1. Early Life and Background
Nelson Alom's journey in football began in his early years, developing his skills within the youth system before embarking on a professional career that saw him become a respected defensive midfielder.
1.1. Childhood and Early Career Development
Born on 27 October 1990, Nelson Alom is the son of Usai Alom and Selina Magai. He hails from the Damal ethnic group and is the elder brother of fellow footballer Nerius Alom. Nelson initiated his football career at SSB Emsyk in Waena, Jayapura. His talent and hard work led him to join Persipura Jayapura's junior team in 2007. By 2010, his dedication earned him a call-up to the Papua Provincial Team for the National Sports Week (PON).
2. Club Career
Nelson Alom's club career spans several prominent Indonesian teams, marked by significant achievements, challenging injuries, and determined comebacks that highlight his unwavering commitment to the sport.
2.1. Persipura Jayapura (First Stint)
After his return from the PON Papua team, Nelson Alom signed his first professional contract with Persipura Jayapura in 2012. He made his senior debut for the club on 30 March 2013, coming on as a substitute for Imanuel Wanggai in the 76th minute and assisting Boaz Solossa's goal in a dominant 5-0 victory against PSPS Pekanbaru. His first goal for Persipura came on 20 April 2013, in a 2-0 away win over Sriwijaya. In his debut season, he played 9 matches and scored 1 goal, contributing to Persipura's triumph as champions of the 2013 Indonesia Super League.
In his second season, 2014, Alom was entrusted with a more significant role, appearing in 26 matches. Persipura finished as league runners-up after a penalty shootout loss to Persib Bandung in the final of the 2014 Indonesia Super League. Notably, he was the sole Persipura player to miss his penalty in that decisive match. The 2015 season began with Alom as a starter, where he scored a goal in Persipura's 3-1 away victory against Warriors FC in the 2015 AFC Cup on 24 February 2015. He subsequently played in two league matches before the Indonesia Super League was halted by the PSSI.
During the 2016 season, Alom became a crucial player, helping Persipura secure the Indonesia Soccer Championship A title. He played regularly, making a total of 25 appearances. In the 2017 season, he started and received a yellow card in the opening match against Gresik United on 18 April 2017. On 23 July 2017, he provided an assist for Addison Alves's second goal in a 2-0 win against PS TNI at Mandala Stadium in Jayapura, which temporarily put Persipura at the top of the standings. He again assisted Boaz Solossa's goal on 6 October 2017, in a 2-1 victory over Persela Lamongan. After five years with the "Black Pearls" (Persipura's nickname), Nelson decided to leave the club, seeking a new environment. During his first tenure with Persipura, he amassed 115 appearances and scored 4 goals.
2.2. Persebaya Surabaya
At the beginning of the 2018 Liga 1 season, Nelson Alom joined Persebaya Surabaya, a newly promoted club. He made his debut on 8 April 2018, providing an assist for Abu Rizal Maulana's opening goal in a 1-2 loss to Barito Putera. In his next match, he again provided an assist, this time for David da Silva in a commanding 4-1 away victory against PS Tira. However, his first season was severely hampered by multiple significant injuries, limiting him to only 7 appearances (521 minutes) across all competitions.
Despite his lengthy absence due to injury in his initial season, Persebaya agreed to extend Nelson Alom's contract through the 2019 season. He made his sole appearance of that season on 23 February 2019, in the second leg of the Indonesian Cup round of 16 against Persidago Gorontalo. On 13 August 2019, Alom mutually agreed to terminate his contract with Persebaya early, a decision driven by his desire to focus entirely on recovering from his injuries.
2.3. Madura United
In February 2020, Nelson Alom joined Madura United for training sessions held in Surabaya. Madura United clarified that Alom was brought in because he was injured and club-less. While not initially part of their plans for the 2020 Liga 1 season, he was granted the opportunity to rehabilitate with the club's physiotherapists. The possibility of a contract during the mid-season transfer window was left open, depending on the team's needs and his recovery progress.
2.4. Return to Persipura Jayapura (Second Stint)
Following his recovery from injury, Nelson Alom decided to return to his home region and signed with Persipura Jayapura for the 2021 season. He featured in 22 matches during this period, as the team unfortunately faced relegation to Liga 2. His contract with Persipura concluded on 22 May 2022.
2.5. Persita Tangerang
After the end of his second stint with Persipura, Nelson Alom joined Banten-based club Persita Tangerang on 31 May 2022. He made his debut for his new club on 13 June 2022, in a group stage match of the President's Cup against PSIS Semarang at Manahan Stadium in Surakarta. Subsequently, he made his Liga 1 debut in Persita's opening match of the 2022-23 season, a 2-0 home victory against Persik Kediri.
2.6. PSBS Biak
In the 2023-24 season, Nelson Alom was one of several former Persipura players to join Liga 2 club PSBS Biak. In his inaugural season with the club, he played a vital role in leading PSBS Biak to the Liga 2 championship and securing their promotion to Liga 1. Following this success, in July 2024, Nelson Alom agreed to extend his contract with PSBS Biak for another season, further cementing his commitment to the newly promoted club. He played 14 matches for PSBS Biak in the 2023-24 Liga 2 season and has made 1 appearance in the 2024-25 Liga 1 season so far.
3. International Career
Nelson Alom's international career has seen him represent Indonesia at the youth level, contributing to significant achievements in regional tournaments.
In 2013, Nelson Alom was selected for the 30-player squad of the Indonesia U-23 national team for the 2013 Southeast Asian Games. He made two appearances in the tournament, helping Indonesia secure a silver medal. He also earned a silver medal at the 2013 Islamic Solidarity Games. In June 2018, Alom was among the senior players called up to the Indonesia U-23 national team for a training camp in preparation for the 2018 Asian Games. He started in a friendly match against South Korea on 23 June 2018, which concluded in a 0-1 loss for Indonesia at Pakansari Stadium in Bogor.
4. Career Statistics
The table below details Nelson Alom's club and international career statistics, including appearances in various domestic and continental cup competitions such as the Piala Indonesia, AFC Cup, Perang Bintang, Inter Island Cup, Piala Jenderal Sudirman, Piala Bhayangkara, and Piala Presiden.
| Club | Season | League | Domestic Cup | Continental | Other Competitions | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appearances | Goals | Appearances | Goals | Appearances | Goals | Appearances | Goals | Appearances | Goals | |||
| Persipura Jayapura | 2013 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | 10 | 1 | ||
| 2014 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 33 | 1 | ||
| 2015 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 1 | ||
| 2016 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 4 | 1 | 29 | 1 | |||
| 2017 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 29 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 91 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 13 | 2 | 115 | 4 | ||
| Persebaya Surabaya | 2018 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 7 | 0 | |||
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Persipura Jayapura | 2021-22 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 22 | 0 | |||
| Persita Tangerang | 2022-23 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 3 | 0 | 17 | 0 | ||
| PSBS Biak | 2023-24 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 14 | 0 | |||
| 2024-25 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 15 | 0 | ||||
| Career Total | 149 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 16 | 2 | 177 | 4 | ||
5. Personal Life
Nelson Alom's personal life is rooted in his family and community connections. He is the son of Usai Alom and Selina Magai, and the older brother to fellow professional footballer Nerius Alom. Nelson is married to Marthafin Maniagasi. The couple has two children: a son named Kenzo, born in December 2019, and a daughter named Kyle, born in February 2021.
6. Honours
Nelson Alom has achieved several significant honors throughout his professional career, both at the club and international levels.
Club
- Indonesia Super League: 2013 (with Persipura Jayapura)
- Indonesia Soccer Championship A: 2016 (with Persipura Jayapura)
- Liga 2: 2023-24 (with PSBS Biak)
International
- Southeast Asian Games
Silver medal Silver medal: 2013 (with Indonesia U-23)
- Islamic Solidarity Games
Silver medal Silver medal: 2013 (with Indonesia U-23)