Abdullatif Friha was selected to compete in the 2024 National Youth Championships as part of Football Victoria’s Under 15 Silver Boys Squad.
The National Youth Championships are ‘an integral part of Football Australia’s talent identification program’, incorporating teams and participants from the nine State and Territory Member Federations.
Friha, aged 15, has been playing soccer since the age of four.
“I started doing soccer programs when I was four (years old), then when I was around seven to eight years old, I started Futsal,” he said.
COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns in 2020 forced the closure of his Futsal team, leading him to switch to the outdoor soccer code.
“When I was 12, COVID-19 hit, so Futsal closed. I moved to Pascoe Vale Outdoor Club, but COVID interrupted that year anyway. Then at 13, I moved to Brunswick Juventus, and I’ve been there ever since. It’s been two years here.”
Friha believes the move to play outdoor soccer for Brunswick Juventus has been crucial to his development.
“It’s been so important. I’ve had the same coach since I’ve been there, and I’ve developed so much in the past two years,” Friha said.
“In Futsal, it’s such a tight area (with) fewer players on the pitch, so it focuses on more individual skills. That’s what helped me develop, so when I went outdoor, it was easy to play.”
Friha had his sights set on making the 2024 National Youth Championships since the start of the year.
“It (being selected into Football Victoria’s Under 15 Squad) was my goal this year. I really wanted to make that team for this year and have the opportunity to play soccer for Victoria,” he said.
Friha is grateful for the support that his family has offered him throughout the years, particularly his father.
“My dad drives me around to go training, sometimes places very far and going to my games far away. He’s helped me a lot.”
Abdullatif isn’t placing a ceiling on what he can achieve in the future.
“I want to start with seniors at Brunswick (Juventus), that’s the next step. Then, just performing well in this year’s tournament nationals, making that team again (next year) and continuing to have the exposure…until I get to the older age groups around 18 to 20 years old,” Friha said.
“Then Insha’Allah, the Premier League, or playing anywhere in Europe would be the dream.”
Friha hails from a Turkish-Algerian household, however, when asked about the potential of an international career, he stated his desire to don the Green and Gold of the Australian National Team.
“I go to Algeria and people say that I’m Algerian, I’m in Australia now, I say Australia, I go to Turkey, and I say Turkey. But I’ll probably pick Australia, I’ve grown up here. It’ll be a privilege to play for any country, but my preference will be Australia.”
Abdullatif competed in the 2024 National Youth Championships in New South Wales from the 16th to the 21st of July.
