Brian Kaltak

Brian Kaltak (; born 30 September 1993) is a Ni-Vanuatu professional footballer who plays as a central defender for A-League club Perth Glory and the Vanuatu national team. He is best known for being the first ever Vanuatuan to play professional football.

Early life Brian Kaltak was born on 30 September 1993, in Erakor, Vanuatu. His father, Timothy Kaltak, played a significant role in shaping his early passion for the sport.

From a young age, Kaltak idolised his father and would follow him to the local sports field after school. To support his training and development, Brian received financial assistance of NZ$15,000 from the Oceania Football Confederation, covering the costs associated with his training and ensuring he had the opportunity to grow as a player.

Auckland City On 3 October 2018, Kaltak signed for Auckland City. He scored his first goal for the club on 27 January 2019, scoring from a free kick in a 3–2 win over Eastern Suburbs. In 2020, Kaltak became the first ni-Vanuatu to win the New Zealand Football Championship as a player.

Central Coast Mariners Kaltak soon moved to Australia in April 2022 and began with an initial trial with Central Coast Mariners towards the end of the 2021/22 A-League season. His opportunity with the Mariners came through coach Josh Smith, who played a pivotal role in facilitating his arrival in Australia and arranging the trial. However, during the trial, Kaltak sustained an injury, preventing him from continuing the trial. As the season concluded in June and Kaltak continued his rehabilitation, he followed Smith to FK Beograd, a South Australian NPL side, where Smith took on a coaching role.

In August, Kaltak was given another chance to impress after being offered another trial at Central Coast Mariners ahead of the 2022–23 A-League season where he successfully impressed head coach Nick Montgomery. On 27 September, Kaltak signed an injury replacement contract with the Central Coast Mariners, becoming the first Vanuatu professional football player in the history of Vanuatu football. Kaltak made his professional debut on 16 October, in a 2–2 league draw against Wellington Phoenix at Wellington Regional Stadium. On 13 November, he received his first red card in the 30th minute during a 3–2 loss against Macarthur, resulting in a one-match suspension.

Despite this, Kaltak was lauded for his standout performances, particularly during the month of December as a key figure in the Mariners' defence; he played a crucial role in helping the team secure a clean sheet in a 3–0 victory against the Newcastle Jets in the F3 Derby and a 2–1 win in the previous match against Sydney FC. On 11 January 2023, Central Coast Mariners announced that Kaltak would remain with the club until the end of the 2024/2025 season after his side conceded just three goals in the previous five games.

On 4 February, in his second match against Sydney FC, he received a straight red card in the 25th minute for denying Max Burgess an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. Although the club appealed the decision, Kaltak was still handed a one-week suspension, causing him to miss the subsequent match against Brisbane Roar. In the match against Wellington Phoenix after a week of completing his suspension, Kaltak was sent off again in the 59th minute for a challenge on Phoenix attacker David Ball. The minimum suspension of two matches was imposed on Kaltak, with his teammate Moresche also receiving a two-match ban for violent conduct in the 97th minute.

Kaltak remained a key player for the Mariners as his contributions were vital in the team's success, as they secured three consecutive wins against Adelaide United in the final league match (4–1) and both legs of the A-League semi-final (4–1 on aggregate). Kaltak played a significant role in the Mariners' stunning 6–1 victory over Melbourne City in the Grand Final at CommBank Stadium, leading them to lift the A-League Men championship trophy. After the match, Kaltak was embraced and congratulated by Vanuatu Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau, who flew in to witness him play. In Vanuatu, screens were set up at Freshwater Stadium in Port Vila, allowing locals to watch Kaltak become the first Vanuatu player to compete in an A-League Grand Final.

Kaltak won the 2023–24 A-League Men, finishing top of the table at the end of the regular season. Kaltak was also part of the Mariners' 2023–24 AFC Cup victory.

Perth Glory On 6 June 2025, Perth Glory announced the signing of Kaltak on a multi-year deal.

International career Kaltak made his international debut for Vanuatu in 2011.

In March 2022, Kaltak went to Qatar for the World Cup qualifiers. Vanuatu's first match was scheduled against Tahiti on 17 March 2022, but the team was forced to withdraw from the tournament without playing a game due to a COVID-19 outbreak among the travelling contingent.

Personal life Kaltak moved to Port Vila to obtain his secondary education. Brian's cousins Tony and Jean also play for the national team. The pair were both named in the 2012 OFC Nations Cup squad.

In 2021, Kaltak told the New Zealand High Commission in Vanuatu that he believed athletes should avoid tobacco as part of World No Tobacco Day.

Produced by Fulwell 73, FIFA released Captains in 2022, an eight-part sports docuseries following six national team captains in their respective 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification campaigns. Kaltak, representing Vanuatu, starred alongside Thiago Silva (Brazil), Luka Modrić (Croatia), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon), Andre Blake (Jamaica) and Hassan Maatouk (Lebanon).

Career statistics International

Vanuatu score listed first, score column indicates score after each Kaltak goal.

Honours Auckland City New Zealand Football Championship: 2019–20 2023–24 A-League Men Premiership: 2023-24

Vanuatu U20 OFC U-20 Championship: 3rd place, 2011

Individual PFA A-League Team of the Season: 2022–23, 2023–24

Orders Order of Vanuatu, Second Class: 2023