New zealand women profile

while the Women’s World Cup 2023 Starting July 20, discover the characteristics of the 32 entries. Here there New Zealand.

FIFA ranking: 26

Coach: Jitka Klimkova

The Slovakian, who became a coach in 2004, the 48-year-old knows New Zealand well. She coached the country’s Under-17 national team, before becoming an assistant to the senior national team, and then taking charge of USA Youth (U-19 and then U-20). Appointed New Zealand coach in 2021, she has not had convincing results in recent months. The team concedes a lot of goals.

Leading player: Ali Riley

Ali, real name Alexandra Lowe, is a player born in the United States but captain of New Zealand, a country whose jersey she has worn more than 150 times.

This World Cup will definitely be the last for this 35-year-old woman who has been playing soccer for a very long time. At the age of 11, she was already part of a team and soon became its captain.

She knows the World Cup very well. In its first edition, I played it … in 2007, when not even the youngest players to set foot on New Zealand soil this summer had fallen into football yet. The 2023 World Cup will be his fifth, an extraordinary fact that testifies to his longevity at the highest level.

Nugget to follow: Gabe Rainey

A large part of the backbone of choice is 24, which isn’t too old. But there are even young people at the front. Ava Collins (21) is starting to scratch more and more playing time. Even Gabi Rainey (22) is starting to get a little ahead, playing more and more and scoring in 2021, especially in the Olympics against her Australian neighbour.

Qualification path:

Being one of the hosts, New Zealand was exempt from qualifying.

Before the World Cup:

This World Cup will be the sixth for New Zealand. The country has yet to win a match in 15 matches. She still hung three draws and scored eight goals. Is the first success of the year?

chicken program

July 20: New Zealand-Norway (Eden Park, Auckland)
July 25: New Zealand-Philippines (Wellington Stadium, Wellington)
July 30: Switzerland-New Zealand (Forsyth-Barr Stadium, Dunedin).

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