Paraguay, but New Zealand were knocked out of the group stages. However, it is surely indisputable that New Zealand's biggest honour was to draw 1–1 with Italy, who were the reigning champions. Nelsen was named in a football "World Cup Best XI" by American sports channel, ESPN on 10 July 2010. Coaching career On 8 January 2013 Nelsen accepted an offer to become head coach of Major League Soccer side Toronto FC. He started on 1 February in time for Toronto's pre-season. Nelsen won his first game as a head coach in the home opener against Sporting Kansas City in a 2–1 victory on 9 March, with both goals coming from newly acquired striker Robert Earnshaw. He was sacked, along with his assistants, on 31 August 2014 after winning three out of his last 13 matches. Writing career Nelsen and New Zealand author Tony Smith co-wrote the book Ryan Nelsen's Road to the World Cup. Career statistics Club career statistics International goals and caps New Zealand's goal tally first. Managerial statistics Honours In the 2011 New Year Honours, Nelsen was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to football. D.C. United MLS Cup: 2004 Blackburn Rovers UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2007 New Zealand OFC Nations Cup: 2002, 2008 Merdeka Cup: 2000 Individual IFFHS OFC Men's Team of the Decade 2011–2020 IFFHS Oceania Men's Team of All Time: 2021 Oceania Footballer of the Year: 2006, 2010 See also New Zealand at the FIFA World Cup List of New Zealand international footballers References External links NZ Football Profile Qpr Profile 1977 births Living people All-American men's college soccer players Association football defenders Association footballers from Christchurch Blackburn Rovers F.C. players D.C. United draft picks D.C. United players Greensboro College alumni Major League Soccer All-Stars Major League Soccer players New Zealand association footballers New Zealand expatriate association footballers New Zealand sportsmen New Zealand writers Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit Olympic association footballers of New Zealand People educated at St Thomas of Canterbury College Premier League players Queens Park Rangers F.C. players Stanford Cardinal men's soccer players Tottenham Hotspur F.C. players Toronto FC coaches Expatriate soccer managers in Canada Expatriate soccer players in the United States Expatriate footballers in England New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in the United States New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in Canada New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in England New Zealand international footballers 1999 FIFA Confederations