Young Blues keeper Henry Gray has been added to the full New Zealand squad ahead of two games against Australia for the Soccer Ashes.
The All Whites face the Socceroos first at Canberra’s GIO Stadium on Friday, then at the Go Media Stadium in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland next Tuesday.
Gray, who is yet to be capped at full level, spent time training with the All Whites senior side in October 2023 and during the summer of 2024 was an alternate for the New Zealand squad at the Paris Olympics but without being called upon.
The 20-year-old has been added to the squad along with Wellington Phoenix attacker Luke Brooke-Smith, 17, replacing Bournemouth keeper Alex Paulsen, who is on loan at Lechia Gdańsk, and Wrexham’s Liberato Cacace.
Gray and Brooke-Smith will be members of the NZ squad at the FIFA U20 World Cup 2025 which gets under way later this month in Chile.
Head coach Darren Bazeley said: "Henry and Luke are players we very much see as future All Whites so when it came to looking to name replacements for Libby and Alex we saw it as a great opportunity for them both, especially with them being part of the FIFA U20 World Cup.
"Both have earned this opportunity with really strong performances with their clubs and, while both are young, I have no reservations about them having something to offer at this level.
"Henry has been in squads with us previously but this will be the first time for Luke so I look forward to welcoming him to the All Whites and giving him the opportunity to show what he can do.”
Former Town central defender Cameron Burgess is in the Australia squad.
Gray, who was born in Mönchengladbach, spent the second half of 2024/25 on loan at Braintree Town, and won the National League side’s Young Player of the Season award.
Earlier in the campaign, he trained with the Blues’ first-team squad and signed a new contract at Portman Road.
Gray joined Town in the summer of 2023 from New Zealand Central League side Waterside Karori following a trial at the end of the previous campaign. He was previously with A-League club Wellington Phoenix’s reserves.