Dream team: Picking the best combined All Whites World Cup side

Sunday, 14 June 2026

Steve Sumner (10) congratulated by Grant Turner and Steve Woodin, right, after scoring for the All Whites in their 3-3 with Australia at Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland, in 1981.

ANALYSIS: When the All Whites walk out in Los Angeles on Tuesday, it will be the third time the national side has appeared at the men’s World Cup.

New Zealand set a world record qualifying path for the 1982 tournament in Spain, but came home without a point. In South Africa in 2010, the side was unbeaten in group play, and drew with Cup holders Italy, but didn’t advance to the next stage.

Striker Chris Wood was part of that squad, and will lead the line for NZ against Iran, Egypt and Belgium.

But how many of the current squad - prior to their Group G games - would make a best combined XI from the three squads to make the game’s biggest stage?

Our football writers give their verdicts below.

Tony Smith

Selection has been restricted to players who were part of the three World Cup-qualifying squads so no place, alas, for Michael McGarry - arguably the greatest Kiwi not to make the big dance - or Grant Turner, who would have in but for his tournament-eve injury in 1982.

No apologies for including five from the ‘82 squad - still the only All Whites to get their mugs on a biscuit tin. Yes, pundits tend to get dewy-eyed about their own era, but this Famous Five deserve it.

The 2010 team had better results - unbeaten after three draws - but John Adshead’s pioneers had 15 games in eight countries on the road to Spain and set a record of nine consecutive clean sheets. They faced a tougher slate of group opponents - Scotland, the Soviet Union and Brazil, yes Zico, Socrates, Éder et al - than the 2010 team - and, most likely, the 2026 side.

Mark Paston gets the nod in goal in a 4-3-3 formation for his 2010 heroics in the playoffs in Brazil and in the finals in South Africa - especially against titleholders Italy. Career-best form from a man who would not have played had NZ Football not botched Glen Moss’ ban appeal.

Creative licence is taken at right back - a problematic position for the All Whites, although it remains a mystery why John Hill didn’t get every game there in Spain. Winston Reid was acclaimed as an English Premier League centreback, but he debuted on the right side of an All Whites back three in 2010 so he gets the No 2 jumper.

Ryan Nelsen - so influential on and off the field as the leader of the 2010 team - pairs with ‘82 vice-captain and sweeper supreme Bobby Almond in central defence. Liberato Cacace, already a proven performer in Italy’s Serie A, has his best years ahead of him but he’s the logical left back - one of two 2026 selections.

They didn’t call Keith Mackay “Buzzer’’ for nothing. One of the fittest All Whites -he’d have paced Phar Lap - Mackay gets the right-sided midfield berth for his all-action displays in 1982. Simon Elliott was 36 in 2010 and without a club, but he rolled back the years with his classy games in central midfield. Steve Sumner - skipper in ‘82 and scorer of New Zealand’s first World Cup finals goal - is the obvious pick at the attacking end of the midfield trio.

Up front is easy. New Zealand’s two most successful players on the world stage - Oceania player of the century Wynton Rufer (1982) and current captain and EPL star Chris Wood - set to the be the first Kiwi to play at two World Cup finals 16 years apart, are joined by the lethal left foot of Steve Wooddin (1982). Check out Woody’s strike against Scotland on YouTube.

This side features the six greatest All Whites of all-time (in my view) in alphabetical order: Nelsen, Reid, Rufer, Sumner, Wood, Wooddin. No 1?: That remains Rufer, the 1992 European Cup Winners Cup champion.

Captain: Co-captaincy can be a cop-out, but who could seriously separate Steve Sumner and Ryan Nelsen. Armband each for the All Whites’ all-time greatest leaders.

Coach: John Adshead. He sold Kiwis the Road to Spain dream and kickstarted our World Cup story.

Tony Smith’s team (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Mark Paston (2010).

Defence: Winston Reid (2010), Bobby Almond (1982), Ryan Nelsen (2010, co-captain),

Liberato Cacace (2026).

Midfield: Keith Mackay (1982), Simon Elliott (2010), Steve Sumner (1982, co-captain).

Forwards: Wynton Rufer (1982), Chris Wood (2010 and 2026), Steve Wooddin (1982).

Ian Anderson

This combined team was chosen before Tony Smith’s selection was sighted - so it’s fascinating to see how close the two XIs are to matching.

Liberty has been taken here to include Grant Turner, with the qualification that he was named in the 1982 squad and undoubtedly would have featured against Scotland, the USSR and Brazil had he not turned an ankle on an awful training pitch in Seville.

The first All Whites team to compete at a World Cup were my teenage footballing heroes - that players seen in person could be on the same pitch as Zico, Kenny Dalglish and Oleg Blokhin seemed unfathomable.

And despite going win-less in Spain, Bobby Almond, Steve Sumner, Turner, Wynton Rufer and Steve Wooddin all fully deserve a place in the starting side.

Mark Paston has to be between the sticks for his heroics in South Africa, conceding just two goals in three group games, which also had plenty to do with the presence of English Premier League players Ryan Nelsen and Winston Reid in front of him.

Frank van Hattum usurped Richard Wilson in 1982 but didn’t have a great tournament, while Alex Paulsen could yet have the best professional career of any NZ goalkeeper, but is still battling Max Crocombe for the starting spot in the US and Canada.

Simon Elliott was somewhat of a surprise standout in the middle of the park in South Africa, while the ferocity and drive of Sumner and Turner would provide a brilliant balance.

When Wynton Rufer was at his peak - remember that Franz Beckenbauer said the Kiwi would have been selected for his West Germany team when playing with Werder Bremen if he’d been eligible - it was hard to imagine New Zealand could produce a more prominent footballer. Yet with Chris Wood closing in on a landmark of 100 English Premier League goals, a star turn in Group G - and further - could push him to the pinnacle.

John Adshead gets to coach this dream team, with his sparring partner Kevin Fallon alongside him.

Ian Anderson’s team (4-3-3)

Mark Paston (2010); Winston Reid (2010), Ryan Nelsen (2010), Bobby Almond (1982), Liberato Cacace (2026); Simon Elliott (2010), Steve Sumner (1982, captain), Grant Turner (1982); Wynton Rufer (1982), Chris Wood (2010 and 2026), Steve Wooddin (1982).