Marko Stamenic was 8 years old when he sat beside his father to watch New Zealand's last World Cup appearance. Sixteen years later, he is preparing to play at football's greatest stage himself — but without the man who inspired him to dream of it.

Stamenic's father, Nikola Stamenic, died suddenly last October. In the weeks that followed, the midfielder described him as "the best man I will ever know." Now, seven months on, the 24-year-old Swansea City player says his father is never far from his thoughts.

"I don't really think he's not with us, in a way," Stamenic says. "I'm always thinking of him when I step on the field, whether that's for the national team or for Swansea. He had a huge, huge part in my life and all of our lives in my family and there is a huge hole in all of our hearts now. But I know he's watching from above and I hope we're making him proud."

A childhood promise

New Zealand's opening Group B fixture against Iran in Los Angeles — their first World Cup match since 2010 — was the kind of game a young Stamenic once vowed to play in. Back in South Africa, the All Whites went unbeaten through the group stage, drawing with Slovakia, Italy, and Paraguay, before going home without advancing.

Stamenic remembers rising early to watch those games alongside his father. "I remember telling him, 'I want to do that, I want to play at the World Cup for New Zealand,'" he says. "I'm over the moon that the chance has come."

Belief in a squad of outsiders

New Zealand arrive at the FIFA World Cup 2026 as one of the tournament's rank outsiders, making only their third appearance at a World Cup. A 4-0 friendly defeat to Haiti was followed by a more respectable 1-0 loss to England in their final warm-up match, leaving the squad with work to do.

Stamenic, however, is not short of confidence. Group B also features Egypt and Belgium, and the All Whites must navigate all three opponents if they are to make history — no New Zealand side has ever won a game at a World Cup.

"I don't think a New Zealand team has ever won a game in the World Cup so that's definitely a target for us," Stamenic says. "I think with the new format, possibly a win could get you through the group. I'm quite optimistic wherever I'm playing, and I do believe we have the quality to do that."

A career built on trophies

Stamenic's path to the All Whites' midfield engine room has been built on silverware. After catching the eye at the Under-17 World Cup in 2019, he moved to FC Copenhagen the following spring. He went on to win the Danish title in 2022-23, the Serbian top flight with Red Star Belgrade the year after, and the Greek Super League with Olympiacos in 2024-25.

He joined Swansea City from Nottingham Forest last summer and made 38 appearances in his debut Championship season, scoring three goals. Despite processing the grief of losing his father — he missed four matches on compassionate leave — he made a clear impression, and manager Vitor Matos is expected to lean on him heavily in 2026-27.

"My dad always used to tell me that no matter the problems going on outside the pitch, once you step on that pitch you forget about it all," Stamenic says. "I've had amazing support from all the staff, all the players at Swansea as well as my national team, to help me through this part of my life. I'm just grateful for all the help I've received."

As for his remarkable run of winning league titles, an 11th-place finish with Swansea brought it to a temporary halt — though Stamenic is not ready to let it end just yet. "I've still got the World Cup to come, so maybe we can win that," he says with a smile.