Just: New Zealand are aiming to create history
Electric All Whites forward on FIFA World Cup and FIFA Series targets, career-best form and a love of Scottish slang.
New Zealand will clash with IR Iran, Egypt and Belgium in Group G at the FIFA World Cup
This week's home round of the FIFA Series provides vital preparation
Elijah Just has emerged into a key creative threat at both club and national level
Elijah Just admits that his example might not hold water if it involves Kevin De Bruyne, or indeed any number of other Belgian stars that he’s set to face off against at the upcoming FIFA World Cup™. As an illustration of his new-found Scottish slang though, it works just fine, as he explains to FIFA.
“Let’s say that the [New Zealand] coach Darren Bazeley comes up to me and says that I need to go and man-mark someone on the corner post. I’ll say, ‘I cannae do that.’
“That’s the one piece of vocabulary that I’ve been trying to use more, how the locals here say that you cannot do something by using that slang word cannae.”
As is, New Zealand cannae make the World Cup final?
“That’s an example, but not one that I would say!” the dynamic forward is quick to retort.
Since his arrival in Scotland in July 2025, Just has shown that there’s little he cannae do with a ball at his feet. Having hit the ground running after a move from Danish side AC Horsens, he’s emerged as an integral part of a Motherwell side that are flying high in fourth place in the Scottish Premiership race.
While they remain on course to record one their best finishes in the past decade, Just had powered the side for long parts of the season into the almost unthinkable position of being genuine title contenders.
The 25-year-old has been an ever-present at the fan-owned North Lanarkshire outfit and only three players in the league have a better output than Just’s 13 goal involvements.
Speaking to FIFA from Scotland prior to his return home for the upcoming FIFA Series 2026™, Just is adamant that feeling settled off the pitch has helped him dazzle on it. So much so that he has already been linked with a big-money move to clubs in Scotland and beyond.
“Away from the pitch it's just been so easy to integrate into society, walking around Glasgow with different restaurants and events that are going on, because everything's in English, it's just so much easier. It really is like living a different life from when my girlfriend and I were in Denmark and Austria, where it's just so much more difficult when you don't understand what's going on.
“It also helps that we’re doing really well and when I bump into fans, a lot of them tell me that this is one of the best Motherwell teams they've seen, and my time at the club has exceeded all expectations.
“As for the speculation, I think that’s normal when you're doing well but I've still got so much football to play, including the World Cup this year, let alone the rest of my contract, so it's not something I'm thinking about at all.”
What is he is thinking about is getting the chance to live out a boyhood dream in three months’ time when New Zealand will feature for only the third time at a World Cup. As impressive as his club form has been, Just has been arguably even more influential for an All Whites side that steamrolled their way through the Oceania qualifiers.
The Palmerston North local found the back of the net in each of his nation’s three, second round victories. He then capped off a wonderful qualification campaign by scoring the final goal in a 3-0 win over New Caledonia that sees the 2026 generation join those that featured at the 1982 and 2010 global finals.
“I wasn’t born for the 1982 World Cup but with the 2010 one in South Africa I was waking up in the middle of the night to watch the games,” Just explains.
“Most of our current squad were young at that time and drew such inspiration from that group so it's incredible to know that we have an opportunity to create those lifelong memories for the next generation.”
Just has been to, and impressed at multiple major tournaments before, featuring at the U-17 FIFA World Cup™ in 2017, the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament at Tokyo 2020 and scoring as New Zealand fell on penalties in the Round of 16 against Colombia at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup™.
While those events have steeled Just and a core group of players that have progressed through the age groups together, the global showpiece is a different proposition altogether, both on and off the pitch.
“Well, there’s certainly been a lot more people starting to reach out with ticket requests,” he jokes. “It will be great though to have my family and friends there to watch and I’m sure there'll be a lot of Kiwis that are lining up to get tickets and trying to make their way over.
“I was unfortunate that the Olympics I went to was during COVID so there weren't any fans and I didn't quite get to experience that. With the World Cup though I’ve spoken to some of the players from that 2010 team and they’ve told us just what an experience it’s going to be.”
Before the All Whites spring into Group G action at the World Cup, where they will tussle with IR Iran, Egypt and then Belgian, they have a final pre-tournament hit-out at this month’s FIFA Series.
New Zealand is hosting one of those rounds, with the team set to clash with Finland and Chile in Auckland. That’s an event that Just argues will be a vital part of the side’s North American preparation.
“I think these FIFA Series games are the most important ones that we will have played in the past year. Obviously the qualifiers were important, but those are very different games.
"This is the last time we're going to play at home before the World Cup and we want to leave a good impression on the home fans so that they really get behind us for the World Cup.
“Of course, there are so many things that we need to work on and there’s a real sense that the focus around the World Cup is coming into view.”
Given that the 1982 and 2010 generations failed to either win a match or advance from the group stage, Just is clear on what the team’s goals are as they look to set a new benchmark in North America.
“One thing we've talked about is that we want to get out of the group. That's something that has never happened in New Zealand history at a World Cup.
“Obviously getting out of the group means we need to win and that would also be a first in the team's history so that’s the first thing we need to accomplish.
“Get the win, get out of the group and then from there take each game as it comes. But we've got a lot of belief in the squad, we have players now playing at high levels, there’s a really tight bond and we’re confident that we can get it done.”