Socceroos hopeful Nicholas D’Agostino returns to Brisbane Roar A-League from Vikings FK
“The fact that I need consistency in more minutes, that’s the biggest thing. Before the last national camp I think I had 300 minutes in total last season due to injury and lack of playing time.”
“I want to play 90 minutes, week after week, back to back, and put the ball in the net as much as I can. If I keep doing that, I think it will be better for me to join the camp in March and… put me in a prime spot in the World Cup squad.”
D’Agostino confirmed that the loan to the Roar is only valid until the end of the A-League season, ensuring that Vikings will be able to take part in the Champions League qualification after the World Cup, making “another dream of mine” come true.
“It’s nice to think about the possibility of that too, but now I’m focusing on Brisbane every day and obviously my long-term goal is the six months leading up to the World Cup,” D’Agostino said.
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D’Agostino witnessed his first World Cup as a fan when Popovic and the Socceroos’ famous golden era reached the final 16 in 2006 and came agonizingly close to featuring in the showpiece in Qatar in 2022, being named in the qualifiers but missing out on the final squad.
The 27-year-old player will compete with a tight list of candidates for a place in the forward line in the tournament in June; Among them is the young star Nestory Irankunda.
Irankunda made headlines when he became the second-youngest Australian player to score a hat-trick while playing for Adelaide United, then broke the A-League transfer fee record with his move to German powerhouse Bayern Munich.
The 19-year-old has since signed with England side Watford, where he has become a fan favorite and has been a regular for the Socceroos since his debut in 2024.
But D’Agostino is relishing the challenge that awaits him to avenge his disappointment at the 2022 World Cup.
“Injuries and of course the lack of playing time also played a role, but coming back to the last couple of camps, I’m as hungry as ever,” D’Agostino said.
“Obviously, I was a bit disappointed not to make the final squad for the World Cup, but now I’m trying to do my best to get into that squad. There’s a lot of competition at club level wherever I am, and at national level it’s even higher.”
“There’s a lot of competition, but I love competition, so keep it going.”
D’Agostino, who previously wore the club colors 35 times between 2015 and 2019, will make his debut for the Roar when they take on Adelaide at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.
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