After #YoungSocceroos outstanding victory in Under 20 Asian Cup Final last night, Melbourne Victory playmaker Alex #Badalato has scooped the player of the tournament award!👏👏
Massive night for Australian football - the future looks bright!
#AFCU20 #AUSvKSA
www.the-afc.com/en/national/...
Where that team went into that youth WC without much/any real hype, it's going to be interesting how the current team goes in Chile, and then beyond more individually. They've now got significant standards they themselves have set.
#AUSvKSA
Anyway, on top of this, the Okon family link is eerie with how much this also feels like a statement of arrival (or return) at U20 when Okon Sr. was himself a huge part (the star actually) of the groundbreaking 1991 Youth WC semi-final team #AUSvKSA #AFCU20
bsky.app/profile/hira...
Or more specifically, the progression of it is most heartening. The raw stuff has generally long been there imho, but what's been happening in the mid-late teens (and then beyond) has often left it maddeningly stagnant over the last quarter century or so. #AUSvKSA #AFCU20
The cool thing though is that this #AFCU20 success wasn't a case of Morgan getting it absolutely right where previous youth NT coaches have got it wrong as such ‒ he did a good job, no doubt, but there are still aspects in deployment that are iffy. But the talent really is heartening. #AUSvKSA
"How on Earth will you find what to be negative/concerned by with this undeniably great moment and tournament for Oz football, Hiro?"
... #AUSvKSA #AFCU20
As an Adelaide boy from way back, it's so good to see so many SA players in this squad. #AUSvKSA
Thank you Channel 10 for letting me know that I should take a deep breath. Because man, I can't handle the nerves of a penalty shootout.
#AUSvKSA #AFCU20
A massive win by Australia's Young Socceroos. AFC U20 Asian Cup Champions!! Fantastic save in the final kick of the penalty shootout by Steven Hall. #AUSvKSA
Yeah the boyyyys! #AUSvKSA
#AUSvKSA yeeeesssss!!!!!
what a great save #ausvksa
What a tournament from these #YoungSocceroos. Some of the best football we've seen from representative Australian teams. Some of the most exciting prospects we've seen for a while.
A potential seminal moment for the future of Australian football.
#AFCU20 #AUSvKSA
Beautiful tribute to his Grandad, too. Well done Steven. #AUSvKSA
Amazing. Australia has an Asian Cup trophy once again. #AUSvKSA
Here to help with reverse jinxes/really thought penalties weren't going to work out kthx #AUSvKSA #AFCU20
YESSSSSSS U20 ASIAN CUP CHAMPIONS #AUSvKSA
HALL YOU FUCKEN BEAUTY! #AUSvKSA
John Aloisi v Uruguay 2005
The grey wiggle 2022
That semi final at Suncorp 2023
And now the U20 Asian Cup 2025
Australian football is defined by penalty shoot outs
#AFCU20 #AUSvKSA
Fucking hell, Johnny that was close! #AUSvKSA
Brendon Santalab, that is how you take a panenka in a shootout #AUSvKSA
Probably where we lost it, with this being the last real good chance before Okon Jr. and Bennie had to go off and it petered out, but lovely again. Genuinely the team of the tournament and, liable as it is to changing from here, the one coming out of this looking the brightest. #AUSvKSA #AFCU20
