Story: Football

Mini football world cup, 2011

A young boy of about 6 years old playing a game in a yellow football uniform reaches for a ball with his foot while using his hand to ward off a smaller boy in a maroon uniform. Families watch on the sideline.

From the 1970s there was a striking increase in player numbers for football, especially among women and children. By 2011 there were more young football players than young rugby players. Here 684 children aged five to eight take part in a mini world cup tournament at the Oval in Dunedin. The 1982 All Whites star Wynton Rufer attended and demonstrated his skills.

Using this item

Otago Daily Times
Reference: 29 August 2011, p. 24
Photograph by Jane Dawber

Permission of the Otago Daily Times must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Neill Atkinson, Steve Watters and Alida Shanks, 'Football - Football in New Zealand', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/40913/mini-football-world-cup-2011 (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Neill Atkinson, Steve Watters and Alida Shanks, published 5 Sep 2013, reviewed & revised 7 Jun 2023 with assistance from Alida Shanks