With the number of golden beaches around Oceania, it's no surprise many of the Pacific islands rank among the best in the world in beach football.
It's a sport recognised by FIFA and even has its own World Cup with some of the beautiful game's biggest names, such as Arsenal's Granit Xhaka or Brazilian legend Ronaldihno, taking their first strides in football at the beach.
Another big name in the sport is Angelo Schirinzi — a former player turned manager who was last year awarded FIFA's Beach Football Player of the Year.
"It was 20 years ago I saw Eric Cantona playing in Monaco when I saw this game," Schirinzi recalled.
"I was attracted from the first moment, I was in love."
Schirinzi currently coaches the Swiss national beach football team but he also played a big part in the growth of the sport in the Pacific, even taking Tahiti to multiple World Cup finals.
"The small countries in this region, they already see the possibility that you can have with beach football," Schirinzi said.
"You can get FIFA awards, it's a big benefit for the federation — which federation can say they have a golden ball winner?"
Schirinzi is in New Zealand following a tour of Pacific nations to work with their beach football teams ahead of the upcoming Oceania World Cup qualifiers — where Aotearoa won't be represented.
New Zealand Football say they're keen to develop different forms of the game — a goal shared by Oceania Football Confederation head of development Paul Toohey.
"The key for New Zealand at the moment would be, if it's looking for a long-term development of the sport, would take some serious investment," Toohey said.
Schirinzi said it would be worth the backing though.
"I hope the sport is coming to New Zealand soon."
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