appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Andrew Scott

New Zealand football fans have a new hero after a player with Chinese heritage made history at the World Cup.
Elijah Just became the first All Whites footballer to score twice for the country in the World Cup in the 2-2 draw with Iran in Group G.
Just, who has a Chinese mother and German father, was born in Palmerston North on the North Island of New Zealand. Currently playing in Scotland, Just also became the first Motherwell player to score in the tournament on Tuesday.
For the opening goal, Just volleyed home from inside the box after being set up by Chris Wood. In the politically charged match and fraught atmosphere at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, the goal was celebrated by some fans critical of the Iranian government, while some also booed Iran’s national anthem before kick-off.
After Iran equalised, New Zealand took the lead again when Wood and Just combined again early in the second half, the New Zealand captain sliding a precise pass to the winger, who hammered home.


“I think we showed today that we’re a dangerous team,” Just said. “You can’t be disappointed. A point in the World Cup is always tough to get.”
Just had his parents, brother, uncle and girlfriend in the crowd.
“Walking out, the adrenaline was really high,” Just said. “Once the game started you kind of calm down a little bit. We were quite good with the ball. We dealt with the occasion really well. The players were really brave. Overall, it’s the performance we needed.”
Before the World Cup expanded to 48 teams for this edition, New Zealand had qualified only twice, in 1982 and 2010. They have never advanced past the group stages, and Just became only his country’s fifth scorer at the tournament, after Steve Sumner, Steve Wooddin, Winston Reid, and Shane Smeltz.
Coach Darren Bazeley was not surprised by the level of Just’s performance and the historic two goals will only ramp up the transfer rumours linking the player to a move to Celtic or Rangers.
“It doesn’t surprise me. I’ve known him a really long time,” Bazeley said. “He showed the world how dangerous he can be. He’s of slight build, but he gets into pockets, turns and reacts quick. I think a lot of people are probably watching that today and saying, ‘He’s a good player’. This is going to help him a lot.”
With 45 caps for New Zealand, Just started his football journey in Wellington before making the move to Denmark, where he played for FC Helsingor in the first and second divisions 73 times and scored 14 goals from 2019 to 2022.
His exploits helped secure a move to Danish top-flight side Horsens in 2022 and then a season-long loan at Austrian side SKN St Polten in 2024.

Scottish side Motherwell came calling in 2025 and the lure of playing football in the heart of southern Scotland in Lanarkshire was obviously too good for the 26-year-old to turn down.
He scored seven goals in his first season at Fir Park to help Motherwell finish fourth and claim a qualifying Europa Conference League spot. His performances led to a nomination for the PFA Player of the Year award.
New Zealand’s next match is on Sunday when they play Egypt in Vancouver, British Columbia.


Ma Ning hopes to ‘pass torch’ to next generation of Chinese referees after second World Cup

Fifa president Gianni Infantino makes an appearance at Under-20 Women’s World Cup

Key investor Kushner blames football power struggle for World Cup plan collapse

Under-fire South Korean football body hires ex-Spain boss Robert Moreno as interim coach

Fifa World Cup 2026

New Zealand’s World Cup goalscoring hero has Chinese mother, makes history for Motherwell

New Zealand’s Elijah Just scores his side’s opening goal against Iran at the World Cup. Photo: dpa

Elijah Just scored his second after combining again with captain Chris Wood. Photo: Xinhua

World Cup while you were sleeping: Cabo Verde stun Spain, Belgium draw, Tunisia sack coach

Cabo Verde goalkeeper Vozinha celebrates his side’s goalless draw with Spain in Atlanta. Photo: Getty Images

Cabo Verde goalkeeper Vozinha made a string of fine saves to help earn his side a point against Spain. Photo: AP

Egypt’s Mohamed Hany (left) scores an own goal under pressure from Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku. Photo: AP

China’s Zheng Qinwen says she needs to ‘start from scratch’ as she beats first-round hoodoo

China’s Zheng Qinwen beat Greece’s No 6 seed Maria Sakkari on day one of the Nottingham Open on Monday. Photo: AP

Former French Open champion Albert Costa started coaching Zheng Qinwen again last month. Photo: Reuters

Zheng Qinwen lost in the French Open first round to eventual finalist Maja Chwalinska. Photo: Xinhua

Sport

Football

Well-traveled Elijah Just has played more than 30 times for the All Whites and currently plies his trade in the Scottish league


Well-traveled Elijah Just has played more than 30 times for the All Whites and currently plies his trade in the Scottish league.


New Zealand’s World Cup goalscoring hero has Chinese mother, makes history for Motherwell

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Well-traveled Elijah Just has played more than 30 times for the All Whites and currently plies his trade in the Scottish league

Well-traveled Elijah Just has played more than 30 times for the All Whites and currently plies his trade in the Scottish league