Mitchell Pearce welcomes first child, daughter Alyia
Former Roosters playmaker Mitchell Pearce announces birth of his daughter and praises his partner after turning his life around
Mitchell Pearce has announced the birth of his first child, revealing on Instagram that his daughter, Alyia Pearce, was born on 4/9.
The 36-year-old former NRL star and ex-Roosters playmaker, who now lives in France, posted photos of himself with the newborn and captioned one image "Alyia Pearce 4/9" alongside a heart emoji. Pearce told News Corp that becoming a father was "the best feeling in the world," praised his partner for her strength and said he wanted to "be the best dad that I can be."
Friends, family and supporters publicly congratulated Pearce after the announcement. Former teammate Kieran Foran posted, "My brother! How beautiful for you mate. I'm so happy for you," while Knights player Kalyn Ponga replied, "How good king." Messages of support also came from fans on social media.
Pearce made the announcement on Father's Day, a milestone that follows a period in which he has publicly signalled changes in his life and priorities. He has spent recent years overseas and now resides in France. In his statement to News Corp he expressed admiration for his partner and a desire to embrace fatherhood.
A veteran of the NRL, Pearce's career included prominent roles as a playmaker. The birth of Alyia marks a new chapter for Pearce away from the playing field, and his public comments focused on family and gratitude rather than career matters.
The Instagram post included intimate photographs of Pearce with the newborn and prompted an immediate outpouring of congratulatory messages from within the rugby league community. Pearce did not provide further details about his partner or the birth beyond the social media post and his brief comments to News Corp.
Those close to Pearce and members of the rugby league community celebrated the news online, noting the timing on Father's Day. Pearce's announcement adds to a wave of personal milestones for former and current players often shared with fans through social media.
Pearce, whose playing career and life off the field have been widely followed in recent years, will now be publicly documenting the start of his family life as he adjusts to fatherhood in France. He said he was "in awe of my partner and her strength," and concluded that he simply wanted to be the best father he could be.