Alex Paulsen

Alex Paulsen is the youngest of New Zealand's goalkeeping options and the one with arguably the highest ceiling. Developed at Wellington Phoenix before joining Bournemouth's setup, he has since moved to Lechia Gdańsk in Poland to secure regular first-team football — a pragmatic choice that reflects the reality facing young New Zealand players who need minutes over prestige. At 23, he is still developing his reading of the game at senior level, but his shot-stopping ability and composure have drawn attention. For the All Whites, he represents the future of the position and will be pushing for more involvement as the tournament progresses.