Best Friends Matt Garbett and Marko Stamenić Reach World Cup

When Matt Garbett and Marko Stamenić first met on Wellington's football fields as competitive young boys, neither could have imagined they'd one day share the world's biggest sporting stage together.

The two All Whites midfielders are heading to the 2026 FIFA World Cup as best friends, a bond forged over eight years of representing New Zealand together. They first pulled on the national team jersey at under-17 level in 2018, and they've been inseparable in the squad ever since.

Their story began at the Olé Football Academy in Porirua under former All White Declan Edge. Both were identified early as top 2002-born prospects, which meant they spent countless training sessions going head to head.

"Whenever he got the ball, I'd be after him, trying to get him," Garbett recalled. "We would get into it a little bit, but we'd still stay mates after training."

That friendly rivalry sharpened them both. The pair went to the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil together in 2019, then made their senior All Whites debuts in the same match against Curaçao in October 2021.

Since then, they've been ever-present in national team squads. Garbett has earned 36 caps and scored five goals, while Stamenić has 37 caps and three goals.

Their professional careers have taken them on separate paths across Europe. Garbett now plays for Peterborough United in England after stints in Sweden, Italy, and the Netherlands, while Stamenić is at Swansea City in Wales following time in Denmark, Serbia, and Greece.

Despite living apart since 2019, they speak almost every week. The five international windows each year when they reunite in person have become precious moments.

That bond deepened last November when Stamenić's father Niko suddenly passed away. Garbett arrived early to camp to be with his friend during an impossible time.

"The type of mate he is, he really looked after me," Stamenić said. Their families had grown close over the years, making the support even more meaningful.

When New Zealand Football announced the World Cup squad, they revealed the pair together. The two friends wear consecutive numbers, seven and eight, a perfect symbol of how they've walked this journey in step.

Why This Inspires

Garbett summed up their friendship simply: "I would say he's basically family and I think he would say the same." In a sport often defined by individual achievement, their story reminds us that the best victories are the ones we share with people we love.

Now their families will watch them play at a World Cup together, representing New Zealand on football's grandest stage after 16 years away from the tournament.

Two competitive boys from Wellington who pushed each other to be better are about to achieve their childhood dream side by side.