"[Rogic] is a massive inspiration," the humble Blumberg explained. "He's been doing well for the national team and his club, Celtic, winning goal of the year. I'd love to do something similar to Tommy." Future Socceroo: 17-year old Ryan Blumberg has been selected to the Nike Academy in England, following in the footsteps of Socceroos star Tom Rogic. Credit:Christopher Pearce Earlier this year, the Hakoah Sydney City East defender was taken aside by his coach, former Socceroo Mark Robertson. Robertson was concise in his discussion. He wanted Blumberg to represent the NPL1 club for the Australian Nike Most Wanted trial. "I looked at his attributes as if I were a selector on the panel, and his attributes like his versatility, physicality, awareness, the fact he is left footed, made me pick him," Robertson explained. Robertson has an eye for talent, famously organising Aaron Mooy's move to St Mirrens in Scotland for his first senior professional contract. Mooy had previously been stuck in the youth program at Bolton Wanderers prior to Robertson's magic touch.

Robertson's selection led Blumberg to Pirtek Stadium, home of his old youth club the Western Sydney Wanderers, to challenge some of the best players from Australia for a spot in France. "There were some very good players," he reflects. "It was a one-day trial and 600 people had applied. Toward the end of the day, they had cut it to just 24 players, and then they announced I had won at the very end." Six hours of work and Blumberg had earned a ticket to the Clairefontaine in France, the football centre that developed superstars such as Nicholas Anelka, Thierry Henry and Olivier Giroud. Leading from the back: Blumberg's leadership from the centre of defence was a main reason for his selection. Credit:Christopher Pearce Alongside 41 other players from around the world, Blumberg had to fight for a spot in the Nike Academy with a gruelling three-day trial. French national team coach Didier Deschamps was among the scouts and advisors, meeting all the players on the first day to give them tips on how to succeed in the most competitive profession in the world.

"Deschamps told us to make yourself heard on the pitch," Blumberg explained. "Communicate. Be loud. I think that was one of the main things that got me into the Academy was that I was loud and vocal, and made myself heard." At the end of the three-days, Blumberg had earned his spot in the Nike Academy in London, along with just 11 other trialists. The Nike Academy trains out of St. Georges Park in England, home of the English national team. Top 12: Blumberg was one of only 12 players selected from a global search of tens of thousands of players. Credit:The Nike Academy Blumberg's father, Derek, has supported his three centre-back sons throughout their entire careers, but now wants to make sure Ryan makes the right move at this critical moment. Ryan already has offers for a football scholarship at two universities in the U.S. and Derek is helping him weigh up the two options. "The Nike thing is an unbelievable opportunity and definitely worth pursing," Derek said. "But given how difficult it is to make it in soccer, it's important for him to have other options, in my view, in case he doesn't make it, or he gets injured. The ideal world is he gets to go Nike, and depending on how that goes, he can still go to the States down the track."

Ryan now shares the centre-back role at Hakoah with his older brother Dylan, the youngest First Grade player in Hakoah Sydney City East's rich history. His eldest brother, Jared, was a stalwart in the Hakoah Under 20s for many years, also making a handful of First Grade appearances. Dylan knows exactly what the U.S. College system can do for a player, having spent time at Trinity University in Texas for football, describing it as "an amazing opportunity to have." "In America, you get to live as a professional footballer for four years, without a doubt," Dylan said. "You get everything there that you would at the Nike Academy or a professional club." Ryan now starts the journey of every young football fan, to represent the biggest clubs in the world. And according to Robertson, he has all the skills to make it. "We all think he has the attributes to go and become a very good professional footballer. Now its just having the right mentality, the right attitude, the right application, and if he can have all that, then there's nothing stopping him going as high as he wants to in the game."