Nottingham Forest Striker Wood Aiming for New Zealand Milestone at World Cup

Chris Wood has propelled Nottingham Forest into an unexpected Champions League race, and now the striker is eager to net goals that could lead New Zealand to make World Cup history.

New Zealand emerges as the clear favourite to advance from the Oceania region in the coming week, aiming to qualify for the World Cup for just the third time.

In their previous appearances at the finals, which were in 1982 and 2010, the team was unable to secure a win in six matches.

With Wood at the helm as captain and driving the attack, he shared with local media on Tuesday his belief that this squad is capable of finally clinching a World Cup victory.

“If we make it, our aim will be to win a match and progress to the group stages,” the in-form 33-year-old stated during an interview with Radio New Zealand.

“It’s about the mindset of proving ourselves, and I truly believe we can. The squad is continuously evolving, improving, and transitioning to bigger clubs.

“They are demonstrating worldwide that they are talented enough and capable of competing in the top leagues.”

Wood is experiencing his most successful season yet, having scored 18 goals in the Premier League, currently sharing the scoring leaderboard with players like Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland.

His impressive performance has propelled Forest into third position on the table, and if they maintain this standing, they will secure Champions League football.

Other New Zealanders making waves in Europe include Marko Stamenic at Olympiacos in Greece, Tyler Bindon at Reading, and Matt Garbett with Breda in the Netherlands.

The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico will feature an expanded format of 48 teams, guaranteeing a spot for an Oceania team.

To secure their qualification, New Zealand must first triumph over Fiji this Friday in Wellington, followed by a crucial qualifier against either New Caledonia or Tahiti on Monday.

“This squad is arguably one of the best we’ve ever had,” noted Wood, who has netted 41 goals across 80 appearances for New Zealand.

“However, they need to demonstrate that on the pitch to earn their place in the history books. Qualifying for a World Cup is indeed the way to achieve that.”