Los Angeles / Tuesday, 16 June / 02:00
I read an amazing stat about New Zealand, which is that they only have around 60 professional footballers across the world.
As a nation, just by getting to this World Cup they are punching well above their weight, and it would be massive for them to get their first win in their third finals.
They have got some decent players, too, like ‘the Wood-chopper’ Chris Wood up top and their playmaker, Sarpreet Singh, and I am also looking forward to seeing Motherwell midfielder Elijah Just, who is a good footballer.
They are up against an Iran team with a lot of off-field issues, and won’t even be based in the United States where they play their three group games, but in Mexico.
A lot of their players play in the Persian Gulf League, which has been suspended since March, and they are an ageing squad anyway.
So, it won’t be easy for them and I am going to back ‘the Wood-chopper’ to get the winner.
Sutton’s prediction: 0-1
AI’s prediction: 1-0
