CommBank Young Socceroo Panagiotis Kikianis highlighted the resilience that the team has shown to reach the FIFA U-20 World Cup stage, and the different ways in which the team were able to win games on their way to the AFC U20 Asian Cup trophy.
He also expressed the bond within the team, particularly the strong contingent of South Australians.
Winning the AFC U20 Asian Cup
It makes me speechless, to be honest. A lot of hard work, a lot of dedication from everyone. All the players as we had throughout the whole tournament, but also staff and coaches, because I don't doubt for a second that they were up late at night - planning for the next day of training or planning for the next team we're going to play - to prepare us in the best way possible. So, yeah, a lot of hard work.
This cup itself shows that we have a lot of resilience in the team, because you can't win so many games in a row in such a tough competition without any resilience or belief. Winning this, it's put us on the map. We're not going to the World Cup just to participate. We actually want to do something special. So, this does fuel the belief even more that we can do something special.
Qualifying for World Cup by defeating Iraq
There's 22 players on the pitch at the same time, and we're all fighting for the same goal, and that's to make the World Cup - qualify for it - and the opposition team on the day was obviously fighting for that as well. But sometimes football isn't pretty, and you just have to win the game. No matter how you do it. You’ve got to scrap. You’ve got to fight. It shows that, yes, we can play pretty football, but if it becomes scrappy, then we're able to compete and win our duels, win our battles, and hopefully get a good result at the end.
Penalty shootout to win AFC U20 Asian Cup
I never, ever in my life, thought I'd take a penalty on such a big stage - maybe school soccer games, but that's about it. But I sort of pride myself on being a leader and being good role model. And I thought in that sort of game, not being one to shy away and step up to the moment was something I felt like I needed to do. Luckily, on the day, it was the right decision.
Playing at a World Cup
I'm starstruck, speechless. I don't even know how I got here, but it's a dream come true to go to a World Cup. You watch on TV, you watch all these players, and to be able to go to one is something I can't describe. And that game to qualify, was very emotional, seeing all the boys sort of drop to their knees and a lot of tears after the final whistle just made a lot of us tear up as well, because we've been on this long journey together - all coaching staff and the players, we've built strong bonds and to do it together in such a difficult game - we did it. It was one of the best moments of my life.
You obviously want to play against the best. We are playing Argentina, Italy and Cuba, and none of them are easy games. No game in this World Cup is going to be easy. So to be able to showcase our talent, our togetherness against the best countries in the world is a privilege.
The bond in the squad
The culture, the bond, the way everyone gets along, the way everyone treats each other with so much respect - it's definitely the best group of boys I've ever been around in a change room. The way we just understand each other on and off the pitch, it’s really good. The connection we have off the pitch becomes even stronger on the pitch, which allows us to perform at our best.
The South Australian connection
We are really close. We're with each other every day at soccer, and after soccer - it's probably a bit too full on! But we love each other. We're each other's closest friends. And it helps coming here, because you have four of your best mates here, and you live and die for each other, on the pitch, off the pitch, whatever it is. And I feel like it's easier to create those bonds with other people because we're so similar.
MATCH SCHEDULE | FIFA U-20 WORLD CUP CHILE 2025™
Italy v Australia
Date: Sunday, 28 September 2025 / Monday, 29 September 2025 (AUS)
Time: 5.00pm (local) / 6.00am (AEST)
Venue: Estadio Elías Figueroa Brander, Valparaíso, Chile
Broadcast: Live on SBS and SBS On Demand
Argentina v Australia
Date: Wednesday, 1 October 2025 / Thursday, 2 October 2025 (AUS)
Time: 8.00pm (local) / 9.00am (AEST)
Venue: Estadio Elías Figueroa Brander, Valparaíso, Chile
Broadcast: Live on SBS and SBS On Demand
Australia v Cuba
Date: Saturday, 4 October 2025 / Sunday, 5 October 2025 (AUS)
Time: 8.00pm (local) / 10.00am (AEDT)
Venue: Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos, Santiago, Chile
Broadcast: Live on SBS and SBS On Demand