The teenage forward explained what he was doing when he received the call from Darren Bazeley confirming his selection.
“I was buzzy,” he said.
“I was just in my room, just relaxing, and then you just get a call and it’s a good feeling.
“[The] squad’s a good bunch of guys, they’re very welcoming. Of course, they’re all much older than me, but I’m getting used to it and it’s good to be here.
“It’ll mean a lot for everybody back home who’s watching me in Croatia also for my family.”
Ukich made the move to Pula-based Istra in 2025 from Auckland City FC, scoring his first senior goal for the club in early September against Zagorec Krapina in a 5-0 Croatian Cup win.
He made his Croatian top-flight debut earlier this season, becoming the first Kiwi to appear in the competition.
The All Whites begin their international window against Palestine on September 24 in Chongqing, China, followed by a match against China in the same city on September 28.
They then head to Japan to play in the 2026 Kirin Cup, playing Panama on October 1 and either Ecuador or Japan in the final or third-place playoff on October 5.
All Whites squad:
Lachlan Bayliss – Auckland FC, New Zealand
Tyler Bindon – Charlton Athletic (loan), England
Callan Elliot – Auckland FC, New Zealand
Henry Gray – Wellington Phoenix (loan), New Zealand
Dane Ingham – Sabah, Malaysia
Eli Just – Swansea City, Wales
Callum McCowatt – AGF, Denmark
Ben Old – Saint-Etienne, France
Owen Parker-Price – Orgryte, Sweden
Alex Paulsen – Motherwell (loan), Scotland
Nando Pijnaker – Auckland FC, New Zealand
Jesse Randall – Dundee United, Scotland
Logan Rogerson – Auckland FC, New Zealand
Alex Rufer – Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand
Marko Stamenić – Swansea City, Wales
George Stanger – Kilmarnock, Scotland
Finn Surman – Portland Timbers, US
Sam Sutton – Perth Glory, Australia
Stipe Ukich – NK Istra 1961, Croatia
Ben Waine – Port Vale, England
Dalton Wilkins – Sønderjyske, Denmark
Chris Wood (c) – Nottingham Forest, England
Michael Woud – Auckland FC, New Zealand
