Western United will bring exhilarating attacking football and youthful flair back to the VPL 1 Men competition when the 2025 season kicks off on Monday night.
Andreas Papanicolaou has taken charge of the team this season and will set the tone for the bold, free-spirited brand of football that has made the Green and Black youngsters so exciting to watch in years past.
Last season, Diogo Ferreira led the Senior’s to the highest-scoring season in the state while Papanicolaou guided the Under 23’s to the league title.
Now, with a number of players promoted through the ranks alongside a handful of thrilling new additions, the senior sides are set to reach a whole new level at Western United in 2025.
The likes of Jacob Nasso, Mark Leonard and Nicolas Koek will be eager to impress again after breaking into the Senior’s last season, while 2024 Under 23’s Club Champion Harry Casci will be eager to become a permanent fixture.
Joeys star Anthony Didulica will be looking to make the next leap in his incredibly exciting career, while national team teammate Besian Kutleshi is one of a number of Isuzu UTE A-League Men scholars to have been registered for the season.
As for new additions, a trio of signings from Melbourne Victory will be looking to catch the eye in Riley Foxe, Christian Polyzoudis and Victor Muhindo.
Foxe is following in the footsteps of his father and former Western United assistant coach Hayden as an outstanding centre-back, while Polyzoudis has shown his quality in midfield and Muhindo looms as an electric addition in attack.
The team is all set to take on FC Bulleen Lions in Round 1 on Monday before a home opener against Kingston City on Saturday 15 February, a fantastic curtain raiser for the Isuzu UTE A-League blockbuster against Auckland FC.
Full Western United Senior Academy squad
| FIRST NAME | SURNAME | 2024 CLUB |
| Dylan | Leonard* | Western United |
| Luka | Coveny* | Western United |
| Luke | Vickery* | Western United |
| Khoder | Kaddour* | Western United |
| Besian | Kutleshi* | Melbourne City/Western United |
| Oli | Lavale* | Western United |
| Jake | Najdovski* | Western United |
| James | York* | Western United |
| Jordan | Lauton* | Western United |
| Michael | Vonja* | Western United |
| Abel | Walatee* | Western United |
| Charbel | Shamoon* | Western United |
| Alex | Nassiep* | Western United |
| Jacob | Nasso | Western United |
| Lachlan | Grundy | Western United |
| Mark | Leonard | Western United |
| Nicholas | Koek | Western United |
| Harry | Casci | Western United |
| Riley | Foxe | Melbourne Victory |
| Yannick | Kengni | Western United |
| Anthony | Didulica | Western United |
| Victor | Muhindo | Melbourne Victory |
| Christian | Polyzoudis | Melbourne Victory |
| Shifa | Ahmed | Green Gully/Western United |
| Oscar | Tanic | Western United |
| Deng | Mayen | Western United |
| Jacob | Buchanan | Melbourne City/Heidelberg United |
| Alex | Marmura | Western United |
| Winston | Ashburner | Western United |
| Ibrahim | Kaddour | Western United |
| Lucas | Simao | Boroondara-Carey Eagles |
| Mark | Reec | Western United |
| Ethan | Robinson | Western United |
| Hasani | Lumu | Western United |
| Christian | Dermentzoglou | Western United |
| Blake | Wirth | South Melbourne |
| Jonathon | Hassan | Western United |
| Marcus | Tavolaro | Brunswick Juventus |
| Emilio | Dataro | Melbourne City/Western United |
| Abdurahman | Omer | Western United |
| Anderson | Back | Western United |
