Source: Radio New Zealand
New Zealand’s Michaela Foster celebrates after scoring a goal with Maya Hahn during Fifa Women’s World Cup Qualifiers. Joshua Devenie / Phototek.nz
The Football Ferns are two games away from qualifying for next year’s World Cup and, for Michaela Foster, the three years since the last global tournament have been transformative.
Foster debuted for New Zealand in her hometown of Hamilton, coming off the bench against Argentina in February 2023.
When she returns to FMG Stadium this weekend to play Fiji in the Oceania World Cup qualifier semi-final, it will be the first time she has been home in 18 months, after moving to England to play with Durham in the Women’s Super League 2.
She sees it as a full-circle moment.
The 27-year-old did not take the pitch during the last World Cup, co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia. She had to bide her time behind one of her idols, co-captain Ali Riley.
Riley and a handful of other senior players from that World Cup have now left the programme, which is moving in a new direction.
“That group of girls was really special in what we had, so it’s just building on that for this next World Cup, and making sure we get there and get that job done.”
The number of players to debut for the national team since they ended their last World Cup campaign against Switzerland in Dunedin is in the double digits.
Michaela Foster on debut for the Football Ferns in 2023 in Hamilton. Jeremy Ward
Foster acknowledged the team had “changed a lot in the last three years”, but so had she.
“I was a new player in that [World Cup squad], and went in with open eyes and ears, just taking everything on board and finding my feet a little bit in that team.
“I was fortunate enough to have some of my role models still in that team, so I really just enjoyed every moment, but not saying I won’t for this one, if that still happens.
“I think it’s just making sure that I realise that I can have a bit more of an impact on the field.”
Foster has also been working on her leadership with a Durham side currently 10th in a 12-team league.
“Without a title, I think what I can do on the field is important with just guiding girls and the younger girls, and trying to do what I can,” she said. “By going out and being my best self, hopefully that rubs off on people.
“It’s been tough, but I think my performances have hopefully been as consistent as I can be to try and get results for the team.”
Moving to England’s northeast in 2024 for her first full-time professional contract was a new experience helped by having fiancée Chelsea join her for the off-field balance.
“It’s been a great move for my football as well and just my growth as a player. I can really see the changes.
“I think my fitness over there has probably had to change a bit. It’s been quite a physically demanding game in England, just strength-wise as well.
“With the way that league is growing in England, it’s becoming a very technical game and you get a lot more international players in that league, who maybe aren’t quite making the WSL, but are still very good in our league.”
Michaela Foster playing against the Matildas last year. www.photosport.nz
Now she has another opportunity to bring what she has developed at club level into the Football Ferns for the World Cup qualifiers, as she pushes to make her mark with this group of players chasing the last part of the qualification puzzle.
“We’ve grown into a new playing style and how we want to play.
“Obviously, Maney’s [coach Michael Mayne] been really crucial in that and giving us a bit more freedom on the field to make some decisions, if we need to in certain moments.
“That’s been quite a good growth area for us experienced players.
“I think it gives everyone that ownership – it’s not just the captain making calls. Everyone feels like they have that voice to say something that they need to and, if they recognise something, everyone is given that confidence to say it in that moment.”
Newcomer cementing her spot.
Maya Hahn on debut for the Football Ferns in 2025. www.photosport.nz
Maya Hahn was not involved in the last Football Ferns World Cup campaign, but since making her debut last year, she has not missed a tour.
Hahn plays club football in Germany for Viktoria Berlin, a side she has been with for a season in the 2nd Women’s Bundesliga, where she is central to the team’s style of play, but still has to fight for her spot.
“It can be hard at times, but it’s a good team to be around.
“I’m trying to build my confidence in [build-up play] and be able to influence the game a little bit more, take a few more risks.”
Last season, at a different club, Hahn’s team was at the bottom of the table in the first division and was relegated
“That was a lot of defending, a lot of trying to break teams down. You had less opportunity to showcase your skillset on the ball.”
Now in a lower league, Hahn likes that her team is having to make the plays.
“It’s a different kind of responsibility and a different kind of pressure as well, but it’s nice, because you get more repetitions, you get more opportunities to be creative, which is something I really enjoy.”
Hahn has played against European, American, Australian and Pacific Island teams for the Football Ferns.
Maya Hahn playing in Spain against Venezuela. Photosport
“Sometimes, we’re playing against some of the best teams and players in the world, and that almost goes a bit more into defending, that reading-the-game type of stuff.
“Then, these games in qualifiers, when we have a little bit more of the ball, I’m able use some of the stuff that I have in my club environment in terms of creating and more the attacking side.”
Hahn was someone Mayne gave an opportunity to when he took over the head coach role.
“From the first session, he was trying to get his ideas through to us as a group. That’s been pretty consistent and that’s something we’ve touched on every tour, basically.”
Time together for the national team is limited, even in the context of a World Cup cycle. Gameplans have to be conveyed quickly, and then “constantly adapted and adjusted” for the next opposition in the next international window.
“I think that’s what we’re doing a really good job of as a team and staff – connecting with each other and sharing our ideas, so that we’re all on the same page.
“I think that’s how we’re able to fine-tune and refine our style of play and how we operate as a team. A Football World Cup in Brazil – it doesn’t really get much better than that in terms of hype, so I think that’s extra motivation for us.”
The qualifying semi-finals were originally scheduled for Sunday, but tournament organisers elected to move the fixtures forward by 24 hours, due to the looming threat of Cyclone Vaianu.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
