Darren Bazeley exclusive: Meet the former Watford, Wolves, Walsall player leading New Zealand into the 2026 World Cup

Darren Bazeley has been to many youth World Cups.

With the New Zealand U17s, he went to Nigeria 2009, Mexico 2011 and United Arab Emirates 2013.

With the U20s, he went to New Zealand 2015, South Korea 2017 and Argentina 2023.

Now, he is just a matter of days away from leading the All Whites into the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico - their first since 2010 and only their third in history.

It has been quite the journey for the 53-year-old from Northampton, who made almost 300 appearances for Watford between 1989 and 1999.

He later played for Wolves and Walsall and, after leaving the latter in November 2004, was invited to the other side of the world by former Saddlers team-mate Danny Hay, who had been appointed captain of the newly-formed - and now defunct - New Zealand Knights.

Accompanied by his wife and two daughters, Bazeley made the trip, open-minded.