NEWCASTLE fans could get their first glimpse of wunderkind Garang Kuol at the World Cup if he makes the Australia squad.
Eddie Howe’s side moved quickly to secure the signing of the 18-year-old talent, beating Barcelona, in a reported £300,000 deal with A-League outfit Central Coast Mariners.
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But before the transfer was finalized, Kuol got his first taste of international football with his adoptive country, becoming the youngest player since Harry Kewell to play for the Socceroos when he made his debut against New Zealand last weekend.
It’s the icing on the cake for the dynamic striker’s remarkable journey.
His family fled war-torn Sudan for Egypt, where he was born, eventually arriving in Australia as refugees.
Now, he could head to the World Cup as a wild card in Qatar.
early origins
Not much is known about Garang’s upbringing.
He is reportedly one of six siblings, including older brother Alou Kuol, who is on the books for VfB Stuttgart.
It has been revealed that his family moved from Khartoum to Egypt when Alou was just three years old, a year before Garang was born in 2004.
The most read in the 2022 World Cup
After a year there, they moved back to Australia, where they settled as refugees.
Her father, Mawien, and mother, Antonita, worked as dyers, while Antonita also had a job as a seasonal worker in a fruit factory.
But football became the greatest passion of the boys.
In their spare time, Garang and his brother would watch an old VHS tape of Australia’s World Cup highlights, dreaming of emulating their heroes.
“It was basically a mix of one of the World Cups, the key moments on one tape – some of the goals, great moments, some of the games,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“I can’t remember much about it, but I only remember players like [Mark] Bresciano, Tim Cahill and stuff. We saw that, legit, like every day, the same tape. It was one of the sickest things ever.”
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following his dreams
Garang’s path to football mirrored his older brother.
He played on the Goulburn Valley Suns youth soccer team and was later signed by the Central Coast Mariners Academy in 2019.
Just 11 months after signing his first contract with the club, Garang saw first-team action, scoring seven minutes on his first-team debut against semi-professional side APIA Leichhardt in the Australian version of the FA Cup.
The following year, Garang scored again, this time in the A-League in a cameo appearance from the bench in a 5-0 rout of Wellington Phoenix.
His breakneck start to life as a professional has continued, and in his nine games he has already scored four times, under the tutelage of Nick Montgomery, formerly of Sheffield United.
In May, he was one of two “commissioner’s picks” to play in the 2022 A-Leagues All-Star Game against Barcelona.
70,000 fans packed into Sydney’s Olympic Stadium to see Garang take center stage.
A highlight of his skills saw him pass four Barcelona stars, before narrowly missing the target. He also hit the post late in the game, the All Stars losing 3-2.
Barça manager Xavi was impressed with what he saw.
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“It was a big surprise. Very fast, he created a lot of chances,” the Spanish legend said in a post-match press conference.
“We concede two or three chances thanks to him. So he’s a great player and a great future. He’s a talent.”
world cup chance
Earlier this month, Australia called up Garang for their friendlies against New Zealand as the Socceroos prepare for the 2022 World Cup.
His appearance in the second match last weekend made him the youngest player to represent Australia since Harry Kewell.
It was a striking display from the bench, where his explosive speed and fearless attitude led to a late penalty after he was brought down mid-air in the box.
The clamor for manager Graham Arnold to pick him now for Australia’s World Cup campaign has picked up speed.
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It would be unreal,” Garang told Stan Sport FC.
“I remember Tim Cahill’s goal in 2014 against the Netherlands. My brother (Alou) and I were redoing that in our backyard, breaking windows.”
With Australia facing France in their first match, Garang has the chance to announce himself on the biggest stage. Perhaps if he scores, there will be kids emulating him for years to come in their own backyards.