Former Westlake Boys student and North Harbour Club AIMES Emerging Talent Award winner in 2021/22 Ben Old is doing big things in the football world. The All White and former Wellington Phoenix winger has recently signed and moved to France to play with French Ligue 1 club Saint-Etienne (abbreviated as ASSE). Official named Association Sportive de Saint-Étienne Loire, the club competes in Ligue 1, the first division of French football. It’s a big gig. Ben is one heck of a sportsman. He is also a golfer of note. He’s was once referred to as a child golfing prodigy. He had his first golf club at age two and competed at his first international golf tournament when he was only seven, travelling to the United States to play against other child prodigies from around the world in Las Vegas, Pinehurst and San Diego. For now he’s making a tidy living in professional football. He was meant to play for the OlyWhites at the recent Paris Olympics, but a slight ankle injury ruled him out. He was recently named in the All Whites squad for two internationals against 2026 FIFA World Cup hosts Mexico and the USA, set to be played this month in Los Angeles and Cincinnati. Channel Mag’s Aidan Bennett caught up with him recently at his new French home for an online Q&A.
Channel Mag: Ben, it has been a whirlwind few months for you hasn’t it? How long was it between hearing about the overseas opportunity and arriving in France?
Ben Old: It has been a crazy few months to say the least! The football has been the easy part; everything outside football, like sorting out my apartment, car, phone etc. has been a long and slow process, especially being in another language. But I am just starting to feel settled and comfortable now. Without the club's support I don’t know what I would have done.
Tell us your initial thoughts about your new home base in France (Saint-Étienne) and the lifestyle?
France and St Etienne so far are everything I dreamed of and more. It’s been exactly the change I’ve been wanting in my life and I can’t wait to explore around France when I get the time.
We understand that Saint-Étienne is an impressive football club with a proud history? Tell us a little but about the club. Who owns it?
Yes, St Etienne has a very rich history, which is one of the main reasons I was so attracted to this opportunity. To give a quick run-down, ASSE is the second most successful club in French football, winning ten Ligue 1 titles, six Coupe De France titles, a Coupe de la Ligue title and five Trophee des Champions. The team has recently been taken over by new owners, Kilmer Sports Ventures, a Toronto-based firm specialising in private equity, real estate, many successful sports teams and media. Their mission is to get the team back to the top and I hope to help the team be able to do that.
We heard the club has its own plane that flies the squad to away games. Is that correct?
Yes. With St Etienne being an hour's drive away from the closest international airport in Lyon, the team takes a charter plane to most games around France.
How does the standard of football compare to the A-League and what is different about playing football in France’s Ligue 1?
It has been a question that many people have asked me and it is honestly a very difficult question to answer. The quality is very high here in the French league, but with such different styles of football compared to the A-League it’s impossible to compare. The style here is much more aggressive, chaotic in terms of less structure, and much more focus on one-on-one duels. It’s an exciting style to not only play but watch and I think as a player I can learn so much and develop as a player being here.
What is the programme of matches for Saint-Étienne in Ligue 1 this season?
The season is 34 matches long plus possible play-offs. Basically one game a week, but starting earlier, it is longer than the 27 match season in A-League. This is not including games in the cups either. There are 18 teams in the league including ASSE.
If you are playing well do you expect to get good time in the top team?
I didn’t expect to get this settled so quickly. Already in the first two league matches I have started and got a good amount of minutes both games. With my high expectations of myself I think if I’m playing how I know I can, I have a great opportunity to play a lot of minutes and be an influential player this season.
Did you manage to get along and watch any of the Paris Olympics live?
Unfortunately not, I was very busy with pre-season and the recovery process with ASSE.
Played any golf in France yet, and what golf courses in France and UK/Europe are on your list to play?
I have been able to play one round in Lyon when I got a couple days off recently. Also found a great driving range in St Etienne which I’ve already been to many times. I don’t have any golf courses in mind off the top of my head, but I will definitely be doing my research and planning mini trips to play some of the many great courses in the UK.
What do you miss about life on the Shore and will you have a window during the year when you can come home?
I miss my family and friends a lot. I've recently been able to see my family who are on holiday in Europe, which was amazing but I'm definitely missing my extended family and all my friends in New Zealand. I also miss all the amazing cafés on the North Shore; I love a brunch and can’t compare to the ones in New Zealand haha!
We saw an interesting social media clip about you being painted in France. How did that come about and what did it involve?
That was a part of my introduction and media release to the club. It was as much as a surprise for me as it was for all of you. All I got told was I had media work to do for my media release, so I assumed a photo shoot or something simple like that and then I turned up and saw this great painter finishing off an unbelievable painting of my face in the St Etienne kit. It was a truly amazing experience and a memory I’ll remember forever.
Visit: asse.fr
