Added Because – NT Boss Explains World Cup Call For Ex-Ipswich Town Star | OneFootball

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Former Ipswich Town defender Tommy Smith has earned a place in New Zealand’s 2026 World Cup squad, with coach Darren Bazeley citing the veteran’s leadership skills as a key factor behind his selection.

Smith, who currently plays for Braintree Town, is highly regarded as one of Ipswich’s most successful academy graduates, having made more appearances than any other academy product in the club’s history.

The 36-year-old defender joined Ipswich Town’s youth academy in 2006 at the age of 16 after moving from New Zealand.

Smith signed his first professional contract with the Tractor Boys in 2007 after winning the academy’s Young Player of the Year award for the 2006/07 season.

The left-footed centre-back made more than 250 senior appearances for the Suffolk side and scored 23 goals between 2007 and 2018.

Smith, along with Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood, will become the first Kiwi to feature in two World Cup squad when they make the trip to North America next month.

Bazeley remarked that not every player in New Zealand’s 26-man squad will be guaranteed game time at the World Cup.

The New Zealand coach highlighted Smith’s leadership qualities as a major reason behind his selection, indicating that the former Ipswich Town star will play a key role in maintaining standards and helping keep the squad focused throughout the tournament.

He is quoted as saying via the Straits Times: “With a squad of 26, not everybody is going to play.

“So we added Tommy because his leadership is great.

“He’s going to be so important for the players keeping everybody on track.

“We’ll lean on him a lot.”

Sixteen years ago, at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the veteran centre-back started all three matches, with all three ending in draws as the Kiwis finished third in the group, just one point shy of progression.

Now, he has another summer tournament to look forward to, where he will aim to draw on that experience and leadership to help his country enjoy a decent run in the competition.

New Zealand have been drawn in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt and Iran at the 2026 World Cup.

Earlier this month, Smith’s former club, the Tractor Boys, secured an automatic return to the Premier League after a 23-win campaign, bouncing straight back to the top flight following last season’s relegation, setting up a promising spell beyond the World Cup.