12 year-old Milo Brown, who plays for North Shore United Soccer Club, is a big FIFA World Cup fan. Photo / Brett Phibbs
12 year-old Milo Brown, who plays for North Shore United Soccer Club, is a big FIFA World Cup fan. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Few 12-year-old Kiwis can say they've attended two Fifa World Cup tournaments within two years.
But Auckland youngster Milo Brown is about to claim bragging rights.
The Belmont Intermediate School pupil has tickets to six of the 10 Fifa U-20 World Cup games at North Harbour Stadium, including New Zealand's opening match against Ukraine on Saturday, and the final on June 20.
Milo, who lives in Devonport and plays for North Shore United football club, was in Brazil just last year for the men's Fifa World Cup - a five-week trip he described as "the best experience in my life so far".
He was now looking forward to soaking up all that a New Zealand-hosted Fifa World Cup had to offer.
"It's just good to have the experience of having it at home ... I'm really looking forward to it."
Milo planned to head along to the Auckland fan zones and any other World Cup-related events in the city and said the wide variety of players at the tournament was an exciting aspect.
"I'm looking forward to seeing all the different teams because some of these countries I've never really heard of and I want to see how they play and just enjoy it.
"Me and my friend were talking on the way back from soccer once, saying we're going to try and remember as many names as we can from all the teams, and then when we're older see if any of them make it to really high professional football."
An aspiring centre-back, Milo wants one day to play for the New Zealand U-20 side at a World Cup tournament.
Meanwhile, Auckland Mayor Len Brown last night said the U-20 Fifa World Cup was an "awesome and affordable" opportunity for Aucklanders to watch world-class football.
He said the tournament would be watched by a global television audience of almost 200 million people in close to 200 countries, and said that was the kind of coverage "money can't buy".
Ateed (Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development) invested $2.5 million from its Major Events Fund towards the hosting of the event and expected the tournament to bring around $8.6 million into Auckland's economy, resulting in an additional 42,800 visitor nights - made up of 15,938 domestic visitor nights and 26,875 international visitor nights.
What: The official welcome for the New Zealand U-20 squad. Where: Aotea Square, Auckland CBD. When: 4pm-6pm. Who: The New Zealand U-20 players and coaches, as well as officials from Fifa and NZ Football, will be welcomed on to Aotea Square by representatives of Ngati Whatua. Mayor Len Brown will also be there. What else? There will be a Q&A session with New Zealand coach Darren Bazeley and captain Bill Tuiloma, autograph signing with the Junior All Whites, and entertainment provided by MC Stephen McIvor and musician Josh Leys.
Whangarei
The United States and Myanmar teams will receive a Maori welcome at Terenga Paraoa Marae at 5.30pm.
Wellington
Ghana and Argentina will be welcomed at the Wellington Domestic Airport this afternoon: Ghana at 4.35pm and Argentina at 3.25pm.
The welcomes will include a performance from the kapa haka groups of Wellington Girls' College and Wellington College, a hariru and hongi, a waiata, and the gifting of a taonga team gift in the cultural welcome from local iwi. The Austrian team, who were welcomed yesterday, will visit Weta Workshop today.
Waikato
Qatar will be welcomed at 3.30pm at Waitomo Caves. The welcome will include a powhiri and then a tour of the famous caves.
TAB Odds
New Zealand, Ghana, Austria and Ukraine are all paying $31 to lift the Cup. Hungary and Myanmar are paying the most at $101.
