Roar mid fielder Sam Klein debuts in A-League

Football star Sam Klein’s career has taken a major step forward with the 17-year-old making his debut for the Brisbane Roar.

Rural football star Sam Klein looked at home when he stepped on to the field at Redcliffe on Sunday night for his Brisbane Roar debut against Adelaide United.

The talented young mid fielder did not put a foot wrong during his seven minutes in the game, which Adelaide went on to win 3-1.

Klein’s first on-field appearance occurred during his second call-up to the Roar. He was named to the bench at the January 12 FFA Cup Quarter Finals in Sydney, where the Roar lost to Sydney FC 1-0.

His mother Frances said he was “stoked” after getting the call-up on Sunday morning.

“He was really excited. But he didn’t know if he would play.

“I can’t remember when he hasn’t wanted to play football as his thing.

Sam Klein, 17, was substituted into the game towards the end of the Brisbane Roar’s 3-1 loss to Adelaide United.

“From when he was little he was obsessed with the sport; he could rattle off the stats.”

More than a dozen family and friends were at the Redcliffe Moreton Daily Stadium, the Roar’s home field, on Sunday night.

Klein’s football career started with the Bradwell Bombers when he was six, when his family was living in England for a short time.

When they returned to Gympie, he joined the local Diggers Football Club and then later the Columbia Football Club before joining the Sunshine Coast Fire about five years ago.

The former St Patrick’s College student was awarded a scholarship to Nudgee College in Brisbane after being accepted into the Roar Academy and represented Queensland at the Under 11 and Under 12 levels.

Sam Klein’s remarkable rise through the football ranks included playing in the Under 12s for the Sunshine Coast Fire. Photo Renee Albrecht/Gympie Times

In 2020, the talented teenager was invited to the Australian Under 17s Joeys national camp.

He was short-listed for the squad but the competition was eventually canned due to the Covid pandemic.

Frances said the pandemic had been both a hindrance and a helping hand.

“It was because of Covid, which sidelined some players, he got his chance last night; it’s fast tracked this part of his career,” she said.

“He’s sacrificed a lot and worked hard to get there. Some weeks at Nudgee he was training three mornings and afternoons a week during the season, with two game son the weekend.

“It’s amazing to see that paid off.”