Underrated Striker is a Game-Changer for Club and Country

Nottingham Forest and New Zealand star Chris Wood is arguably one of the most underrated strikers in the world.

Wood has become Forest’s talisman since signing for them, while he is undoubtedly the main man where New Zealand are concerned.

Wood is a Key Cog for Forest

Since Nuno Espirito Santo’s first Premier League game in charge of Nottingham Forest, only Erling Braut Haaland (21) has scored more non-penalty goals than Wood (19).

Forest were docked four points for breaching Profit & Sustainability Rules last season, plunging them into a relegation battle for survival. However, they finished the season one place above the drop zone with 32 points thanks to the Auckland-born centre-forward.

That tally is the lowest total of any team to survive relegation in the Premier League era, beating the 34 points West Bromwich Albion collected when they stayed up in 2004/05.

Wood scored a ton of important goals last season including a hat-trick in a 3-1 victory over former club Newcastle United.  He is leading the scoring charts again for Forest this season, and his efforts have fired Forest into contention for European qualification.

Wood has recorded double figures in six different Premier League seasons, a feat matched by only Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City), Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal) and Heung-min Son (Tottenham).

His recent goal against Man United also means he joins Alan Shearer as the only player to be the all-time Premier League top scorer for two clubs. While Wood may not always grab the headlines, his contributions to his teams are undeniable.

His performances for Forest have been impressive, and he continues to prove he is one of the most underrated strikers in the Premier League.

Leading New Zealand to the Promised Land

New Zealand have failed to qualify for the last three editions of the World Cup. They have not had a chance to strut their stuff on the world stage since their 2010 appearance in South Africa.

However, the All Whites are favourites to seal qualification from the Oceania continent ahead of American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tonga and Vanuatu.

Considering their competition, you would not bet against NZ taking the continent’s lone qualification slot for the 2026 World Cup. The top football betting websites in New Zealand will be inundated with wagers backing the Kiwis to qualify for the 2026 showpiece with Wood spearheading the charge.

The New Zealand captain leads by example. He is the top goalscorer in qualifiers with six goals and will be pivotal to their chances of qualifying for the World Cup. Wood has scored in all of their World Cup qualifying games. He netted once against Tahiti before following it with a brace as they thrashed Vanuatu 8-1.

The Forest man stole the show with a hat-trick in the 8-0 mullering of Samoa to take his tally for the national team to 34 goals in 78 appearances.

New Zealand face Fiji in the semi-final stage. They will take confidence from their impressive record against their opponents. They have beaten Fiji in their last three meetings, winning by an 8-0 aggregate. The Kiwis have the upper hand, especially with Wood leading the line.

As New Zealand aim to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, Wood’s leadership and goalscoring prowess will be crucial to their success. If they make it to North America, do not be surprised if Wood helps them upset the odds at the tournament.