Ben Waine was not even in the Port Vale squad a few months ago. Now, the 25-year-old New Zealand forward is preparing to represent his country at the FIFA World Cup 2026 — and he is dreaming of a defining moment on the biggest stage in football.

"It has been a tough season. I'm not going to lie," Waine tells Sky Sports. "There was a good amount of time where I wasn't in the squad at all. It sucked in the moment but it was probably one of the best things to happen to me. I was really able to work on my game."

The goal that changed everything

Port Vale were relegated from League One, but Waine turned his personal fortunes around, finishing the campaign with eight goals. The standout moment came in March, when he headed the winner against Sunderland in an FA Cup tie. "It made a tough season a little bit more bearable," he says.

The goal was no accident. Waine worked daily with individual coach Simon Ireland on his finishing technique. "Literally, every day we would work on one or two types of finish, just focusing on the technique," he explains. "It was about trying to find that composure, that finish that I could go to without thinking so it became instinct."

Crucially, he had visualised that exact Sunderland goal beforehand — a looping header back across the goalkeeper. "I had actually visualised it. It was really cool to see that come off." Waine, whose family are Newcastle supporters, celebrated with an Alan Shearer goal salute in front of the travelling Sunderland fans. "It was just awesome. I had never seen the stadium like that before. It was absolutely bouncing."

A difficult road through English football

The journey to this World Cup has been far from straightforward. Waine left Wellington Phoenix to join Plymouth Argyle in January 2023, arriving into League One and immediately facing a steep physical and tactical adjustment. Plymouth's promotion made things harder still. "You get this amazing promotion and you are playing Championship football all of a sudden. It almost came too quickly."

He scored at Championship level — including a goal against Leeds United at Elland Road — but a loan spell at Mansfield yielded little. "That just did not work out at all." He considered going home but refused to give in. "I promised myself that however hard it got I was not going to go back. That would have been the easy option. I stuck it out and have come out of it as a better player and a better person."

World Cup ambitions with the All Whites

New Zealand — the All Whites — enter the tournament as clear underdogs. Their preparation has included a 4-1 win over Chile, in which Waine scored, but they have also suffered defeats to Colombia, Ecuador, Finland, Haiti, and England. "You have to realise that when we are stepping up and playing harder opposition, we cannot expect the results to be perfect. We have had to mentally adjust," he says.

New Zealand face Iran first, then Egypt and Belgium in Group A. Waine sees real opportunity in that draw. "My first thought was that we have actually got a chance here. Everyone sees us as underdogs but we want to take the opportunity that is in front of us. We want to get our first win on the world stage and we want to get out of the group for the first time ever."

Learning from Chris Wood — and hoping for a moment of his own

With Chris Wood firmly established as New Zealand's record scorer and focal point, Waine knows his route to minutes may come from the left flank. "At the start, I was a bit hesitant but I see it as a really positive thing. It just felt really natural. It adds another dynamic, which should help my case."

From Wood, he has absorbed the striker's art of patience. "As a striker, you can barely touch the ball all game but when that one chance comes, you had better take it. He has proven time and time again that he can do that."

One chance. That is what Waine is waiting for. "There is going to be that opportunity to be the hero. You just want that one moment." As for claiming Mohamed Salah's shirt after facing Egypt? "I am assuming there will be a few people pulling rank," he says, laughing. But another Shearer celebration on the world stage? "Maybe it will reappear."