Markus Toves Explained

Markus Toves
Fullname:Markus Joaquin Attao Toves
Birth Place:Northern Mariana Islands
Height:1.77m
Position:Midfielder
Currentclub:Kanoa
Clubnumber:11
Youthyears1:2016–2021
Youthclubs1:Kanoa
Years1:2021–
Clubs1:Kanoa
Years2:2021–2022
Clubs2:Teen Ayuyu (loan)
Nationalyears1:2023–
Nationalteam1:Northern Mariana Islands
Nationalcaps1:6
Nationalgoals1:2
Nationalteam-Update:13:16, 9 April 2024 (UTC)

Markus Toves is a Northern Mariana Islands international footballer who currently plays Kanoa FC of the Marianas Soccer League 1 and the Northern Mariana Islands national team.[1]

Club career

Toves had played for the academy teams of Kanoa FC since at least 2016.[2] [3] [4] [5] He was among the top scorers in the under-12 division in 2017.[6] In 2019, he helped the club win the U15 league championship.[7] Toves and Kanoa repeated the feat in 2021.[8] When the same league was suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Toves was tied Kohtaro Goto as the league's top scorer with eight goals in five matches.[9]

In 2021, he played for the U17 national team, known as the Teen Ayuyus, in the Marianas Soccer League 1. He remained with the club through 2022.[10] [11] By 2023, Toves had returned Kanoa FC in MSL1.[12] [13]

International career

In 2022, Toves was part of the squads that competed in 2023 AFC U-17 Asian Cup qualification and 2023 AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualification.[14] [15] In preparation for the latter, he scored in a friendly against Guam as part of a training camp in Dededo.[16] He was called up to the national under-23 team in August 2023 for the Marianas Cup against neighboring Guam. Toves scored two goals in his team's second match of the competition.[17] The 2023 edition of the tournament marked the first-ever win for the Northern Mariana Islands since the cup's founding in 2007. Toves was then named the competition's most valuable player.[18] Later in August, he was named the Northern Mariana Sports Association Male Student Athlete of the month.[19]

Toves was called up to the senior national team in November 2023 for the 2023 Pacific Games.[20] He made his senior debut on 18 November against Fiji in the team's opening match.[21] Later in the competition, he appeared in his country's 4–0 win over American Samoa. The victory was the Northern Mariana Islands' first-ever win in the Pacific Games and first over a full member of the Oceania Football Confederation.[22] Toves scored his first senior international goal against Tuvalu on 30 November in his team's final match of the competition.[23]

In February 2024 Toves was nominated as the Northern Mariana Sports Association Male Student Athlete of the Year for 2023 because of his performances in both the Marianas Cup and Pacific Games.[19] In April 2024, he was named to the senior squad again for a pair of 2024 Marianas Cup matches against Guam. In the first match, Toves opened the scoring in the eighth minute of the eventual 2–1 victory.[24]

International goals

Scores and results list Northern Mariana Islands' goal tally first.[25]

No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 30 November 2023 align=center 1–4 align=center 1–4 2023 Pacific Games
2. 6 April 2024 align=center 1–0 align=center 2–2 2024 Marianas Cup
Last updated 9 April 2024

International career statistics

[21]

Northern Mariana Islands
YearAppsGoals
202341
202421
Total62

Personal

Toves is the brother of fellow Northern Mariana Islands international Merrick Toves.[18]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: GSA profile . Global Sports Archive . 9 April 2024.
  2. Web site: Monroyo . Roselyn . Kanoa gets solo lead in U12 league . The Saipan Tribune . 9 April 2024.
  3. Web site: Monroyo . Roselyn . Kanoa FC undefeated in Guam . The Saipan Tribune . 9 April 2024.
  4. Web site: Monroyo . Roselyn . Easy wins for 2 teams in boys U15 . The Saipan Tribune . 9 April 2024.
  5. Web site: Kanoa silences Matansa . Marianas Variety . 9 April 2024.
  6. Web site: Monroyo . Roselyn . Joyce, Chung take Golden Boot awards . The Saipan Tribune . 9 April 2024.
  7. Web site: Monroyo . Roselyn . Kanoa takes boys U15 crown . The Saipan Tribune . 9 April 2024.
  8. Web site: Monroyo . Roselyn . Kanoa clinches boys U15 title . The Saipan Tribune . 9 April 2024.
  9. Web site: Monroyo . Roselyn . Toves, Goto set pace . The Saipan Tribune . 9 April 2024.
  10. Web site: Sablan, Jr. . James . Paire, U18 NT, MP United notch soccer wins . Marianas Variety . 9 April 2024.
  11. Web site: Sablan, Jr. . James . Tan Holdings shuts down Paire 4-0 . Marianas Variety . 9 April 2024.
  12. Web site: Sablan, Jr. . James . MPU, Tan Holdings, Kanoa triumph in Marianas Soccer League 1 . Marianas Variety . 9 April 2024.
  13. Web site: Gases . Leigh . Kanoa Football Clubs notch wins in MSL, Premier League . The Saipan Tribune . 9 April 2024.
  14. Web site: NMI U17 team off to Australia . Northern Mariana Islands Football Association . 28 November 2023.
  15. Web site: NMI U20 preps for AFC qualifier, holds camp in Guam . Northern Mariana Islands Football Association . 9 April 2024.
  16. Web site: Sablan, Jr. . James . NMI soccer teams shine in friendly matches . Marianas Variety . 9 April 2024.
  17. Web site: Sablan, Jr. . James . NMI men outscore Guam . Marianas Variety . 9 April 2024.
  18. Web site: Gases . Leigh . No. 11 are MVPs of Marianas Football Cup . The Saipan Tribune . 9 April 2024.
  19. Web site: Gases . Leigh . NMSA announces 2023 Male/Female Student Athlete of the Year nominees . The Saipan Tribune . 9 April 2024.
  20. Web site: Gases . Leigh . NMI nat’l soccer teams off to Solomons and China . Saipan Tribune . 28 November 2023.
  21. Web site: NFT profile . National Football Teams . 9 April 2024.
  22. Web site: Gases . Leigh . Blue Ayuyus record 1st win in Pacific Games . Saipan Tribune . 28 November 2023.
  23. Web site: Tan first NMI female athlete to win 2 golds in Pacific Games . The Saipan Tribune . 9 April 2024.
  24. Web site: Sablan, Jr. . James . NMI men edge Guam, 2-1 . Marianas Variety . 9 April 2024.
  25. Web site: NFT profile . National Football Teams . 9 April 2024.