Marko Stamenic and his father's legacy in his World Cup journey

Marko Stamenic was only 8 years old when he and his father watched New Zealand's match at the most recent World Cup. After 16 years, the All Whites return to the world's biggest competition and Stamenic, now a strong and composed midfielder, will be an important part of their squad. The Swansea City player will join a group of New Zealand players who have played at the World Cup when the team begins their Group B campaign against Iran in Los Angeles on Tuesday morning local time.

Sadly, his father won't be there to witness this moment. Nikola Stamenic, who had a great influence on his son's football career, passed away unexpectedly last October. In an emotional letter at the time, Stamenic described his father as "the best man I have ever known". More than seven months have passed, and the 24-year-old player said he always remembers his father and feels "shuddered every time" he thinks about it.

"I don't really think he's not with us, in any way," Stamenic said. "I always think of him when I step on the field, whether for the national team or for Swansea. He has been such a huge part of my life and in the lives of my whole family, and there is now a huge void in our hearts. But I know he is watching from above and I hope we are making him proud."

New Zealand's meeting with Iran in Group G will be their first at the World Cup since 2010. Last time out, the team returned home from the group stage despite not losing a match in South Africa, where they drew with Slovakia, Italy and Paraguay. Stamenic remembers waking up early in the morning to watch those games with his father. "I remember telling him 'I want to do it, I want to play at the World Cup for New Zealand'. I'm so excited that this opportunity has come up."

Stamenic is one of the key players of the New Zealand team, which just lost 0-1 to England in the final friendly match before the tournament. That result was better than the 0-4 defeat to Haiti three days earlier. New Zealand, who are participating in only their third World Cup, are considered one of the weaker teams in the tournament but Stamenic believes they can get through the group stage, which also features Egypt and Belgium. "I don't think any New Zealand team has ever won a World Cup match, so that's definitely our aim," he said. "I think with the new format, maybe a win can get you through. I'm quite optimistic no matter where I'm playing, for Swansea or the national team, and I believe we have the quality to do it."

Stamenic enters the World Cup with an encouraging season at Swansea, where he joined from Nottingham Forest last summer. He has made 38 appearances for the Championship side, scoring 3 goals and will play an important role in coach Vitor Matos' plans for the 2026-27 play-off campaign. Stamenic has made a positive impression in Wales despite having to deal with the loss of his mentor, after he missed four Swansea matches for emotional reasons. "My dad always told me that no matter the off-field problems, once you step on the field, you forget everything," Stamenic said. "I have received fantastic support from all the staff and players at Swansea and the national team, to help me get through this period in my life. I am truly grateful for all the help I have received."

Stamenic got his chance in European football after impressing at the U-17 World Cup in 2019, moving to FC Copenhagen the following spring. He won the Danish championship in the 2022-23 season, followed by the Serbian league championship with Red Star Belgrade the following year and the Greek Super League with Olympiacos in the 2024-25 season. An 11th place finish at Swansea ended Stamenic's run of success in the tournament - but he insists he hasn't given up hope of another title this summer. "I still have the World Cup ahead, so maybe we can win that," he said with a smile.

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