Wynton Rufer facts for kids
Rufer in 2009
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Wynton Alan Whai Rufer | ||
| Date of birth | 29 December 1962 | ||
| Place of birth | Wellington, New Zealand | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1980 | Stop Out | 5 | (2) |
| 1981 | Wellington Diamond | 19 | (7) |
| 1982 | Norwich City | 0 | (0) |
| 1982 | Miramar Rangers | 8 | (3) |
| 1982–1986 | FC Zürich | 100 | (43) |
| 1986–1988 | FC Aarau | 37 | (18) |
| 1988–1989 | Grasshoppers | 22 | (12) |
| 1989–1995 | Werder Bremen | 174 | (59) |
| 1995–1996 | JEF United | 54 | (38) |
| 1997 | 1. FC Kaiserslautern | 14 | (4) |
| 1997 | Central United | 30 | (12) |
| 1998 | North Shore United | 11 | (3) |
| 1999–2002 | Auckland Kingz | 48 | (12) |
| Total | 522 | (213) | |
| International career | |||
| 1980–1997 | New Zealand | 23 | (12) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1998–1999 | North Shore | ||
| 1999 | New Zealand U16 | ||
| 1999–2002 | Kingz | ||
| 2014–2015 | Papua New Guinea | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Wynton Alan Whai Rufer (born on December 29, 1962) is a famous retired New Zealand footballer. He was a fantastic striker, which means he was great at scoring goals! Wynton played professional football for over ten years in Switzerland and Germany.
He had his biggest success playing for Werder Bremen in Germany. There, he helped his team win four big titles. He was even the top scorer in the UEFA Champions League in the 1993–94 season. Wynton was also part of the New Zealand national team when they played in their first ever FIFA World Cup in 1982. Because of his amazing career, he was named the Oceania Footballer of the Century by the Oceania Football Confederation.
Contents
Wynton Rufer's Football Journey
Starting Out in New Zealand
Wynton Rufer was born in Wellington, New Zealand. His father was from Switzerland, and his mother was a Māori from New Zealand. He belongs to the Ngāti Porou tribe.
After finishing school, Wynton started playing football for local teams like Wellington Diamond United, Stop Out, and Miramar Rangers. He was so good that he was named New Zealand's Young Player of the Year in both 1981 and 1982.
His talent caught the eye of Norwich City in England. He even signed a professional contract in 1981. However, he couldn't get a special permit to work and play in England. So, he moved to Switzerland to play for FC Zürich in 1982.
Playing in Switzerland
Wynton spent the next seven years playing football in Switzerland. He played for FC Zürich, FC Aarau, and Grasshoppers. While playing for FC Aarau, he scored 21 goals in the 1987–88 season, making him the top scorer in the league!
With Grasshoppers, he helped his team win the Swiss domestic cup. During his time in Switzerland, Wynton scored over 100 goals, which is a huge achievement for any striker!
Success with Werder Bremen
In the summer of 1989, Wynton joined Werder Bremen in Germany. This was a big move for him. He quickly became a key player for the team, scoring six goals in his first 13 league games.
Wynton played a huge part in Werder Bremen's success. In 1992, he scored a goal in the final of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, helping his team win 2–0 against Monaco.
In the 1992–93 season, Werder Bremen won the German league championship. Wynton was the second-highest scorer in the league that year with 17 goals. He also scored two goals in a thrilling UEFA Champions League game against Anderlecht, where Werder Bremen came back from being 3–0 down to win 5–3! He ended up being the top scorer in that Champions League season. He also won another German Cup with the team.
Wynton was recognized for his amazing skills, being voted Oceania's Player of the Year in 1989, 1990, and 1992.
Later Years and Retirement
After leaving Werder Bremen in 1995, Wynton moved to Japan to play for JEF United Ichihara. He was the top scorer for his club in his second year there. In 1997, he briefly returned to Germany to play for 1. FC Kaiserslautern, helping them get promoted back to the top division.
Wynton then returned to New Zealand. He played for teams like Central United, North Shore United, and Auckland Kingz. He finally retired from playing professional football when he was almost 40 years old.
After retiring, Wynton started a football coaching school called WYNRS. This school has helped train many young football players, including women's international player Annalie Longo.
Wynton also took on coaching roles. He coached North Shore United with his brother Shane. He also coached the New Zealand Under-16 men's team and the country's first professional football team, Auckland Kingz. He was named Oceania's Player of the Century, which is a huge honor!
Playing for New Zealand
Wynton Rufer made his first international appearance for the New Zealand national team (also known as the All Whites) in 1980. He was only 17 years old!
He quickly became an important player for the All Whites. In 1981, he scored a goal in a World Cup qualifier against Kuwait. Later, in 1982, he scored the winning goal in a crucial playoff game against China. This win helped New Zealand qualify for the FIFA World Cup for the very first time!
At the World Cup in Spain, Wynton was the youngest player in the New Zealand squad at 19 years old. He played in all three of New Zealand's group games against Scotland, the Soviet Union, and Brazil. In total, he played 23 games for New Zealand and scored 12 goals.
Coaching Career
In 2014, Wynton Rufer became the manager of the Papua New Guinea national team. He also managed their Under-19 team.
Family Life
While playing in Switzerland, Wynton became a Christian. He married his wife, Lisa, in 1986. They have two sons, Caleb and Joshua, who also play football. Wynton's brother, Shane, and his nephew, Alex, have also played professional football and for the New Zealand national team.
Awards and Achievements
Wynton Rufer has won many awards throughout his career:
With Grasshoppers
- Swiss Cup: 1988–89
- Swiss Super Cup: 1989
With Werder Bremen
- Bundesliga (German League): 1992–93
- DFB-Pokal (German Cup): 1990–91, 1993–94
- DFB-Supercup: 1993, 1994
- UEFA Cup Winners Cup: 1991–92
With 1. FC Kaiserslautern
- 2. Bundesliga (German Second Division): 1996–97
With Central United
- Chatham Cup: 1997
Individual Awards
- New Zealand Young Player of the Year: 1981 and 1982
- Oceania Footballer of the Year: 1989, 1990, 1992
- FIFA Oceania Footballer of the Century
- UEFA Champions League Top-scorer: 1993–94
- Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit: Awarded in 2008 for his services to soccer.
- New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2005
- Maori Sports Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2007
- Wynton is also a member of the FIFA Football Committee, working with other football legends. He is also involved with the FIFA Ambassadors Against Racism Committee.
- IFFHS Legends
- IFFHS Oceania Men's Team of All Time: 2021
See also
In Spanish: Wynton Rufer para niños
