Source: Radio New Zealand
All Whites, from left, playing for their club sides Ben Waine, Finn Surman, Jesse Randall and Ryan Thomas. AFP/Photosport
The All Whites played their final home games before the Football World Cup this week and the players now part ways to return to their club sides where some are chasing championships, others are in relegation fights or are just a few games into a new season.
In mid-May the 26 players who will be on the plane to the World Cup co-hosted by United States, Canada and Mexico will be named by coach Darren Bazeley.
Those selected players will then go into All Whites camp in late May before two more warm-up games in June against England and a yet to be announced opponent in the United States.
New Zealand’s first game of the World Cup is on 16 June against Iran in Los Angeles.
Until the players reconvene they have to focus on their club sides. As Bazeley said about squad selections before farewelling the players from Auckland after the Fifa Series, “there’s so much football to be played until those decisions are made”.
All Whites midfielder and PEC Zwolle captain Ryan Thomas concurred.
“You’re at a stage now where every time you step on that pitch, whether it is for the national team or for your club, you’re being looked at through a magnifying glass.”
United Kingdom
Ben Waine has been scoring for club and country. Gareth Copley
Ben Waine, who scored in the All Whites’ win over Chile this week, returns to third-tier English side Port Vale.
“Obviously at club the focus is to survive the league and to avoid relegation, so that’s a massive thing and that’s the 100 percent focus.
“But I think if you can do that and focus on that, then the rest will take care of itself and if you put your best foot forward, you give yourself the best chance.”
Port Vale do not stop play for an international window unless three players are on international duty.
“So they’re still playing, so they’re still battling away, so I’m hoping that they can keep doing well, and I can focus on what we’re doing here, and then obviously post-tour switch back into club mindset and finish the season out strong and see where that leaves us,” Waine said while in Auckland.
Port Vale’s last game of the season in EFL League One is on 2 May, meaning Waine’s club season will be over before he finds out if he is going to the World Cup.
Elsewhere in England, defender Tyler Bindon goes back to Championship side Sheffield United.
Bindon is on loan from Premier League side Nottingham Forest and has been starting just over half of Sheffield’s games this season, including getting the full 90 minutes in the last 11 games.
Sheffield are 17th in a 24 team league so Bindon will not be under some of the same pressures at his club, as some of his All Whites team mates.
Bindon’s club season also ends on 2 May.
Chris Wood has not played for Nottingham Forest since October. MI NEWS
All Whites captain Chris Wood did not play for the All Whites in the Fifa Series but if he is fit he will be the first name in Bazeley’s World Cup squad.
Wood has not played for Forest’s first team since October as he recovers from knee surgery, but after missing 22 games in the Premier League this season he could return next week.
Forest are just above the relegation zone in 16th after a tumultuous season which will end on 25 May.
Another player struggling for game time in England for a different reason is goalkeeper Max Crocombe.
Crocombe was on the bench for Millwall’s first nine games in the Championship this season. He was number one from mid-October to mid-February before being benched again for the last seven games before he played the first game of the Fifa Series against Finland for the All Whites.
Millwall are fourth in the Championship and also end the season on 2 May.
Matt Garbett is another World Cup hopeful who is currently injured. Garbett plays for League One side Peterborough but has been out since the beginning of February
He will have eight more club games to prove he is ready to be chosen for the global tournament.
Marko Stamenic captained the All Whites in the last window. PHOTOSPORT
Also with Championship clubs from Wales are stand-in All Whites captain Marko Stamenic, with Swansea, and Libby Cacace with Wrexham.
Both players will be in Bazeley’s plans, and while Stamenic has been a regular for Swansea and has impressed with the national team, Cacace has only played in 12 of the 39 possible games so far this season as he deals with a hamstring injury.
In the Scottish Premiership Eli Just has been making a statement with Motherwell as they challenge the Old Firm clubs.
“I think our group of players has exceeded a lot of expectations, so there’s a lot of positivity surrounding the club, ” Just said.
“Our fans are really behind us. The mood in the locker room is good and everyone’s focused on the last seven games finishing strong.
“I think this season will be one that a lot of players, a lot of fans will probably look back on as being pretty special.”
Motherwell has been a good fit for Just who joined the club in July from Danish side AC Horsens.
“I’ve been so fortunate, obviously arriving at the same time as the manager … I was looking for a place that I could play at a level which I knew would put my name forward for this World Cup squad and it’s just blown my expectations out of the water.
“I’ve been so lucky enjoying my football so much. First time in a few years that I’ve enjoyed it as much as I am now.”
Europe
Joe Bell stars for the All Whites and for Viking FK in Norway. Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
All Whites midfielder Joe Bell was only two games into his season with Norway first tier club Viking FK when he went on international duty in Auckland.
“We won the championship last year, so this year it’s slightly new expectations and challenges,” Bell said.
“It’s been a good pre-season leading into the start and I think the slight benefit of playing in Norway going into the World Cup would be that we’re nearly mid-season, so from a physical standpoint I should be in good shape for that.”
In Denmark’s Superliga, Callum McCowatt’s Silkenborg IF are under the relegation line.
“It’s not done yet, but we’ve got to work for it,” the midfielder said.
McCowatt’s club season will end around 17 May, about a week before he hopes to be called into the All Whites.
“I’ll come straight off the season and be fit and stuff like that.”
All White Ben Old is part of a Saint-Etienne side seeking promotion. © Bildbyrån Photo Agency 2025 © Photosport Ltd 2025 www.photosport.nz
For one of France’s biggest clubs Saint-Etienne, All White Ben Old plays in front of 35,000 fans each week. He has seven games left in the season and finishes 10 May when he hopes they will have done enough to be promoted to Ligue 1.
Old will then have about three weeks before the June window and going in for the World Cup.
Ryan Thomas has been playing overseas for 12 years, he also made his All Whites debut 12 years ago, though he missed six years with the national team due to injury and form.
Thomas plays in the Netherlands for PEC Zwolle where he has been since 2022 and will finish up the club season in late May just days before he hopes to be back with the All Whites.
Goalkeeper Alex Paulsen of New Zealand. Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
Goalkeeper Alex Paulsen is in his first season in Poland with Lechia Gdansk, where he is on loan from English Premier League club Bournemouth. Poland’s top tier competition finishes on 23 May giving the gloveman little time to switch modes from club to country.
“It’s been great so far for myself, definitely a character development type of season, and just trying to learn as much as I can, and I think for me personally, just trying to get used to the level of intensity and the fact that there’s a lot of high calibre players and a lot of them are participating in the UEFA Conference League as well,” Paulsen said.
“Trying to get used to the weather conditions as well, playing in the winter, it’s been great, so it’s been a good experience so far.”
United States
Finn Surman also plays for Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer. © Bildbyrån Photo Agency 2025 © Photosport Ltd 2025 www.photosport.nz
Portland Timbers defender Finn Surman has played every minute of his team’s Major League Soccer matches this season and has eight games remaining until the World Cup.
He has his “fingers crossed” that he’ll be playing in the tournament in a country that he has become familiar with since linking up with Portland in July.
“I’m really grateful to be at a club which I love being at, and that they give me a lot of responsibility and an opportunity to play and improve,” Surman said.
“So I’m really happy with where I’m at and I think that is a positive thing leading into the World Cup. I think there’s things that they’re pushing me with each and every day, and I think that can only help myself and our team here.”
Michael Boxall missed the last window with the All Whites but would be hoping to make the World Cup. www.photosport.nz
Experienced All White Michael Boxall captains Minnesota FC. However, Boxall has an abductor injury that has seen him sit out three of the last MLS games and the March window with the All Whites.
Boxall will have up until the last possible time to prove to Bazeley he should be at the World Cup.
New Zealand and Australia
All Whites striker Kosta Barbarouses also plays for Western Sydney Wanderers. PHOTOSPORT
Around half of the players involved with the All Whites are playing in the A-League which concludes with a Grand Final on 23 or 24 May.
Kosta Barbarouses’ Western Sydney Wanderers are likely to take home the wooden spoon so he will not be involved in the finals series and will end his season on 25 April.
Wellington Phoenix players Tim Payne, Alex Rufer, Bill Tuiloma and Sarpreet Singh are in a similar situation and could miss the finals.
James McGarry’s Brisbane Roar are currently 10th in a 12 team league and he only has three more games.
At the opposite end, Lachlan Bayliss made his debut for the All Whites in the recent window and his Newcastle Jets are on track to win the Premiers Plate and then move into the finals series.
Likewise, Auckland FC’s Callan Elliott, Jesse Randall, Logan Rogerson, Nando Pijnaker and Michael Woud will be hoping their club season continues until late May. Auckland’s Francis de Vries injured his calf playing against Finland and will be racing against time to get fit again for New Zealand as he will miss the remainder of the A-League season.
South Africa
Andre de Jong plays with the Orlando Pirates in South Africa’s Premiership and plays right through until 24 May when players are required to be released by clubs to prepare with national teams for the World Cup.
He has made 13 appearances for the All Whites since 2018 and started four matches. The 29-year-old said it was competitive amongst the playing group to get the final places in the World Cup squad.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
