All Whites exit World Cup after Salah's Egypt prove too strong

New Zealand's World Cup exit was sealed by a 3–1 defeat to Egypt in the group stage on June 21, with Mohamed Salah at the heart of it (1). The All Whites, the only OFC side in the tournament, were already reeling from a 5–1 loss to Belgium, and the Egypt result confirmed elimination. Darren Bazeley's position as head coach looks increasingly fragile after the early departure. In the aftermath, Bazeley called for New Zealand to compete in future Gold Cup tournaments, arguing exposure to stronger opposition is the only way to close the gap. The squad returns home with regret, not just for one result, but for a campaign that never got going.