It will certainly help fans assume a sense of ownership of this tournament if someone in the Kiwi ranks can make the same early impact Mulligan did in 1999. He put New Zealand 1-0 up after just 16 minutes and, unexpectedly, the public found themselves caught up in the magic of an age-group World Cup.
"When you're that young, the scale of what you're involved in doesn't really hit you," said Mulligan, now a player-coach at Forrest Hill Milford. "But I remember it being very bittersweet. I was the first player to get the first yellow card, the first to score and the first red card at the tournament. From hero to villain."
The Junior All Whites lost that match 2-1 with US striker Landon Donovan pinching the winner in the 79th minute.
"I was absolutely gutted. I felt like I let the players down, my family down and the country down," said Mulligan. "But thankfully I was able to pull it together for our last game, where we were the first [New Zealand] team to win at a Fifa tournament. It was a rollercoaster, but in the last game I scored again and got man of the match."
Those not attending matches happily digested it on TV. For the first time since 1982, people were talking football. The world came to visit, and the tournament soon brought the code into contact with government and sectors of the business community it wouldn't ordinarily reach. It was even discussed in question time in Parliament. It captured the imagination of people otherwise unconnected with the sport.
If Mulligan was the heart and soul of the 1999 team, 16-year-old striker Allan Pearce was at the pointy end. Pearce was a bleached-blond, pacy, tireless striker who was arguably New Zealand's player of the tournament and scored their winning goal against Poland.
Today, Pearce is again back on World Cup duty at North Harbour, this time as physio for the New Zealand under-20 side.
"Most of these boys have already played at World Cups and understand what they're about and how to deal with it. But I try to chip in with little bits and pieces that can help. I don't really give them any football advice because that's not my role, but I can help manage their expectations."
Pearce remembers waking up on the first morning of the 1999 tournament filled with excitement, and predicts the current squad will be exactly the same. "Jeremy Christie was our captain and everyone thought he was the wonder kid and Mulligan was up there, too. They were both the stars."
Mulligan, now 33, also has vivid memories. "These guys will remember everything that goes on. I hope they can soak it all up and enjoy it."
The dream team
1999 NZ under-17 squad - where they are now:
Sacha NATHU: Plays for Three Kings in Auckland, works for a wine company
Julius KOLK: Joined the air force, plays for Waitakere City
Sanjay SINGH: Works as a police officer in Taranaki
David RAYNER: Lives in Auckland, owns Sole Mechanics shoe company.
Tony LOCHHEAD: Former Phoenix defender, just released from Chivas
Cameron KNOWLES: Assistant coach at Portland Timbers (US)
Dave MULLIGAN: Player-coach at Forrest Hill Milford and Waitakere in summer
Jeremy CHRISTIE: Lives in Tampa Bay (US), medical supplies salesman
James PRITCHETT: Runs Playball, a West Auckland company that teaches youngsters aged 2 to 9 how to play sport
Allan PEARCE: Owns his own business, Dynamic Physio
Brent FISHER: Plays semi-professional football in Melbourne
Steven TURNER: Works for Mainfreight Australia
Daniel TRENT: Builder in South Auckland
Neil JONES: Head Coach at Loyola University Chicago (USA)
Ricky HILL: Builder in Auckland
Karl BUDGEN: Teacher in Waikato
Sebastian PEREZ: Runs a painting business called Paint it Perfect in Auckland
Gary BRIDLE: Unknown
