Wynton Rufer, born 29 December 1962 to a Swiss father and a mother of Ngati Porou (part Maori) descent, was a New Zealand international footballer remembered as his country's greatest ever player, finishing his international career with 38 caps and 17 goals. December 29 is the 363rd day of the year (364th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 2 days remaining. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ...

After graduating from Rongotai College, Rufer began his playing career with Wellington United in his native New Zealand, before representing Stop Out and Miramar Rangers. Having made his debut for New Zealand on 16 October 1980 against Kuwait, Rufer quickly established himself in the All Whites' side, and his youthful promise (he was voted New Zealand's Young Player of the Year in 1981 and 1982) attracted the attention of Norwich City manager Ken Brown, who invited Wynton and his brother Shane Rufer to Norfolk for a trial. Wellington United is soccer club in Wellington, New Zealand. ... Stop Out is a soccer club in New Zealand. ... Miramar Rangers AFC is a soccer club in Wellington, New Zealand. ... October 16 is the 289th day of the year (290th in leap years). ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... Norwich City Football Club are a football team based in Norwich, England. ... People who may be referred to as Ken Brown include: President of the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution: Kenneth P. Brown, Jr. ...

Wynton Rufer impressed and signed a professional contract on 23 October 1981, the first Kiwi footballer ever to do so. However, he was denied a work permit to play in England, so he joined FC Zurich in May 1982, having helped New Zealand to the 1982 FIFA World Cup, scoring the winning goal in a qualification play-off against China. Rufer played in all three of New Zealand's games, catching the eye despite failing to score. October 23 is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Fussballclub Zürich (or FCZ) is a football club from Zurich, Switzerland, founded 1896. ... Qualifying countries The 1982 Football World Cup was held in Spain by decision of FIFA in July 1966, in the same session where FIFA gave the right to host the 1974 and 1978 tournaments to, respectively, West Germany and Argentina. ...

During his time in Switzerland, Rufer converted to Christianity and married his wife, Lisa in 1986 - they have two sons, Caleb and Joshua. He also played for FC Aarau (Switzerland) and FC Grasshoppers, winning the Swiss Cup in 1988-1989 before moving to Werder Bremen, managed by Otto Rehhagel. FC Aarau is a Swiss football club, based in Aarau. ... The Grasshopper-Club Zürich, is a Zürich, Switzerland-based sports club, best known for its football team. ... Werder Bremen is a German football club playing in Bremen in the northwest German federal state of the same name. ... Otto Rehhagel (born August 9, 1938 in Essen) is a German football coach and former football player. ...

Rufer was an enormous success as part of Rehhagel's team, winning the German Cup in 1990-1991, and scoring in Werder's 2-0 win over AS Monaco in the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1992. His partnership with Klaus Allofs played a major part in Werder's 1992-1993 Bundesliga success, and he was the top scorer in the 1993-1994 UEFA Champions League tournament, winning another German Cup that same season. The Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club is a Monegasque football club, founded in 1924. ... The Cup Winners Cup was a football club competition between the winners of the European domestic cup competitions. ... Klaus Allofs (born December 5, 1956 in Düsseldorf) was a German footballer, and, since July 13, 1999 has been the manager of Werder Bremen. ... The Bundesliga (plural: -ligen) (Federal League, meaning nation-wide league) is the name for the premier league of any sport in Austria and Germany. ... The UEFA Champions League (which used to be named and is often still called the European Cup) is an annual club football competition organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for the most successful football clubs in Europe. ...

Rufer was also voted Oceania's Player of the Year in 1989, 1990 and 1992.

During the 1994-1995 season, Rufer left Bremen to join JEF United of Ichihara in the Japanese J.League, finishing as the club's leading scorer in 1995. However, when Rehhagel took on the task of resurrecting 1.FC Kaiserslautern's fortunes in 1996, he called upon Rufer to help fire the club back into the German top flight - Rufer's contribution helped the club win the Bundesliga II, although he left before Rehhagel remarkably won the Bundesliga the next season. JEF United Ichihara Chiba (ジェフユナイテッド市原・千葉) is a J. League team. ... Ichihara (市原市 Ichihara-shi) is a city located in Chiba, Japan. ... The J. League (in Japanese: Jリーグ, Officially 日本プロサッカーリーグ) is the top professional football league in Japan. ... 1. ...

In 1997 he returned to his homeland, joining Central United and establishing his own coaching school, Wynrs, producing Kiwi football stars such as Mario Hofmann and Michael Fitzgerald, as well as women's international Annalie Longo. Central United (formed in 1962) is a soccer club based in central Auckland, New Zealand. ...

Along with Shane, Rufer took on player-coaching duties at North Shore United in 1998, before coaching the national Under-16 squad ahead of the 1999 Junior World Cup Finals. He was appointed player-coach of New Zealand's first professional football team, FC Kingz (later renamed Auckland Kingz), participating in the Australian Soccer League for two seasons before finally retiring in 2001, having been named Oceania's Player of the Century ahead of Frank Farina (Australia) and Christian Karembeu (New Caledonia/France). North Shore United is a soccer club based in North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand. ... The New Zealand Knights FC, from Auckland , New Zealand , (formerly the Auckland Kingz Football Club, until 2004), are the only professional football (soccer) team in New Zealand. ... Frank Farina (born September 5, 1964 in Darwin, Northern Territory) was a player and, latterly, a coach of the Australia national football team, the Socceroos. ... Christian Karembeu (born December 3, 1970 in Lifou, New Caledonia) is a former French international football (soccer) player. ...

Wynton Rufer is currently a member of the Fifa Football Committee, alongside Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer, Michel Platini and Sir Bobby Charlton. He is also involved with the Fifa Ambassadors Against Racism Committee. In 2005 Rufer was the first football player to be inducted into the NZ Sports Hall of Fame. Edson Arantes do Nascimento, KBE (born October 23, 1940 in Três Corações, Brazil), best known by his nickname Pelé, is a former Brazilian football player, and widely regarded to be the greatest of all time. ... Franz Anton Beckenbauer (born September 11, 1945) is a German football coach, manager, and former player, nicknamed der Kaiser (the emperor) because of his elegant style, his leadership qualities, his first name Franz (reminiscent of the Austrian emperors), and his dominance on the football pitch. ... Michel Platini (June 21, 1955, JÅ“uf, Département Meurthe-et-Moselle) is a former French football player, regarded as one of the most elegant midfielders of his generation and possibly the greatest French footballer of all time. ... Sir Robert Bobby Charlton, CBE (born 11 October 1937) Ashington, Northumberland is a former English professional football player who won a World Cup medal and the European Footballer of the Year award in 1966. ...

External links

• Statistics and biography - Statistics and biography
• [1] - article on Rufer's Oceanic Player of the Century award
• Career - Rufer biography at Flown from the Nest, dedicated to former Norwich City players
• [2] - The official Wynrs site

	New Zealand squad - 1982 FIFA World Cup
1 Wilson | 2 Dods | 3 Herbert | 4 Turner | 5 Bright | 6 Almond | 7 Rufer | 8 Cole | 9 Wooddin | 10 Sumner | 11 Malcolmson | 12 Mackay | 13 Cresswell | 14 Elrick | 15 Hill | 16 Adam | 17 Boath | 18 Simonsen | 19 McClure | 20 Turner | 21 Pickering | 22 van Hattum | Coach: Adshead Frank Farina (born September 5, 1964 in Darwin, Northern Territory) was a player and, latterly, a coach of the Australia national football team, the Socceroos. ... The Oceania Footballer of the Year award is presented to the best football (soccer) player from the Oceania region. ... The Oceania Footballer of the Year award is presented to the best football (soccer) player from the Oceania region. ... Robert Slater (born November 22, 1964 in Lancashire, England) is an Australian football (soccer) player. ... Robert Slater (born November 22, 1964 in Lancashire, England) is an Australian football (soccer) player. ... The Oceania Footballer of the Year award is presented to the best football (soccer) player from the Oceania region. ... Robert Slater (born November 22, 1964 in Lancashire, England) is an Australian football (soccer) player. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_New_Zealand. ... First International New Zealand 3 - 1 Australia (Dunedin, New Zealand; June 17, 1922) Largest win New Zealand 13 - 0 Fiji (Auckland, New Zealand; August 16, 1981) Worst defeat New Zealand 0 - 10 Australia (Wellington, New Zealand; July 11, 1936) World Cup Appearances 1 (First in 1982) Best result Round 1... Qualifying countries The 1982 Football World Cup was held in Spain by decision of FIFA in July 1966, in the same session where FIFA gave the right to host the 1974 and 1978 tournaments to, respectively, West Germany and Argentina. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_New_Zealand. ... Richard Wilson was a New Zealand soccer player, who was a goalkeeper during the countrys only successful campaign to qualify for the World Cup, in 1982. ... Ricki Herbert (born April 10, 1961) is a former New Zealand soccer player and is currently the coach of the New Zealand national team, also known as the All Whites. ... Brian Turner was a New Zealand soccer player, who was a prominent squad member during the countrys only successful campaign to qualify for the World Cup, in 1982. ... Duncan Cole was a successful New Zealand soccer player who frequently represented his country in the 1970s and 80s. ... Steve Wooddin was a New Zealand soccer player, who was a leading striker during the countrys only successful campaign to qualify for the World Cup, in 1982. ... Steve Sumner was a New Zealand soccer player, who was captain of the national team during the countrys only successful campaign to qualify for the World Cup, in 1982. ... Sam Malcolmson (born 2 April 1948) was a Scottish born New Zealand footballer who played at the 1982 FIFA World Cup. ... Adrian Elrick was a successful New Zealand soccer player who frequently represented his country in the 1970s and 80s. ... Grant Turner was a successful New Zealand soccer player who frequently represented his country in the 1980s. ... Frank van Hattum was a New Zealand soccer player, who was a goalkeeper during the countrys only World Cup finals tournament, in 1982. ... John Adshead is the current head coach for the Australian A-League club the New Zealand Knights. ...