"We are going for the quarter-finals, really. We believe we can get out of our group and once you do that it's the knock-out stages in the round of 16, where anything can happen.
"We think we can go as far as any New Zealand age group side has gone before."
The team left at the weekend for a warm-up game in Australia (lost 5-0) ahead of tune-ups against Iraq and Egypt in Turkey, filled with a new wave of players increasingly honing their skills in private football institutions such as the Ole Football Academy.
"It's a great set-up, we've got a new million dollar turf right outside where we sleep.
"It's a very professional. We train twice a day and all the schooling is offered here for all the boys. There are a lot of pathways set up through this place and a lot of people to help you out - it's fantastic."
Growing up in a famous footballing family did not hurt either. "Declan helped us quite a lot when we were kids - everything with him is technical and he's part of bringing in a different game that no-one has really seen in New Zealand before."
If Edge has his way he will not spend much more time in training at the Porirua facility where his uncle now coaches.
"It's my dream to go and play in Europe and I'll be looking to find some trials and then see what happens.
"There'll be heaps of scouts at the World Cup and people are helping me through the Old A so I've got heaps of options open to me, which is good."
The avid Liverpool fan, who predominantly plays in the midfield, described receiving his national kit as being "like Christmas", before tipping former Te Puke Intermediate pupil Thomas as a player to watch.
"Ryan Thomas is pretty different up front. He's really skilful and he gets moves going really well."
