Ryan Teague continues to go from strength to strength after earning his Subway Socceroos debut this season. aleagues.com.au looks at the numbers behind the Melbourne Victory star.
There was a moment after the full-time whistle in Campbelltown last week that summed up Ryan Teague.
Over 90 minutes earlier, the Melbourne Victory star had set the tone with a stunning moment of individual brilliance as the 2023-24 Grand Finalists clinched their spot in the Isuzu UTE A-League Finals Series.
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But it was his answer to one question which showed why the 23-year-old Australian is so highly rated, and it comes down to his mindset a month on from his Subway Socceroos bow.
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“I’m very confident in my abilities,” Teague told Paramount+ when asked of his international debut had given him extra confidence.
“I’m probably good at the simple things. So, it’s about not over-complicating things when I get on the field and not overthinking it.
“If I’m playing for Victory or the national team, I try to go out there with the same mindset.”
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It is the simple things that are often the hardest in football, but the former Sydney FC youngster makes it look so easy. He always seems one step ahead and he could be Australia’s next export abroad.
Capable of scoring and assisting and with great positional awareness and passing, there is also a surprising area where Teague stands out in 2024-25.
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This season among midfielders, he ranks third for aerial duels won (39). Aerial ability is not something that typically jumps out when discussing the 23-year-old.
He is in the top 10 for passes into the final third (189), headed clearances (20), passes ending in the final third (395), successful passes ending in the final third (322), forward passes (437), possession won in the middle third (58), and clearances (49).
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“Footballers make it look so easy,” A-Leagues Download host Max Rushden said this week when discussing Teague. “The way he just caresses that ball.”
A-Leagues legend Archie Thompson added: “I think that’s sometimes how a really good player is how easy they make the game look. They look like they have so much time.
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“So difficult to get the ball off, and like he scores goals, and the way that he finished that was just amazing. No wonder he’s in the Socceroos squad.
“There’s a couple of players that I feel we won’t be seeing them around for much longer. Definitely, Ryan Teague is one of them.”
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When factoring in midfielders aged 23 or younger this season, Teague’s numbers are really impressive.
Not only is he number one for passes into the final third, but he ranks second for possession won in the defensive third (51), passes played into the box (113), successful passes into the final third, passes ending in the final third and aerial duels won.
He is also third for possession won in the middle third, duels won, recoveries and forward passes and fourth for duel success (57.5) and successful passes in own half (404).
This is a player who has only trended one way since joining Melbourne Victory ahead of the 2023-24 campaign – up.
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Following three years abroad in Portugal, Victory lured the Aussie gun home and it has provred to be an exceptional piece of business.
Since returning to Australia in 2023, Teague is first for passes ending in the final third (734), successful passes ending in the final third (615), forward passes (894), passes into the final third (365) and successful passes (2,220) among midfielders aged 23 or under (minimum 10 matches played).
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Teague is also second for aerial duels (137), aerial duels won (80), recoveries (244), duels won (230), possession won in the defensive third (100), possession won (244), possession won in middle third (136) and assists (four) in that same period.
When considering all midfielders since 2023-24, Teague is in the top six for recoveries, aerial duels won, possession won in defensive third, possession won and possession won in the middle third.
“Ultimately my goal is to end up back in Europe. From what I heard and saw last season with players, getting moves from the A-League to Europe is very exciting and promising,” Teague previously told aleagues.com.au in an interview last season.
