Sydney FC have rewarded teenage sensation Tiago Quintal with his first professional contract – a three-year deal at the Isuzu UTE A-League club.
The 17-year-old academy graduate, who has called the Sky Blues home since the age of 11, is contracted through the end of the 2026-27 season.
Former Joeys attacker Quintal is highly regarded at the Sky Blues, having trialled at the academy of European giants Lyon last year while he earned a place on the bench for an Isuzu UTE A-League fixture for the first time this season.
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“It is a dream and something I have been working towards since I was 11 years old on joining the Academy,” said Quintal.
“I want to play as much as I can, get as much game time and showcase my ability on the field and help the team win and perform.”
He added: “The step up so far has been good. Being able to learn from players in my position who are experienced such as Joe Lolley and Anthony Caceres is going to help me with my development.
“I played in the national team for Joey’s last year. This past year has been where I have had to work the hardest to reach this level.
“It was an amazing experience being on the bench [for ALM vs Brisbane] and watching the game up close and being around The Cove. It was like a dream come true.”
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“Tiago is a creative player. We think he is going to be one of those special players that can play between the lines. He is a lefty and can play as a number nine or a number 10,” said head coach Ufuk Talay.
“He is very good in one v one situations and can score goals. For us, he is another quality player coming through the academy.”
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Sydney’s youth technical director Kelly Cross said: “We always knew Tiago had special qualities from the age of 11.
“He is one of those rare players who believes his prime function is to beat his immediate opponent with skill and deception.
“We kept our faith in him during those years where he was too small to have maximum effect, and while his growth spurt made him seem quite ordinary.
“Tiago has come through that period and has been progressing very well in our National Premier League team. He now looks like he is capable of making a difference and an impact at A-League level for us.”
