After 28 years in the wilderness, New Zealand returned to the World Cup their first appearance since 1982. Ricki Herbert was the man tasked with guiding them back.
| Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 2 |
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 4 |
| 3 |
|
3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 |
|
3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 2 |
New Zealand's campaign never truly ignited, and a group stage exit brought an early end to their World Cup hopes. Goals proved hard to come by, with just 2 in 3 matches, and their lack of firepower ultimately told.
New Zealand emerged from the group stage unbeaten, showing resilience in a tough opening round. Their campaign featured a 1-1 draw with Slovakia, a 1-1 draw with Italy, and a 0-0 draw with Paraguay. New Zealand's tournament ended at the the opening round, a campaign that never truly got going.
3drawn
2scored2conceded
Unbeaten throughout eliminated in the group stage.
Winston Reid led New Zealand's attack with 1 goal at the 2010 World Cup. Shared the top-scorer honours with Smeltz, both with 1.
6yellow
2.0per match
Nelsen booked twice no red cards despite the yellow count.
The tactical mind behind New Zealand's 2010 campaign. Winless under Herbert leading New Zealand at his first World Cup.
Despite their valiant efforts, New Zealand's lack of goals proved crucial. Herbert's team relied on defensive solidity but lacked the firepower to overcome the challenge.
