Moses Dyer earns All Whites recall after eight-year absence

Moses Dyer has earned a return to the New Zealand national team after more than eight years away from the All Whites, with the in-form forward selected for upcoming international matches against Palestine and China PR.

The 29-year-old has been included in Darren Bazeley’s first squad since the 2026 FIFA World Cup. New Zealand will face Palestine on September 24 and China PR on September 28 in Chongqing before travelling to Japan for the Kirin Cup.

Dyer’s recall is a reward for an exceptional start to the season with Phnom Penh Crown in Cambodia. He scored four goals in his first three Cambodian Premier League matches before adding two more in a 2-1 win over Malaysia’s Kuching City in the AFC Champions League Two.

The goals have returned Dyer to the attention of the All Whites staff at the right moment. New Zealand are beginning a new international phase after the World Cup, and Bazeley has selected a mixture of established players, new faces and footballers who have worked their way back into the picture.

Dyer has 11 senior caps and one goal for New Zealand. His only international goal came in the 2018 Intercontinental Cup, when the All Whites defeated hosts India 2-1. His most recent senior appearance also came during that tournament.

Since then, Dyer has taken one of the more varied routes in New Zealand football. He has played in New Zealand, Australia, Norway, Canada, the United States, Ireland and Cambodia. His successful spell with Galway United in Ireland, where he scored regularly and won the Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the Month award in April 2025, helped rebuild his profile before his move to Phnom Penh Crown.

The recall gives Dyer an opportunity to show that his club form can translate into a larger role with the national team. With Chris Wood unavailable for the games against Palestine and China PR, the All Whites will need others to take responsibility in attack.

For Dyer, this is more than a squad call-up. It is the return of a player who has spent years building his career across several countries and now has another chance to make his mark with New Zealand.