FIFA World Cup 2010
New Zealand
 New ZealandNew Zealand Football Best Results
World Cup Round 1, 1982 OFC Nations Cup Champions, 1973, 1998, 2002 ,2008 Olympic medal 1 Round 2008 |
After 28 years of absence, the Kiwi squad qualified to their second World Cup. Their first and only appearance in the most important soccer championship of the world was on the 1982 Spain World Cup. Two of the New Zealand's players that played in that 1982 World Cup are precisely the ones in charge of leading the current national squad, Brian Herbert and Rick Turner. Herbert, as the head coach, has formed a very solid team. Their defense is the base of their great level of play they've showed in recent games.
New Zealand's national team had to fight really hard to achieve their spot in the African World Cup, though. However, after a somewhat irregular qualification, the Kiwi team had to face Asia's qualifying team Bahrain in the playoffs.
Four years after the bad moment suffered against the Solomon Islands, New Zealand regained the crown of Oceania, which gave them a spot into the 2009 Confederations Cup. Although they had a somewhat humiliating debut against the team of Spain, they managed to fairly recover for the rest of the tournament. They didn't stand out and actually they weren't expected to do so, but they managed to attract many fans to the stadiums during the qualifying stage. For the first time, the soccer team was able to attract as many viewers as rugby does, which is considered by many as the national sport of New Zealand.
Qualifying Stage
New Zealand easily won their league matches against the other Oceania's contenders. The squad, however, had to wait 11 months for its game against Bahrain in the playoffs. The team of Bahrain had to beat Saudi Arabia to face the Kiwis. New Zealand was able to fight under impressive high temperatures in a difficult match in Manama. After a 0-0 draw, the Kiwi team returned home and played a game where they had to give it all. In the last minute of the first half a great head shot by Rory Fallon gave the only goal of the series for the Kiwis, achieving that way their qualification to the World Cup.
Players
At the age of 32, Ryan Nelson is New Zealand's team captain and the most experienced player of the team. The player has been a defender for the Blackburn Rovers of the English Premier League for more than five years. The Kiwis also have a select group of strikers who could give the surprise in the World Cup. In front, stands Shane Smeltz, a 28-year-old forward, who doesn't have experience in international play but has won several domestic awards. Overall, New Zealand has a well organized and solid team that must play at the highest level if they want to survive in the elite tournament of the international football.
Head Coach
Ricki Herbert is an icon of New Zealand's soccer. Since his participation in the 1982 Spain World Cup, he was the first kiwi player in taking the big step of playing in the English Premier League. With his good performance Herbert paved the way for other New Zealand's players to also venture into one of the most competitive leagues in the world.
Herbert may not have the coaching experience of some of his counterparts, but he has put together a very solid team and has achieved triumphs regularly.
Now, he must guide his team in the not so easy task of qualifying in the Group F, where they will face Slovakia, Paraguay and Italy.