Photo by: Evan Halpop
Brotherton earns first cap with New Zealand national team
November 12, 2015 | Men's Soccer
Days after finishing his freshman season, defender starts for New Zealand in friendly against Oman
MADISON, Wis. – Just days after completing his freshman season with the Wisconsin men's soccer team, Sam Brotherton earned his first full international cap with New Zealand by starting for the All Whites in a friendly against Oman on Thursday.
The 19-year-old from Auckland, New Zealand, started at center back and played all 90 minutes for the All Whites, who scored in the fifth minute and went on to shut out Oman for a 1-0 victory. Brotherton was one of four players who made their senior debut in the All Whites' final match of 2015, as he and Henry Cameron started the game and second-half substitutes Logan Rogerson and Te Atawhai-Hudson Wihongi also recorded their first senior cap.
"Sam had a great first season here at Wisconsin and that was acknowledged with him earning all-freshman team honors from the Big Ten," Wisconsin head coach John Trask said. "I think that with the way Sam has already adjusted to collegiate soccer, he's only going to get better. It's great to see a young man like that get rewarded for his work. Also, for a player of Sam's age to be called up and start for his full national team is something that is extremely rare for any college player. This kind of experience is something that bodes well for the future with Sam and our program.
"The fact that Sam is not only a member of the Wisconsin men's soccer program, but also a representative of the University of Wisconsin is something we're proud of."
Brotherton started all 16 games he played in for Wisconsin this season and was named to the 2015 Big Ten All-Freshman Team. He missed two non-conference games with the Badgers this year due to his call up to train with the New Zealand full national team.
An up-and-coming talent in the New Zealand national team system, Brotherton played this past summer in the 2015 FIFA Under-20 Men's World Cup for host country New Zealand. He started all four matches for New Zealand at the U-20 World Cup and scored a goal in the team's decisive win that advanced them out of group play for the first time in history. Brotherton was also among 22 players called up to participate with the full New Zealand National Team for its friendly against Korea this past March.
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The 19-year-old from Auckland, New Zealand, started at center back and played all 90 minutes for the All Whites, who scored in the fifth minute and went on to shut out Oman for a 1-0 victory. Brotherton was one of four players who made their senior debut in the All Whites' final match of 2015, as he and Henry Cameron started the game and second-half substitutes Logan Rogerson and Te Atawhai-Hudson Wihongi also recorded their first senior cap.
"Sam had a great first season here at Wisconsin and that was acknowledged with him earning all-freshman team honors from the Big Ten," Wisconsin head coach John Trask said. "I think that with the way Sam has already adjusted to collegiate soccer, he's only going to get better. It's great to see a young man like that get rewarded for his work. Also, for a player of Sam's age to be called up and start for his full national team is something that is extremely rare for any college player. This kind of experience is something that bodes well for the future with Sam and our program.
"The fact that Sam is not only a member of the Wisconsin men's soccer program, but also a representative of the University of Wisconsin is something we're proud of."
Brotherton started all 16 games he played in for Wisconsin this season and was named to the 2015 Big Ten All-Freshman Team. He missed two non-conference games with the Badgers this year due to his call up to train with the New Zealand full national team.
An up-and-coming talent in the New Zealand national team system, Brotherton played this past summer in the 2015 FIFA Under-20 Men's World Cup for host country New Zealand. He started all four matches for New Zealand at the U-20 World Cup and scored a goal in the team's decisive win that advanced them out of group play for the first time in history. Brotherton was also among 22 players called up to participate with the full New Zealand National Team for its friendly against Korea this past March.
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