Meet South Australia’s homegrown next generation Socceroos ahead of the national side’s Adelaide match
The Socceroos are en route to Adelaide – a city described as a football factory. These are SA’s up-and-coming stars of the world game you need to know.
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Adelaide is set to be in the grips of football fever as the Socceroos prepare to play in South Australia for the first time since 2017.
Australia will face China in an AFC Asian qualifier as part of their FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification campaign on October 10 at Adelaide Oval and while the national team struts it stuff in front of a SA audience, The Advertiser is shining the light on the young local talent who could one day play on the world stage.
After all, Adelaide has been described as a football factory with leading junior talent coming from the city.
Ahead 0f the Tillies visit to SA earlier in the year we highlighted the young athletes dreaming of donning a Matildas uniform.
Panagiotis Kikianis
Hailing from the Fullham United FC in the western suburbs, the young Adelaide United player has been making a name for himself in the football world.
Panagiotis Kikianis is fresh off performing well in Australia’s AFC U20 Asian Cup China PR 2025 qualifiers which was held in Abha, Saudi Arabia in September.
He scored twice in a win against Macau and is tipped to be a one to watch during this year’s A-League.
In July, Kikianis has signed a new five-year deal with Adelaide United after he ended 2023-24 with five appearances and a goal.
The five-year contact is the longest contact in A-League history.
MEET THE NEXT GENERATION TILLIES
Amlani Tatu
Amlani Tatu is one of the country’s brightest young stars and the 16 year old was rewarded with a three-year deal with Adelaide United in August.
Tatu participated in the 2024 U16s National Youth Championships for SA and he took out the player of the tournament award.
He played his first junior matches at the Salisbury East Soccer Club in the under six and seven age groups before playing at Croydon FC, being part of Football SA’s NTC program before progressing into Adelaide United youth and reserves sides.
Tatu said signing his first professional deal was a surreal moment for him and his family.
“While I have worked incredibly hard to get to this moment, I didn’t think it would happen this early,” he said.
“It’s every kid’s dream in Adelaide to play for their home club, and I am so proud.
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with some incredible coaches who have helped me get to where I am today, including the coaches at Croydon FC, Paul Vanis and Richie Alagich at Football South Australia, and Airton Andrioli at Adelaide United — I am incredibly grateful for their mentorship.”
Feyzo Kasumovic
Feyzo Kasumovic, 16, is another homegrown star snapped up by Adelaide United on a three year deal.
The teenage prodigy played his junior football at Croydon FC, Fulham United FC, the Western Strikers SC and was in the Football SA NTC Program from under 13s through to under 18s.
The talented defender was selected to join the Australian Joey’s squad this year.
In 2022, Kasumovic attended the under-14 National Youth Championships and was the under-15 league winner.
The following year he was selected in the under-15 National Youth Championships and represented the state as part of the Football South Australia (FSA) under-18 side.
Upon his signing with United, Kasumovic thanked all his junior coaches throughout his football career as saying they had “helped develop him into the player he is today”.
“I have been working extremely hard on and off the pitch, and the hard work doesn’t stop here,” he said.
“This opportunity is a step in my life that I will forever be grateful for, and it means that I must keep working even harder to achieve greater things in the future.”
Bailey O’Neil
Bailey O’Neil, 18, is another Adelaide United Youth player who impressed for the Young Reds in the National Premier Leagues SA.
So much so, he was selected for the AFC U17 Asian Cup Thailand 2023, performing well as a key player for the Joeys.
The St Peter’s College product was also selected in the Australian U20 squad and has now signed a scholarship contract with Adelaide United Football Club.
O’Neil’s soccer journey started in the under-8s with the Western Strikers SC before more junior football at Croydon FC and Fulham United FC.
He was also part of Football SA’s NTC program.
Luka Jovanovic
Luka Jovanovic, 19, has been a teenage star of the A-League since his debut for Adelaide United in November 2022.
Jovanovic won the John Aloisi Rising Star award for his hot form for the Reds in the National Premier Leagues SA over the 2022 season.
He has represented Australia in the under-20s with multiple caps but most recently shone on the international stage with two goals in an AFC U20 Asian Cup China PR 2025 qualifier against Afghanistan in Saudi Arabia last month.
Jovanovic has been described as a star of the future.
Noah Ellul
Adelaide goalkeeper Noah Ellul continues to shine and recently tasted success as pat of Australia’s 2024 ASEAN under-16 boys championship team.
The 16-year-old former West Torrens Birkalla player has impressed as part of Adelaide United’s youth squad and this year he made his senior NPL debut with the Reds.
He has many accolades and was named Under 15 Goalkeeper of the Tournament at the 2023 National Youth Championships.
It was Ellul’s second time winning a national title after being named the Under 14 Goalkeeper of the Tournament the previous year in Coffs Harbour.
Steven Hall
He was just a schoolkid when he became the A-League’s youngest goalkeeper in history and Steven Hall’s star continues to rise overseas.
Hall joined Adelaide United in the 2021/22 season, making a total of four appearances in the senior side and was the youngest goalkeeper to make their debut in the A-League when he was substituted on at 16 years old.
Earlier this year, Hall hame the decision to leave his hometown and joining English Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion and junior their under-21 squad.
Malual Nichola
Malual Nichola is yet another of Adelaide United’s homegrown talents the A-League club has signed up, identifying his future.
The defender was part of the Australian Joeys squad which won the 2024 ASEAN U-16 Boys’ Championship held in Surakarta, Indonesia in June and July.
And in August, Nichola hit a major milestone in his budding career, signing his first professional contract with Adelaide United and said he was incredibly grateful for the opportunity to play for his hometown Reds.
“This is a proud moment for me and my family, and I am eagerly looking forward to this new chapter with my hometown club,” he said after signing in August.
“I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the coaches and volunteers at Para Hills Knights and the Football South Australia NTC program for their constant support, and guidance throughout my journey.”
Nichola was part of the Football SA Development Squads before joining the Reds youth team this year.
Angus van Rooijen
Hailing from the Eyre Peninsula, Angus van Rooijen is one of the state’s regional soccer stars starting to make waves in the sport.
He now plays for Adelaide Croatia Raiders after success in Port Lincoln.
The junior goalkeeper was only four years old when he first started playing soccer and he has since gone on to represent Port Lincoln at three SAPSASA’s, three country championships and two state championships.
After a couple years playing for Sekol Masters, he made the move to Northern Demons, where he played one season for the under-15s and won best and fairest award.
van Rooijen stayed on for another season, playing in the under-18s and Reserves team before representing FSA in the under-16s Regional Boys team at the SingaCup – Asia’s Premier International Youth Football Tournament.
Alexander Obedi
There is plenty of strong talent in regional SA too, and Alexander Obedi down in the South-East is a star with plenty of potential.
Obedi took out the William Fry Medal as the 2024 Limestone Coast Football Association Under-17 Boys Player Of The Year at the end of September after a strong season.
Obedi also won the Gambier Centrals Soccer Club Rogerson Cup Young Lion of the Year award, which was presented at the club’s senior presentation night last month.
The award is for a junior player that epitomises the attributes of a lion and plays with strength, passion and heart.
Isaiah Spinks
Another star from Port Lincoln on the rise is striker Isiah Spinks.
This year he joined the under-14 National Training Centre training program and made the move to the Para Hills Knights, travelling from Port Lincoln to Adelaide each weekend to train and play.
The Lincoln City Raiders product won the league Golden Boot – awarded to the season’s leading goalscorer – back to back in 2022 and 2023.
In 2022, Spinks also captained his team to an undefeated league and cup double in Port Lincoln, taking out the title of best player.
He joined Northern Demons the following year, playing the season in both the under-14 and under-18 grades.
He then represented the state at the Singa Cup in the under-14s.
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