Blues keeper Henry Gray and his fellow New Zealand youngsters bowed out of the U20 World Cup in Chile overnight following a 3-0 defeat to Japan.

That result saw the Kiwis finish bottom of their group having lost two and won one of their three matches.

The 20-year-old glovesman had an up and down tournament, making a last-gasp error which handed the hosts a 2-1 win in the opening game, before being named Player of the Match in the 2-1 victory over Egypt.

Gray was in the senior squad for the Soccer Ashes games against Australia during the last international break, having been with the All Whites previously in 2023, but is yet to win a full cap.

The keeper, 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, who is still to make a senior debut for Town, joined the club 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.

Photo: Matchday Images

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