Coburg’s Andrew Nabbout ready to shine for the Socceroos at the FIFA World Cup
SOCCEROO forward Andrew Nabbout had “something about him” when he was playing for the Moreland Zebras and now he is set to take on the world in Russia.
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BORN and bred in Coburg, Socceroos forward Andrew Nabbout always had the right skills, but it was his hard work that has propelled him to the FIFA World Cup his former club president says.
Nabbout’s youth career began at Brunswick City in 2004, but it was with the Moreland Zebras in 2012 that he began to really impress.
“He was only young then but we certainly thought he had a career with us, playing at the top level in Victoria and then when he got the call up (to the A-League) he could put more time in and really work on it,” Zebras president Joseph Sala said.
“Those signs were quite apparent then when he was with us there was something about him.”
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Nabbout, whose parents still live in the Coburg house he once covered in Liverpool Football Club merchandise, made his debut for Melbourne Victory in 2012 and was named the Moreland Leader Senior Sports Star of 2013.
Sala said that Nabbout worked “very, very hard”, a trait he had always held on to.
“I’ve just got to keep working hard and hopefully I get some more games,” Nabbout told the Leader in 2013.
Despite interest from the Lebanon national team, the 25-year-old remained focused on playing for the Socceroos and is expected to see major game time when the Australians kick off their World Cup campaign against France on Saturday night.
After being named in the squad, Nabbout tweeted he was “extremely proud and honoured”.
The Zebras will celebrate their alumnus with viewing parties of the Australian games, with all eyes focused on the No.11, who will no doubt be working hard on the pitch.
“Playing in the World Cup is just rewards, he comes from a great family and he’s worked really hard to get here,” Sala said.
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