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A photo of Chris Wood by Jrppezza –

10 of the Best Soccer (Football) Players from New Zealand

The New Zealand men’s national football team represents New Zealand in men’s international football competitions. The team is governed by the governing body for football in New Zealand, New Zealand Football (NZF), which is currently a member of FIFA and Oceania Football Confederation (OFC).

The team’s official nickname is the All Whites. New Zealand is a five-time OFC champion. Since the country has many football talents, we, therefore, handpick you ten of the best that New Zealand has got.

1. Chris Wood

A photo of Chris Wood by Jrppezza –

Christopher Grant Wood born on 7 December 1991 is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Newcastle United and the New Zealand national team.

Wood has been capped 70 times for the New Zealand national team and scored 33 goals to become the men’s leading goalscorer, overtaking the previous holder Vaughan Coveny. He played for the side at the 2010 FIFA World Cup and was part of the squad that won the 2016 OFC Nations Cup.

2. Liberato Cacace

Liberato Gianpaolo born on 27 September 2000 is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Serie A club Empoli and the New Zealand national team. Cacace was part of the New Zealand U-17 team that won the 2017 OFC U-17 Championship, where he scored one goal.

Cacace was selected to join the All Whites squad in the 2018 Intercontinental Cup in June 2018. He made his All Whites debut in Mumbai on 5 June 2018, against Chinese Taipei, in a 1–0 victory.

Cacace scored the opening goal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in New Zealand’s 3–2 loss to Honduras. Cacace scored against Tahiti in a 1–0 win in the semi-finals of the OFC FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

3. Elijah Just

Elijah Henry Just born 1 May 2000 is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a winger for AC Horsens and the New Zealand national team. On 15 November 2019, Just made his national team debut for New Zealand in a friendly against Ireland, starting in their 1–3 loss.

4. Callum McCowatt

Callum William McCowatt was born on 30 April 1999. He is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a left winger for Danish 1st Division club FC Helsingør. McCowatt got his first international call-up for the New Zealand U17 team for the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

He played in four games with one start and then was named in the New Zealand U20 squad for the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He made 3 starting appearances but was unable to score.

McCowatt made his international debut on 15 November 2019, starting for New Zealand in a friendly against Ireland. McCowatt scored his first goal for New Zealand opening the scoring of the game before going on to lose 1–3.

On 25 June 2021, McCowatt was called up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with the New Zealand U-23s. He made his Olympics debut on 22 July 2021 in the OlyWhite’s first ever Olympic win, a 1-0 win against the Korea Republic.

5.Callum McCowatt

Bill Poni Tuiloma born on 27 March 1995 is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a center-back or defensive midfielder for the Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer.

Tuiloma has represented New Zealand internationally since 2013 and was the first New Zealander to play in Ligue 1, the highest division of French football.

6. Michael Boxall

Michael Boxall photo by Кирилл Венедиктов –

Michael Joseph Boxall born on 18 August 1988 is a New Zealand footballer who currently plays for Minnesota United in Major League Soccer, and the New Zealand national football team.

Boxall has represented New Zealand at various international levels. His début with the national setup was with the Junior All-Whites (U-20s) in which he made 14 appearances with no goals.

He appeared in the 2007 U-20 World Cup OFC qualifying tournament and ultimately the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He played in all three U-20 World Cup games before New Zealand was knocked out.

7. Shane Smeltz

Shane Smeltz photo by Realarul –

Shane Edward Smeltz born on 29 September 1981 is a New Zealand footballer. He plays as a striker for Gold Coast United in the National Premier Leagues Queensland.

Smeltz had spent much of his early career playing in Australia before moving to England where he played for two and a half seasons. He played mostly in the A-League from 2007 onwards, except for brief stints with Gençlerbirliği in Turkey and Kedah FA in Malaysia. He ended his professional playing career with the Indonesian team Borneo F.C.

Smeltz is the all-time second-highest goalscorer in the A-League and was the top goalscorer for Gold Coast United. He has scored 24 goals in 58 international appearances for New Zealand and played at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

8. Michael Woud

Michael Cornelis Woud born on 16 January 1999 is a New Zealand professional footballer. He plays as a goalkeeper for J.League club Kyoto Sanga and the New Zealand national football team.

Woud competed for New Zealand in both the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup and the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup, starring in the latter, but being knocked out in the round of 16 on both occasions.

He received his first call-up to the New Zealand senior team for a friendly against Japan in October 2017 and made his first appearance in the 2018 Intercontinental Cup in a 2–1 win over India.

Woud was called up to play for the New Zealand under-23 football team at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Woud helped the team pick up their first win at the Olympics as well as qualify for the first time to the knockout stage by playing in all three pool games.

9. Marko Stamenic

Marko Seufatu Nikola Stamenic born 19 February 2002 is a New Zealand professional footballer. He plays as a midfielder for Danish Superliga club F.C. Copenhagen and the New Zealand national team.

Stamenic made his first appearance for the New Zealand U-17 team coming off the bench in their 0–5 loss to the Solomon Islands at the 2018 OFC U-16 Championship. Stamenic made his international debut with the senior New Zealand national team in a 2–1 friendly win over Curaçao on 9 October 2021.

10. Nando Pijnaker

Nando Zen Pijnaker was born on 25 February 1999. He is a New Zealand professional footballer who plays as a center-back for League of Ireland Premier Division side Sligo Rovers, on loan from Primeira Liga club Rio Ave. Pijnaker also plays for the New Zealand national team.

Pijnaker was named in the New Zealand U-20 side for the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Pijnaker played in all four games, playing full 90 minutes in all but one of them. He made his senior debut for New Zealand on 18 November 2019, coming on as a substitute in their 0–1 loss to Lithuania.