Asian Cup 2015: Socceroos hero Massimo Luongo makes the most of his chance to shine

JUST eight months ago he was a surprise inclusion in Australia’s World Cup squad. Now Massimo Luongo has been named the Asian Cup’s Most Valuable Player.

Australia's Massimo Luongo during the 2015 Asian Cup Final between Australia and Korea Republic at Stadium Australia , Homebush .Picture Gregg Porteous

JUST eight months ago he was a surprise inclusion in Australia’s World Cup squad, not playing a minute but watching and learning. Then increasingly Massimo Luongo was exposed to international football over the intervening months, but still was seen as a young pretender as the Asian Cup came around.

If 23 days later Luongo’s award as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player was a little surprising, the verdict of a sold-out Sydney crowd was roared to the rafters after he scored the goal that set Australia on the way to winning the Asian Cup final.

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The Socceroos celebrate Massimo Luonog’s stunning opening goal.

Already the subject of several bids to his club Swindon Town, in England’s lower-tier League One, Luongo at 22 has been catapulted onto centre stage as one of only four players to start every game.

But in the same quietly spoken, understated tones he used to discuss himself at the World Cup, the boy from Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs refused to buy into the hype. Proud as he of the brilliant goal he scored in the final, his second of the tournament, it didn’t for a second change what mattered to him.

“Maybe expectations on myself weren’t as great as how it turned out but I’m just so thankful for everything,” he said.

“They [the crowd] delivered, with almost 80,000, the atmosphere was unbelievable. For me to be a part of it, and part of winning the silverware we now have, was so special. To get a goal as well made it seem like a dream.

“It was a great ball from Trent [Sainsbury] and I was hovering in the pocket [between defence and midfield]. The ball was nicely weighted and my first touch opened it up straight away. It looked like I was running at the centreback but all I had in my mind was to shoot.

“I think the boys are saying it bobbled up a little but I hit it sweetly, and all I saw was it hit the back of the net. I was in the best position to shoot and didn’t want to give up that opportunity.”

Massimo Luongo‘s impact for the Socceroos took everyone by surprise.

The reality of his team’s triumph and his personal rewards had begun to seem real, he said. But it didn’t alter his anticipation at returning to Swindon, no matter the change of focus.

“It’s sunk in, it’s hovering around my head, it’s playing around me, it’s all over the place,” he said. “I’ve done a lot but I’m not worried about all the other stuff.

“If I keep performing well at any level then all that will take care of itself.

“Right now I’m enjoying this moment, then in four days’ time I’m back at Swindon and I’ll focus on that. It won’t be hard to go back, all my mates are there.

“It's a different family to what we have here - it’s a club football, and our club’s a little bit different the way we work, we’re a close bunch and I have a lot of mates there.”

Luongo will undoubtedly be a major figure in the imminent World Cup qualifying campaign, after the way the Asian Cup has allowed him to shine.

“I think it’s brought out part of my game that maybe was hiding a little bit, especially at international level,” he said.

“If anything, it’s shown everyone what type of player I am, that’s all. In the right team I might shine, and I think in this tournament I had the right team.”

Originally published as Asian Cup 2015: Socceroos hero Massimo Luongo makes the most of his chance to shine