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The Live Sport Bible is here!From heartbreak to relief: All Whites' Barbarouses primed after long World Cup wait
Stephen Foote • May 15th, 2026 9:27 am
Kosta Barbarouses | Photo: Photosport
It was almost worth the 16-year wait for All Whites veteran Kosta Barbarouses.
The forward was among the 26 players selected to represent New Zealand at the FIFA World Cup at Auckland's Eden Park on Thursday.
Amid the obvious joy, Barbarouses admitted to an over-riding sense of relief after receiving the phone call from coach Darren Bazeley that'd he'd be heading to his first World Cup.
Having endured the heartbreak of a call of a much different nature from Bazeley's predecessor Ricki Herbert ahead of the South Africa tournament in 2010, Barbarouses wasn't taking anything for granted when he saw the gaffer's name flash up on his caller ID.
"Happiness and a bit of relief sprinkled in there," the 36-year-old told Sport Nation's Millsy & Guy.
"We got told last week that we'd get a call either way, so seeing Baze's name pop up on my phone, I thought it wasn't exactly a good thing necessarily - it was a bit of a stomach-turning moment.
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"But then obviously getting the call to say you're going, I'm so happy and relieved and excited.
"It was a bit of small talk, and then he just said 'are you ready to go to the World Cup?' And I said, 'if this is you telling me I'm in the squad, then I'm effing ready, you know?
"He didn't make me wait too long. Pretty nerve-racking, but what a great moment."
As devastating as it was in the moment, Barbarouses believes being overlooked in 2010 lit a fire within that lifted his game to a new level, inspiring him to produce some of the best football of his career.
The Wellingtonian went on to become one of the A-League's most decorated players, securing titles with Brisbane Roar (2011), Melbourne Victory (2015, 2018), and Sydney FC (2020), playing in five grand finals and scoring in three.
He then returned to the capital to play a key role in the Phoenix's resurgence, scoring 25 goals in 73 appearances in his second stint with the NZ club.
"I think about it often, obviously," he admitted. " But it was a bit of a silver lining, missing out. That launched my career past that in terms of driving me and my determination- formed a little bit of who I am today.
"Over the last 16 years I have built a lot of strength and resilience. And I guess it's an achievement in itself to even be in contention to be going to this World Cup. So, it definitely did help a lot."
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His selection adds a bright note to a difficult debut season with the Western Sydney Wanderers, who finished bottom of the A-League ladder.
But Barbarouses remains confident in his own abilities, proving his value with a sensational goal in the All Whites' head-turning 4-1 demolition of Chile in their Auckland friendly back in March.
The All Whites will need every ounce of that firepower if they're to progress past the group stage for the first time in their history.
The team will likely need at least one win to advance from their tricky Group G, and he admits they'll likely be targeting the opener against Iran as their best hope of doing so.
"A win in the first game of any tournament is really important. Not just because it's Iran, who many may think is the weakest of the three teams. I still think they're a really strong side, as any team at the World Cup will be.
"I think we all see in world football now, things are very close. Small margins decide games, so if we can get over the line in that game I think it'll put us in a really good place.
"But I also think, on the other end of it, if things don't go as planned we have to stay calm. We've still got two more games after that. I just think points on the board as soon as possible would be ideal
The All Whites take on Iran in Los Angeles in their opener on June 16 (NZ time).
Listen to the full interview below:
Sport Nation is an official radio broadcaster of FIFA World Cup 2026 this June/July - download the app today on Google Play and the App Store.
