New Zealand men's national football team records and statistics explained

This page details New Zealand men's national football team records and statistics; the most capped players, the players with the most goals and New Zealand's match record by opponent.

Individual records

Manager records

See also: List of New Zealand men's national football team managers. [1]

Most matches
  • 60, Ricki Herbert
    Most wins (total)
  • 23, John Adshead
    Most wins (one stint)
  • 22, John Adshead
  • 22, Ricki Herbert
    Best win %
  • 77.8, Ken Armstrong
    Most major trophies
  • 1, Anthony Hudson
  • 1, Ricki Herbert
  • 1, Mick Waitt
  • 1, Ken Dugdale
  • 1, Barrie Truman

    Team records

    Biggest victory
  • 13–0 vs., 16 August 1981[2]
    Heaviest defeat
  • 0–10 vs., 11 July 1936[3] [4]
    Biggest away victory
  • 10–0 vs., 4 June 2004
    Biggest away defeat
  • 0–7 vs., 25 June 1995
    Biggest victory at the World Cup finals
  • None
    Heaviest defeat at the World Cup finals
  • 0–4 vs., 23 June 1982
    Biggest victory at the OFC Nations Cup finals
  • 10–0 vs., 4 June 2004
    First defeat to a non-Oceania team
  • 1–2 vs., 2 July 1927
    Most consecutive victories
  • 7, 31 August 1958 vs. – 4 June 1962 vs.
  • 7, 1 October 1978 vs. – 8 October 1979 vs.
    Most consecutive matches without defeat
  • 11, 25 April 1981 vs. – 7 September 1981 vs.
    Most consecutive matches without victory
  • 16, 23 July 1927 – 19 September 1951
    Most consecutive defeats
  • 16, 23 July 1927 – 19 September 1951
    Most consecutive draws
  • 4, 15 June 2010 – 9 October 2010
    Most consecutive matches without scoring
  • 6, 5 June 2022 – 23 March 2023
    Most consecutive matches without conceding a goal
  • 10, Achieved on two occasions, most recently 3 May 1981 – 7 September 1981

    Best / Worst Results

    Best

    NoYearwidth=150OpponentResult
    1198113–0
    2198712–0
    3200410–0
    419519–0
    1952 Fiji9–0
    620029–1
    719928–0
    81998 Vanuatu8–1
    91987 Western Samoa7–0
    1997 Papua New Guinea7–0
    2001 Vanuatu7–0

    Worst

    NoYearwidth=150OpponentResult
    119360–10
    21948 Australia1–8
    31948 Australia0–7
    19950–7
    51936 Australia1–7
    619470–6
    1948 Australia0–6
    81947 South Africa3–8
    919970–5
    20030–5
    20070–5
    20090–5

    FIFA Rankings

    See also: FIFA World Rankings. [5]

    Best Ranking   Worst Ranking   Best Mover   Worst Mover  

    RankYearBestWorst
    Rank Move Rank Move
    94 2024 94 13 107 3
    104 2023 100 5 105
    105 2022 101 10 111 1
    110 2021 110 10 122 4
    118 2020 118 3 122
    122 2019 117 3 122 5
    122 2018 117 13 133 13
    121 2017 95 17 123 27
    109 2016 88 54 161 28
    151 2015 134 8 159 12
    134 2014 89 7 134 10
    90 2013 55 30 91 12
    91 2012 91 30 130 11
    119 2011 56 8 119 37
    63 2010 49 24 80 8
    82 2009 77 17 100 18
    86 2008 54 57 112 26
    95 2007 95 33 156 27
    131 2006 115 7 136 11
    120 2005 96 120 7
    95 2004 80 15 95 5
    88 2003 49 1 88 7
    49 2002 47 41 88 3
    84 2001 81 16 97 5
    91 2000 91 11 108 5
    100 1999 99 5 107 3
    103 1998 100 31 131 13
    120 1997 113 16 133 11
    132 1996 102 4 136 19
    102 1995 93 11 108 8
    99 1994 77 2 100 13
    77 1993 76 7 84 10
    70 1992 70 70

    Competition records

    FIFA World Cup

    See main article: New Zealand at the FIFA World Cup.

    OFC Nations Cup

    See main article: New Zealand at the OFC Nations Cup.

    FIFA Confederations Cup

    See main article: New Zealand at the FIFA Confederations Cup.

    FIFA Confederations Cup record
    YearHostRoundSquad
    1992 Saudi ArabiaNo OFC representative invited
    1995 Saudi Arabia
    1997 Saudi ArabiaDid not qualify
    1999 MexicoGroup stage300316Squad
    2001
    Japan
    Did not qualify
    2003 FranceGroup stage3003111Squad
    2005 GermanyDid not qualify
    2009 South AfricaGroup stage301207Squad
    2013 BrazilDid not qualify
    2017Group stage300318Squad
    TotalGroup stage120111332

    Head-to-head record

    The list shown below shows the national football team of New Zealand's all-time international record against opposing nations. The stats are composed of FIFA World Cup, FIFA Confederations Cup and, OFC Nations Cup, as well as numerous international friendly tournaments and matches.

    The following tables show New Zealand's all-time international record, correct as of 30 June 2024 vs. Vanuatu.

    Full Confederation record

    Penalty shoot-out record

    width=140TeamMatch score
    (PSO score)
    StatusVenue
    Four Nations' Cup Rajamangala Stadium, 16 June 1999
    Four Nations' Cup Rajamangala Stadium, 19 June 1999
    OFC Nations Cup Sir John Guise Stadium, 11 June 2016
    FIFA Series Cairo International Stadium, 26 March 2024

    B team results

    Match results and statistics of the New Zealand national football B team from its first match in 1927 until the match against Wellington Phoenix FC in 2015:

    Key

    Key to matches:
    • Att. = Match attendance
    • (H) = Home ground
    • (A) = Away ground
    • (N) = Neutral ground
    Key to record by opponent:
    • Pld = Games played
    • W = Games won
    • D = Games drawn
    • L = Games lost
    • GF = Goals for
    • GA = Goals against

    Results by year

    Year !width=20
    Pldwidth=20Wwidth=20Dwidth=20Lwidth=20GFwidth=20GAwidth=20GD
    1920–19291 1 0 0 6 2 +4
    1940–19491 1 0 0 6 1 +5
    1960–19694 1 0 3 4 23 –19
    1970–19791 0 0 1 0 5 –5
    1980–198911 8 2 1 31 11 +20
    1990–19993 0 2 1 2 3 –1
    2000–20097 2 2 3 3 4 –1
    2010–20197 3 1 4 11 22 –11

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Ruane . Jeremy . Coaching Records . The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website . 31 March 2022.
    2. Web site: All Whites History . . 14 September 2022.
    3. News: New Zealand's Failure . 14 September 2022 . New Zealand Herald . 22471 . 73 . 15 July 1936 . 20.
    4. Web site: Atkinson . Neill . Watters . Steve . 'Football - Men’s international football' . Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand . 14 September 2022 . 15 September 2016.
    5. Web site: New Zealand Men's Ranking. FIFA. 31 January 2022. 2 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220202000842/https://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/NZL. live.