Auckland City football captain Ivan Vicelich says the team is acutely aware of the need to show that Oceania teams can hack it on the world stage.
The New Zealand franchise is in Japan to represent the region at next month's FIFA Club World Cup competition.
Their best ever finish at the event is fifth place in 2009 and Ivan Vicelich says the team knows they have to be competitive.
"Not just our club Auckland City - we want to do well for them - but also for New Zealand Football and Oceania. Whichever teams goes up there needs to perform well so we can represent the region and keep us on the map and show the world that we are good enough down under for representation in this tournament. Definitely crosses our mind and we know we're representing the whole of Oceania, which is massive."
Auckland City open their campaign against Japanese champs Hiroshima next Friday.
