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This match sees a couple of relative-newcomers to the World Cup. Slovakia (as an independent country) have never appeared on this stage before and New Zealand’s ‘All Whites’ (no, really) have made only one appearance (at Spain ’82) so both teams will be standing at the edge of the playground hoping that the bigger boys don’t foist an initiation ritual upon them. Realistically, both teams are competing for the second place in the group behind Italy but Slovakia, whose ranking is considerably higher than New Zealand, are much more likely to pip Paraguay to the post. So anyone who loves a football underdog should be writing NZ all over their forehead.

Both teams have combative defenders amongst their numbers with neither Martin Skrtel nor Ryan Nelson being afraid of a robust challenge if required (or if they just fancy it). Sadly, any Teesiders hoping to reacquaint themselves with former Middlesboro star Szilárd Németh will be sorely disappointed; he’s not involved in the national squad any more. (Nor are Massimo Maccarone or Alfonso Alves in the Italy or Brazil squads, come to think of it).

The WDM statistics ranks these two as the 12th and 13th most supportable teams and it is quite tough to choose between them. It is noteworthy that income is shared considerably less equitably in New Zealand and that Slovakia spends more of its national income on its military. However, the stand-out statistic, and the one that I will base my support upon, is the fact that the New Zealand government is 23.1% female. Of course, this is way short of the range within which it ought to be but this is considerably better than Slovakia is currently managing and for that reason I will be cheering Nelson and co in this match.

Posted in: New Zealand, New Zealand-Slovakia, Slovakia

Views expressed here are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the World Development Movement.