New Zealand captain Chris Wood says he is fully fit for the World Cup and his long injury battle has made him hungrier for success as the All Whites look to reach the knockout phase for the first time.
After undergoing surgery on his left knee in December, the 34-year-old striker returned to action for Nottingham Forest last month before being included in New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley’s squad for the June 11 to July 19 finals in North America.
New Zealand’s record scorer with 45 goals in 88 appearances, Wood said he had moved past the recovery phase with his knee and was looking forward to locking horns with Iran, Egypt and Belgium at the World Cup.
“I’m fully back to full fitness. I’ve been playing games now for over a month-and-a-half, so I feel good, feel up to speed, which is nice, and ready to continue to attack the off-season,” he told reporters in a video call on Friday.
“I’m just happy to be back firing both for Forest and for the national team coming into this World Cup period.
“And it’s just given me that hunger to strive and achieve more, definitely.”
Wood and defender Tommy Smith are the only players in the squad who represented New Zealand the last time they played at the World Cup when it was hosted by South Africa in 2010. Then ?18, Wood came off the bench in the group matches against Italy, Slovakia and Paraguay. New Zealand bowed out with three draws but won acclaim for going through unbeaten in their second World Cup and first since 1982. Wood said the current squad was completely different, much more a technical, ball-playing side versus the “run-through-brick-walls” players of 2010.
He was nonetheless confident they could get out of their group. “That’s our aim, and then build from there. We’re under no illusion it’s going to be tough, but we think we’ve got the quality in our dressing room to be able to do that,” he said.
New Zealand kick off their World Cup against Iran on June 15 in Los Angeles, a match that will be in the spotlight following the United States and Israel’s military strikes against the Middle East nation.
While Iran’s preparations have been disrupted by the conflict, Wood said they would be no pushovers.
“I believe they’re 21st, 22nd in the world, so no mugs in that sense,” he said. “So they’re going to be tough to beat and tough to perform against. “I know the (NZ) coaching staff is doing all they can to do the analytic side of it for (Iran). And we’ll be ready on and off the pitch for them.”