All Whites captain Chris Wood has an injury at the FIFA World Cup 2026 OFC Qualifiers Photo: DJ Mills / Phototek.nz
All Whites striker Chris Wood is waiting to fully understand the extent of the injury that he picked up in Monday night's 2026 Football World Cup qualifier against New Caledonia.
The Nottingham Forest target man was subbed off early in the second half of the All Whites' 3-0 win when he hurt himself swivelling for a shot before the hour mark.
Wood said he was feeling the pain from the knock on his hip, which would be scanned on Tuesday afternoon before Wood returned to England.
"That's where the pain is at the moment, I felt it on that side so I'll get it checked over and hopefully it is nothing too major and hopefully it's just impact," the 33-year-old said on Tuesday morning.
Forest fans took to social media to express concern about Wood, who has scored 18 goals in the English Premier League so far this season, to be fourth on the goal-scoring list behind Mohamed Salah, Erling Haaland and Alexander Isak.
Supporters will be hoping Wood is fit to play with an FA Cup quarter-final game against Brighton on Sunday (NZT), followed by a Premier League game against Manchester United on 2 April (NZT).
Forest are sitting third in the Premier League and are pushing to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 45 years.
Wood said he enjoyed the moment of New Zealand qualifying for the World Cup for just the third time, and for the first since 2010, but his club commitments meant he had to move on quickly.
"I've got some great things to hopefully achieve coming up in the next three months both personally and on the pitch, so a lot more I want to achieve before I can celebrate in the (European) summer."
Wood once again committed to returning for All Whites duty when they play in upcoming international windows against Côte d'Ivoire and Ukraine in June as well as Haaland's Norway side in October.
"That's the only way the team is going to be good is if we have all our players together and pulling in the same direction, so that's the plan and the opportunity we have to progress."
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