IWI: Ngāti Porou

MARAE: Taharoa (Waipiro Bay)

BIRTHPLACE: Wellington (29 December 1962)

SOCCER

Biography | tuhinga koi ora

Arthur Rufer arrived in NZ from Switzerland in 1957 and married Anne Hine Campbell, they had three children; Shane, Donna and Wynton Alan Whai, and they were raised in Wellington, attending Strathmore Park Primary, Evans Bay Intermediate, Rongotai College and Donna went to Wellington East Girls’ College.

Wynton’s football career began like most growing up in NZ, Mum and Dad carting their children on Saturday mornings to school and club grounds, starting at Wellington Diamond United, Rongotai College, Miramar Rangers, Norwich City in England and then. FC Zurich in Switzerland with brother Shane where their outstanding careers are renowned, but not to be outdone was sister Donna, an excellent squash player.

After a distinguished football career in Switzerland, Germany and Japan, Wynton came home to NZ in 1997 with his Australian wife Lisa and children Caleb and Joshua and set up a soccer academy with his brother Shane -Wynrs (winners) NZ Trust- promoting and serving youth football throughout NZ.

Currently (June 2009) Wynton and family who reside in Auckland is continuing to develop his soccer school www.wynrs.co.nz. His son Caleb (DOB 11.10.91) is one of seven players that have been developed by Wynrs and signed professional overseas.

Achievements | tutukitanga

Soccer

All Whites (New Zealand National Team) Record

10 Caps U-19’s and 39 Caps for the New Zealand All Whites

Spain 1982 World Cup member vs. Scotland, Russia and Brasil European Honours

Swiss Cup Winner – with Grasshoppers 1989

German Cup Winner – with Werder Bremen 1991 (1 goal), 1994 (1 goal)

European Cup Winners – Cup Winner with Werder Bremen v Monaco 1992 (1assist, 1 goal)

Bundesliga Champion – with Werder Bremen 1993 (2nd top scorer)

-German Super Cup Winner – 1994 /1995 with Werder Bremen

-European Super Cup Finalist – 1993 v Barcelona (1 goal)

-European Champions League top scorer 1992/93 (8 goals) Professional Soccer Career

-First contract as an 18 year old with Norwich City , England

-7 years in the Swiss Pro League with FC Zurich, FC Aarau and Grasshoppers Zurich

-6 years in the German Bundesliga with SV Werder Bremen and 1. FC Kaiserslautern

-2 years in the Japanese Pro League (J-League) with JEF United

-1999 – 2001 Player/Coach of New Zealand Football Kingz (New Zealand’s first professional team playing in the Australian National Soccer League) Honours

Honours

-FIFA Oceania Player of the Century

-FIFA World XI – Tokyo 1995 / Sydney 1999 / Capetown 2007

-Top 20 all time leading goal scorers list in European Cup Competition (before the new Champions League format.)

-FIFA 100 legends list from 2004

-FIFA Ambassadors for Racism Committee, since April 2005 (President: Thierry Henry)

-Māori Sports Awards – He Oranga Poutama

-Wynton Rufer, Wynrs Soccer Academy 2003 New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame 2005

-Māori Sports Hall of Fame 2007

-Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) 2008