Elijah Just gave New Zealand fans something to believe in on Tuesday night in Los Angeles. The 26-year-old winger scored both his country's goals as the All Whites fought back and forth with Iran before settling for a 2-2 draw in their Group G opener. Ramin Rezaeian and Mohammad Mohebi cancelled out Just's efforts either side of halftime, but New Zealand's newest big-game player had already made his mark on this World Cup.
Who is Elijah Just and why is he making World Cup history?
Most casual football fans walking into SoFi Stadium on Tuesday wouldn't have known his name. That's changing fast. Elijah Just became the first New Zealand player ever to score two goals in a single FIFA World Cup match, and in doing so, pushed himself into rare company. Only five All Whites have ever scored at a World Cup – Steve Sumner and Steve Wooddin in 1982, Winston Reid and Shane Smeltz in 2010, and now Just in 2026.
He's not a household name by conventional measures. At 5-foot-9, he's compact rather than imposing. His club career traces an unconventional path – Auckland suburban football, Danish second division with Helsingor, then Horsens in the top flight, a loan spell in Austria with SKN St. Polten, and finally Motherwell in Scotland. He arrived at Fir Park last summer and scored seven goals in his debut season. Tuesday's brace also makes him the first Motherwell player to score at a FIFA World Cup.
His opener came in the seventh minute – a volley struck cleanly after linking up with Chris Wood inside Iran's box. His second arrived early in the second half, again with Wood involved, this time teeing him up after a neat passing move. Wood, New Zealand's most recognisable attacking name, did the assisting. Just did the finishing.
Can New Zealand cause more upsets with Just leading the line?
Elijah Just's confidence going into this tournament wasn't performative. Speaking to NewstalkZB before the tournament, he had said: "We are expecting to get some results, and I think going into every single game, we're going to back ourselves. We believe in ourselves. The quality of players we have, the depth we have."
That belief is now backed by evidence. One match in, Just has 11 international goals from 45 caps and a World Cup stage that suits exactly the kind of player he is – fearless, quick, and direct. New Zealand didn't win on Tuesday, but they showed they can compete.
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About the Author
Prantik Prabal Roy
Prantik Prabal Roy is a passionate sports writer who eats, breathes, and lives the game. Since 2020, he has been in the content writing industry after completion of his Master's degree in English literature and covering the NFL since 2024 with sharp insights, while also diving into the NHL and MLB with equal enthusiasm. He loves crafting content that drives traffic without sacrificing quality. He blends storytelling with analysis to keep readers hooked. When he's not writing, Prantik can be found cheering on the Buffalo Bills or diving into books that celebrate the world of sports.
