So, FIFA’s ‘The Best’ awards weren’t exactly the best.
While Australians suffered brain aneurisms as to how Riley McGree didn’t win the Puskas Award for his back-heel goal, I thought, how about we celebrate our own way?
The 2017-18 season was a rather eventful one for Australian footballers. New stars arose, rough diamonds shone and in a World Cup year, we were treated to some amazing stories.
I present to you the best, our best, Australia’s best, over the last 12 months.
Alex Chidiac
The Matildas’ Daniel Arzani. Alex Chidiac made her debut at the age of 15 in the W-League almost four years ago but at the age of 19 she has announced herself as a future star for the Matildas in a ground breaking season.
Chidiac, an astonishingly gifted attacking midfielder blossomed into a leader and a game changer for Adelaide United in the W-League last season, playing 19 matches and scoring three goals.
Whilst she made her international debut in 2015 and made two appearances in the Algarve Cup in 2017, Chidiac was sent to Young Matildas duty at the AFF Women’s Championships this year as her standout performances led Australia to the final.
Before too long, Alen Stajcic singled out Chidiac for significant praise as she launched Australia forth into the Women’s Asian Cup in January of this year where they fell again to Japan at the final hurdle. Despite some underwhelming team performances, the 19-year old underwent a significant coming of age season after those international tournaments.
It seems Australians weren’t the only ones keeping close tabs on Chidiac when Spanish giants Atletico Madrid snapped up the youngster in a life-changing move to Europe where she got her deserved reward.
From away days in Canberra to home battles at Estadio Cerro del Espino, calling it a barnstorming year would do her no justice.
Joshua Risdon
A seriously hard worker, Risdon has deserved everything that has been laid at his feet this past few months.
A stalwart at Perth with over 150 A-League matches, Risdon jumped to the beating heart of Western Sydney in what was unfortunately revealed as a ticking time bomb. Following Tony Popovic’s departure and early season injury issues, Risdon’s shot at a Socceroos berth seemed bleak.
Socceroos right back Josh Risdon. (Supplied: Nike)
Although, when Ange closed the door he opened a window as the ongoing dilemma at right-back reared it’s head at the pointy end of World Cup qualification. With Risdon as the only logical and suitable solution, he grabbed it with both hands, playing a pivotal role in Australia’s away legs in World Cup play-offs against Syria and Honduras.
He showed enormous courage and professionalism as he made history to book his spot at the World Cup where made that right-back spot his to lose with emboldening performances in the group stages.
Sam Kerr
The name speaks for itself. Where would women’s football be without Sam Kerr? Kerr has burst onto not only the Australian football scene as the face of women’s football but for all female athletes and become an inspiration for young girls across the country.
I could go on for pages and pages, but Kerr’s list of accolades in the last twelve months is seriously something to behold.
At club level she has notched the W-League golden boot for Perth Glory as well as two consecutive NWSL golden boots for Sky Blue FC and Chicago Red Stars respectively before winning the Julie Dolan Medal as well as the PFA Women’s Player of the Year.
Sam Kerr for the Matildas (AAP Image/Tony McDonough)
For the Matildas, she was close but no cigar in the Asian Cup while she won an ESPY award for Best International Women’s Soccer Player’.
Her recognition went beyond her on field ability but her impact off the field too as she won the 2018 Young Australian of the year.
Long may she reign.
Daniel Arzani
So I guess that makes him the Socceroos’ Alex Chidiac?
Take nothing away from Daniel Arzani, he is Australia’s most exciting and promising players in a long time and this will forever be known as his breakout year. I look forward to looking back in years to come at 2018 as a significant year in the next generation of the Socceroos.
A short but nimble and explosive attacking player who you’d see gliding across the surface ‘Ryan Giggs-esque’ and in a flash was long gone, sending keepers grasping for empty air or threading passes through holes in defences you never knew existed.
Daniel Arzani of Australia (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
He was a major talking point for the Socceroos, but under Bert Van Marwijk, the discussion quickly turned from an ‘if’ to a ‘when’. Thank God the Dutchman took the plunge as he scored his first international goal against Hungary and dazzled in his cameos against France, Denmark and Peru at the World Cup.
His new home in ‘Paradise’ should hopefully be a fruitful experience for the wonder kid.
Andrew Nabbout
I am proud to put Andrew Nabbout on this list as an example of persistence personified. Two years ago, Nabbout was on the books at Negeri Sembilan in Malaysia after failing to earn another contract at Melbourne Victory.
Mark Jones took a gamble on the Lebanese-Australian in his Jets attack and by the end of his first season was a standout player for a team with straitened horizons, or so it seemed.
The appointment of Ernie Merrick transformed Nabbout into the player he is today. He himself changed into a different beast with a ruthless force and raw velocity in front of goal. It led to Newcastle’s grand final berth as he attained 16 contributions in 22 matches which earned him a move to the current Asian Champions League winners Urawa Red Diamonds.
A move that was no less deserved, my heart skipped a beat as he linked arms with his Socceroos team-mates and sang the national anthem against France at the World Cup. I had my doubts about Nabbout, but I have never been so happy to have been proven wrong.
What a story!
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What if we celebrated all of the achievements big and small, and weeded out those hell-bent on bringing down a game that is doing a hell of a lot right?
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