De Bruyne and Belgium end New Zealand's World Cup with 5–1 rout

New Zealand bowed out of World Cup Group G with a 5–1 defeat to Belgium, a result that confirmed their elimination and left the squad with lingering regret over the entire campaign, not just the final scoreline (1). Kevin De Bruyne ran the show as the All Whites had no answer to Belgium's quality. Head coach Darren Bazeley is now under serious pressure, his position at risk after the early exit. Belgium boss Rudi Garcia had a blunt response to critics labeling his veterans past it: "I really didn't appreciate them being called has beens" (1). Bazeley has since pushed for New Zealand to compete in future Gold Cup tournaments, arguing those tests are the only way to close the gap.