Football Talents from Australia and New Zealand
Nowadays, football is enjoyed in various forms. For example, young people form football teams, older people attend stadium events, and millions pick the best real money online casinos in Australia and New Zealand to wager on their favorite teams and players. Even though New Zealand and Australia do not dominate elite football leagues, the countries can be proud of their soccer players. And we will gladly tell you all about them.
Wynton Rufer
Wynton Rufer is New Zealand's most famous and best-known footballer. He has scored 224 goals in over 500 New Zealand matches and worldwide. His goal against China in 1982 helped the country qualify for the World Cup.
Wynton played for Werder Bremen and was one of their most effective attackers. He won the German League and two German Cups and scored a game-winning goal in the UEFA Cup Winners' Final (1992).
Rufer was named Oceania Footballer of the Century in 1999. At the same time, he returned to New Zealand to manage the Australian National Soccer League and lead the Football Kingz team.
Smeltz, Shane Edward
Shane Smeltz, born in September 1981, rose to prominence as one of New Zealand's most notable players. He was a Gold Coast United striker in the Queensland National Premier League.
Smeltz began his career in Australia but then relocated to England for three seasons. He has played in the A-league since 2007, with only two minor interruptions for seasons in Malaysia and Turkey. Smeltz has scored 24 goals in 58 international appearances for New Zealand. He also appeared in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Thomas Jefferson Smith
Smith was born in March 1990 and is a professional football player. He plays for Colchester United in League Two and is a New Zealand national squad member. Thomas is an Ipswich Town Academy graduate who can play left-back and center-back. Smith spent 11 years with Ipswich Town and two years with Colorado Rapids before joining Colchester United.
Dylan Wenzel-Halls
The Queenslander cannot be left out of the equation when assessing the top young Australian soccer players. Wenzel-Halls has been a standout for Brisbane Roar since 2018 and is quickly approaching a half-century of A-League games. If he continues his current path, he will certainly rack up a lot more.
The teenager is best renowned for his sharp close control and excellent technique, but he has also begun to add goals to his game. He only scored eight goals in his first two A-League seasons, but he has five goals and two assists in his first seven appearances in 2021. If he can keep those figures up, it is only a matter of time before he becomes a household name.
Joel King
Joel King made his A-League debut last season, taking over for the injured Michael Zullo in Sydney FC's starting lineup midway through the 2019/20 season.
The teenage left-back appeared to be a liability for Steve Corica's team. Instead, King barely missed a beat as he helped the Sky Blues win the Premiership and the Championship, capping off the season with a remarkable Grand Final performance.
The youngster's marauding runs give him a legitimate threat in the future, but he never neglects his defensive responsibilities. Indeed, he possesses all of the necessary characteristics to become an exceptional modern-day full-back.