Anthony Didulica has been living the dream in the last month.
The 16-year-old earned his first-ever national team selection in June, travelling to Indonesia with the Joeys for the U-16 ASEAN Boys’ Championship.
In his maiden camp, Didulica wasn’t sure what to expect, but by the end of the tournament he had well and truly left his mark.
Watch the full interview with Anthony Didulica
Scoring six goals across the tournament – the joint most of any player alongside teammate Quinn MacNicol – Didulica helped the Joeys to win the title, capping off an incredible moment in his young career.
“I’ve never experienced anything like it in my life, because I’d never played for my country before,” he said.
“So the experience was amazing. It was like a professional tournament as well, all the stuff behind the scenes was top class.
“It was unexplainable, to be honest. When you walk into the changerooms and you see your last name on the shirt – you can’t explain that feeling, how good it is.
“Going into the tournament as a new player, I didn’t expect to do how well I did. It was always going to be tough for me to get into the first team and to get minutes in the tournament. But after just putting in 100% at training and in the practice matches that we had, after that I got my opportunity, took it and that was it.”
RENEW YOUR WESTERN UNITED MEMBERSHIP FOR SEASON 2024/25
As everyone was watching on back home, Didulica said he was speaking to his parents every day across the competition and was even greeted by friends at the airport, with Anthony bringing gifts to show off.
“I was on the phone to my parents probably every day. I was getting heaps of messages from my friends and just telling them what an experience it was,” he said.
“When I arrived at the airport, all my friends were waiting for me so that was good to see them again. I showed them the medal and top scorer trophy, so that was good.”
Describing himself as “lethal around the box”, Didulica joined Western United in the inaugural year of the Club’s Junior Academy set-up in 2023.
The tall, skillful and athletic attacking midfielder has quickly progressed through the ranks at the Green and Black and has become a mainstay in the Under 23’s side, scoring 10 goals in 18 matches.
Training regularly under Diogo Ferreira and alongside the likes of Abel Walatee, Dylan Leonard and Luka Coveny who have progressed into the first team, Didulica credits the environment in the Academy for his sustained development.
“I love being here. The Senior Academy staff, the coaches – they’re all top coaches so training is always high intensity and you have to put in 100% effort all the time,” he said.
“I’m learning a lot from training and games, and I think that’s helped me get into the Joeys team, all the high intensity that we do.”
Didulica has quickly jetted off again, though this time a little closer to home as he represents Victoria at the National Youth Championships in Wollongong this week.
The talented youngster has a cool head on his shoulders and takes every accolade in his stride, declaring that he will keep working to earn more experiences in the future.
“I’m so pumped – after that experience, all I want to do is just keep putting on that jersey and representing my country,” he said.
“It was just so fun, even off the pitch with the boys in the hotel room, bonding as a team and all that. So, I just want to keep doing my best to put on that jersey and represent my country.”
With a wise head on his shoulders beyond his years, Didulica will keep taking every opportunity in his stride as he casts his eye on more development at Western United and further national team selections in the future.
