[4][5]

In March 2017, it was announced that Mermer would not travel with the Vanuatu under-20 national team to the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup in South Korea.[6]

In December 2017, while the manager of the Vanuatu national team, he helped them win a gold medal at the 2017 Pacific Mini Games, which helped jump Vanuatu's FIFA World Ranking 28 places, up to 157th.[7] He was also the Vanuatu under-23 national team manager when they finished third at the 2019 OFC Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament.[8]

In 2025, he took charge of Vanuatu's under-16 national team during 2025 OFC U-16 Men's Championship qualification.[9]

Personal life

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While active as a player, Mermer also spent six years working as a primary school teacher.[4] His son, Eddy, is also a footballer who plays for United Malampa.[10]

In 2014, he became the second person from Vanuatu to obtain an OFC B Coaching License.[11]

References

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  1. Coonan, Ben (5 June 2004). "Vanuatu Profile". Socceroos. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
  2. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Etienne Mermer (Player)". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
  3. "DOUBLE POKERS". IFFHS. 9 October 2025. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
  4. 1 2 "Vanuatu look forward to Olympics debut". Oceania Football Confederation. 13 August 2010. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
  5. "Olympedia – Etienne Mermer". www.olympedia.org. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
  6. Nasse, Raymond (22 March 2017). "Mermer, Thomas mo Kaltak oli no pat blong Vanuatu U20" [Mermer, Thomas and Kaltak not part of Vanuatu U20]. Vanuatu Daily Post. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
  7. "Vanuatu end memorable year on a high". FIFA. 4 January 2018. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
  8. Natoga, Anasilini (5 October 2019). "Mermer congratulates his players". Vanuatu Daily Post. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
  9. "OFC U-16 Men's Championship spot at stake in Tonga". Oceania Football Confederation. 2 May 2025. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
  10. Molivakoro, Vourie (11 July 2025). "United Malampa thrashes Seveners United 5-0". Vanuatu Daily Post. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
  11. "Etienne awarded OFC B Licence". Vanuatu Daily Post. 28 August 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
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