The former All Whites captain Steve Sumner will join the likes of Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer and Sir Bobby Moore when he receives the FIFA Order of Merit in Johannesburg next month.
Sumner led New Zealand to the 1982 World Cup and FIFA's Executive Committee has nominated him following a proposal from the Oceania Football Confederation and New Zealand Football.
He will become the first New Zealander to receive the Order, which is awarded to people considered to have made a significant contribution to football and will be presented during the FIFA Congress on June 9-10.
Sumner says he feels very humbled to receive an award which has been given to some fantastic footballers, as well as people like Nelson Mandela.
After moving from England as a 17-year-old Sumner played 105 matches for New Zealand as a midfielder, scoring 27 goals.
One was in New Zealand's 5-2 loss to Scotland in Spain in 1982, the only goals the All Whites scored at the tournament.
