Successful Australian men's youth sides have often modestly gone about their business and excite through individual talent at their best. The Joeys of 2019 and the Olyroos at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics are the most recent examples of extrapolating the class of talent available in such a scenario. Whatever expectations were had then, ahead of the current U20 Asian and World Cup cycles, have not only been exceeded but comfortably established how those expectations ought to be judged. Such is the sheer gravity of what the Young Socceroos have gone on to achieve in Shenzhen, China, this past month.
The Young Socceroos were in dreamland after Jaylan Pearman's strike sunk Japan in the semi-final. (Image: Asian Football Confederation)
Understanding what brought about this success for the current Young Socceroos is a discussion that quickly becomes a long-winded and fairly complex conversation in obtaining an adequate diagnosis.
However, the pillars in such a discussion start with two significant domestic and tactical developments in how the side found a way to go where an Australian team had seldom been for many years.
The first was the rise of a squad with senior minutes in the A-League Men, which, for one reason or another, had not always been so readily available for previous squads. Many point to the financial position of the league and the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic that led to better-conditioned players under 23 who league-wide received more game time.
The players' potential was not only quite naturally unlocked and tipped in favour of a team far above its Asian rivals but also proved what such experience can do to enhance the ability of Australian football to achieve such fantastic results at even the youth levels, with even the U17 Joeys side shaping up as a group that, particularly in the next two months, will be primed for similar levels of success.
On-pitch affairs for this Young Socceroos side also naturally played a part in the talent possessed by the group, including Perth Glory breakout star Daniel Bennie, now with Queens Park Rangers, the physically demanding centre forward Musa Toure, produced by Adelaide United and now plying his trade in Europe.
Adelaide United products Luka Jovanovic and Musa Toure are the joint top scorers for the Young Socceroos at the Asian Cup. (Image: Subway Young Socceroos)
While other names familiar to A-League Men fans, such as Jonny Yull and the expected U20 Asian Cup tournament MVP in the eyes of many, Alex Badolato, who has become the beneficiary of a domestic loanee system introduced in recent years, moving to Melbourne Victory from the Western Sydney Wanderers.
The tactical output of the group, being constructed by head coach Trevor Morgan, was therefore crucial in changing fortunes and setting up the successes we have come to embrace throughout the Asian Cup.
Firstly, on the cosmetic and mental preparation, Football Australia and Morgan left no stone unturned, having a pre-tournament camp in Tokyo with the blessing of the Japan Football Association and a match simulation against the national side that left the team as confident as ever.
The approach signified the installation of putting in the necessary steps to provide for the already talented side in a way such a team previously may not have been looked after; whoever the orchestrators of such an event may be, they clearly understood the benefit in doing so.
The team also played hosts China in a 1-1 draw previously at the China Panda Cup invitational, an exceptional run-in tournament to acclimatise with the host nation and provide a launch pad for success.
In the eyes of the overall youth program, Morgan and the powers that be also wanted to undo some demons in the closet.
The extensive preparation was potentially a response to the eventual failure of the U23 men's Olyroos team throughout 2024, who, after success in the invitational French-hosted Maurice Revello Tournament, failed massively at the Asian Cup, not registering any goals across three group games. Particularly in the criticism of the group and coach Tony Vidmar, among squad selection issues, was the tactical style employed by the group at the tournament.
Upon arrival in South China, Morgan wanted to address this and add value to how he foresaw the team progressing into the tournament with an established mindset that would exemplify this squad above others from a similar vein.
"Every time you design a game plan and have the players selected for such an occasion, you need to pair this with the intent to win; that's a simple thing," Morgan said pre-tournament.
He further wanted to install a previously unfounded confidence level in the squad.
"I think the second thing is that these are young players that can play good football, that need to be encouraged to express this and make it one of the biggest problems for our opponents. It is so important we don't be a one-dimensional team; you don't want one way of scoring or creating threats. We have a simple set of principles, and we want them (the players) to make that decision."
So, with an advanced intent to win and the one-dimensional football redefined into the Australian curriculum, the wheels were already turning on the path to reaching a peak level of performance.
Another win for the team was that of the tournament draw and format, with typical heavyweights Japan, South Korea, and reigning champions Uzbekistan all avoided, Australia joining hosts China, whom they had already met in the lead-up, with Qatar, who we defeated 9-0 at the last time of asking in 2023, and Kyrgyzstan, who were on paper arguably the tournament's weakest outfit.
This sentiment likely rang true after Australia opened their account with a 5-1 win, with Luka Jovanovic scoring just minutes after kick-off.
Against Qatar, Australia was in for a far different encounter than what had taken place in Tashkent two years prior. The Qataris led after 19 minutes through imposing striking option Mohammed Gouda. Badolato equalised five minutes later, and the rest of the match belonged to Australia. Dean Bosnjak and Daniel Bennie finished the job in a win where the overall character and class of the side stood out.
It's a theme that has not stopped as the team has grown with more impressive results at the tournament. Playing off against China for Group A honours, the Young Socceroos would sit 2-0 up by the 25th minute courtesy of Melbourne City's Medin Memeti and Sydney FC product Louis Agosti. China hit back four minutes later, but the ability to quell any threats ended the contest, stunningly similar to the fixture with the Qataris.
By the time the quarter-final to book a World Cup spot arrived, and the Young Socceroos stared at their first tournament birth since 2013, their biggest show of character and strength exemplified Morgan's overall sentiment on having the proper principles as a squad.
The Iraqis took the lead twice, with Amoori Faisal's stunner opening the scoring in the 15th minute, and they again scored after half an hour through Mustafa Qabeel.
The unique revelation of the three goals scored by the Young Socceroos, though, all presented a different challenge that proved what makes the squad so special in the simplest of terms.
Between Iraq's two goals, it was the boot of Jovanovic in rather fortuitous circumstances from a long-range free-kick that provided a spark and a reminder that the squad were in the game, even when, at times, not looking the stronger of the two teams.
The quick reply from Qabeel and the subsequent half-time break then locked Australia into gear where their physical attributes and hard work would reign supreme. Being mentally geared to have the quality to equalise in such a crucial game still requires a particular level-headed approach, which younger players may not always have the resilience for.
Australia naturally produced what was required through an excellent finish, terrific cohesion, and tidy build-up play. After the goal from Panagiotis Kikianis, they would quickly look more threatening.
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The game needed its icon, and Badolato had to be the one to provide the iconic moment sending the Young Socceroos back to the promised land.
After this fact, the story still had more to tell: a historic 2-0 victory over Japan in a result no one could have genuinely grasped heading into it.
In his pre-match press conference, Japanese coach Yuzo Funakoshi gave signs of life: "We have analysed the Australian team. At first, we thought they mainly relied on their physique and technicality. But they actually have a very technical approach in moving towards goal, using various systems."
This observation presented the idea that Japan didn't know exactly how strong and technically sound a mostly A-Leagues experienced lineup would be for this level; ultimately, a gulf in class showed itself in Australia's favour, and the rest was history.
So, in all that has been explored and learnt from the campaign, what exciting chapter next lies ahead for Australian football, and should the side come back from South China as Asian champions, how will the game become geared on home soil for a chance to sustain and engrain success across multiple levels?
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