A few years before New Zealand forward Jesse Randall made three appearances off the bench for his nation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, he was developing his game in Highland Heights.
Last month, Randall, 23, became the first-ever Northern Kentucky soccer alumni to not only make a World Cup roster, but play in a game.
Randall logged a total of 60 minutes across three matches in the World Cup for the “All Whites.”
Two of his games came against teams who reached at least the final 16 in the tournament, Egypt and Belgium, respectively.
Randall’s appearances for the All Whites during this World Cup cycle, which ended in a group stage elimination, isn’t close to the first time he’s played with New Zealand’s national soccer team.
The 5’9” attacker has made appearances in the Oceania Football Confederation’s Men’s Nations Cup, scoring a goal in the final against Vanuatu to help secure a 3-0 win and New Zealand’s sixth title in the tournament.
Randall found the back of the net for New Zealand in the 2024 Summer Olympics in a 4-1 loss to the United States.
Former Norse soccer men’s head coach Stu Riddle coached Randall while he played at Northern Kentucky for a season and continues to keep in touch with the former Horizon League Freshman of the Year.
“I’m obviously very proud of what he has achieved, but I’m not surprised,” Riddle said. “His creative threat, whether that be scoring or assisting, really set him apart on the field.”
The 2020 Horizon League Coach of the Year praised Randall for not just what he can accomplish on the ball, but also outside the 90 minutes played.
“Jesse’s work ethic, fitness levels, speed, mental toughness, were huge off-the-ball strengths,” Riddle said. “Off the field, his attitude, coachability and desire to be the best every day set him apart.”
Randall’s humble attitude showed at NKU, where he never focused on getting the individual glories that soccer can carry, but instead strived to work hard with his team to achieve something great together, as a family. To him, “the team is the most important thing.”
“I think it’s nice to get goals and goal contributions, but it’s mainly about the team and we want to go as far as we can,” Randall said following a 3-1 win to IUPUI in 2021.
The story of how Jesse Randall found himself far from home in a place where the people eat chili and cheese on top of their hot dogs and where you get asked which high school you went to started when he was only 16 years old, still playing in New Zealand, where Riddle instantly fell in love with how Randall played soccer.
“[Randall] was 16 and playing in a men’s league in New Zealand. I remember texting my assistant coaches at halftime telling them we are onto something here, and we have a star of the future on our hands.”
His 5-goal performance in that game helped sail him across the Atlantic Ocean to sign with Northern Kentucky for the 2021 season.
In his 17 appearances with the Norse, 16 of which being starts, Randall bagged 10 goals, which include a hat trick against the VMI Keydets, along with five assists for a total of 1,441 minutes played across the season.
Randall has already found himself playing in New Zealand, South Carolina and Northern Kentucky, and he recently secured a move to the Scottish Premier League with historic club Dundee United following a title-winning season with Auckland FC in the Australian A-League.
With the Black Knights in Auckland, Randall saw himself as a regular on the team sheet, registering 50 appearances in two seasons, with nine goals scored in their championship 2025-2026 season.
“He has had an amazing calendar year, winning the A-League in Australia, which has garnered a move to the Scottish Premier League,” Riddle said.
The coach, a former member of the All Whites himself, noted how the best players in the Australian A-League, like Randall, tend to secure a spot in a European league, where the skill level becomes higher.
“You will find young players who perform well in the league get a move to one of the top leagues in Europe … [Randall] will need to perform well, which I am sure he will after a short adaptation period at his new club.”
The two had time to reunite after New Zealand’s exhibition game against England in Tampa, Florida, on June 6. Randall played 30 minutes in that match.
“It was great to catch up with him post-match, and we continue to message on a weekly basis.” Riddle said.
Having played for New Zealand at the international level just like Randall, Riddle will always have an interest in the national team he represented, but admits he’s gotten more intrigued knowing that Randall is on the squad.
“I have always had a vested interest in the All Whites,” Riddle said. “That has been elevated when you have a former player/friend actively involved.”