The 2026 World Cup will signify a long-awaited return for New Zealand, ending a challenging journey for many players who have carried the weight of past qualifying disappointments.
On Monday, the atmosphere was electric as the All Whites sealed their spot in the finals across North America, triumphing 3-0 over New Caledonia in Auckland.
Few felt the surge of emotion as deeply as veteran winger Kosta Barbarouses, who came off the bench to net the second goal and assist teammate Elijah Just for the final score.
Three years prior, Barbarouses faced heartbreak when he was sent off for a reckless challenge during a 1-0 playoff loss to Costa Rica in Doha, a game that dashed New Zealand’s hopes of reaching the 2022 World Cup.
“I think about it most nights, to be honest,” reflected the 35-year-old regarding the red card.
“No joke, it crosses my mind quite frequently.
“Whether my red card influenced the overall result of the game, I feel deep down it might have.
“I’ve been carrying that burden for a while. So being able to put that completely behind me now, I think I’ll feel much more at ease about the situation.
Barbarouses has participated in five qualifying campaigns for New Zealand, with three of those ending in playoff heartache.
Although he was part of New Zealand’s last World Cup qualification in 2010, he missed the opportunity to compete in South Africa.
Teammate Michael Boxall has shared in Barbarouses’ frustrations over various qualifying attempts, including the 2-0 defeat to Peru in Lima that closed the door on their aspirations for the 2018 tournament in Russia.
Prior to his 55th international appearance on Monday, the 36-year-old centre-back had yet to score for his country. However, a powerful header in the 60th minute at Eden Park broke the deadlock and eased the tension for the hosts.
“When the goal went in, I think it was more of a relief than anything else,” he said.
“Seeing everyone’s reaction with the ball in the net was an incredible feeling.
Just moments before, New Zealand’s inspirational captain Chris Wood had exited the field with an injury, sending a wave of concern through the home supporters.
The Nottingham Forest forward is the lone remaining player from the squad that competed in South Africa, where the All Whites, managed by Ricki Herbert, were eliminated from the group stage after draws with Italy, Slovakia, and Paraguay.
Wood is set to undergo scans on a sore right hip later on Tuesday and expressed hopes that it won’t be “too serious” ahead of Forest’s FA Cup quarter-final clash against Brighton this weekend.
He anticipates being part of the All Whites squad for upcoming friendlies against Ivory Coast and Ukraine in June, and Norway in November, with the ultimate aim of leading New Zealand onto the pitch for the group stage at next year’s World Cup.
“The only way this team will succeed is if we have all players united and pulling in the same direction,” Wood remarked to New Zealand media on Tuesday.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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