Young Socceroos midfielder Alex Badolato has had a taste of trophy lifts after Australia’s Under-20 Asian Cup triumph, and now, he’s hooked.
Six months on from that historic triumph, the Newcastle Jets young gun is eager to do it all over again – this time, in pursuit of the ultimate prize as Australia fights to win a World Cup title.
Badolato still gets goosebumps when he watches footage of the Young Socceroos lifting the Under-20 Asian Cup trophy. It was early March when he and his fellow Under-20 Australian internationals beat Saudi Arabia in the tournament final, via a dramatic penalty shootout.
The Young Socceroos became just the third Australian side to win an Asian Cup title after the Matildas in 2010, and the Socceroos in 2015.
FULL SQUAD: 17 Isuzu UTE A-League prospects to help Australia chase another trophy
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Victory over Saudi Arabia on that day, six months ago, earned Australia a place in the Under-20 World Cup. On Monday afternoon, the Young Socceroos departed Sydney Airport, headed for Chile and the major tournament which kicks off on September 27.
“It’s a pretty surreal moment,” said Badolato, as he prepared to embark on a quest to become a world champion.
“It’s probably something that we’ve all dreamed about since we first started playing football, and for the day to finally come that we get to get on the plane to go to a World Cup. It’s really exciting.
“Looking back on that game, I think we still all get chills, all the boys put so much into that game, into that whole tournament, and to see the video the other day, it brought up all those old feelings again, and leaves us even more motivated to do it again on the world stage.”
At the Under-20 Asian Cup, Badolato was named the tournament’s most valuable player; he’s since sealed a transfer from Western Sydney Wanderers to Newcastle Jets, where he’s played a key role in helping his new club seal a place in the 2025 Hahn Australia Cup Final.
Badolato will miss the Australia Cup final, scheduled for October 4 – the same day as Australia’s World Cup clash with Cuba. It will be the nation’s third and final group stage fixture after games against European giants Italy (September 28) and Argentina (October 1).
Emerging from Group D to progress to the knockout phase will be no easy feat for the Young Socceroos, but the princes of Asia aren’t fearing the monumental task at hand.
“I think this is a really, really special group, a really talented set of players in every single position,” Badolato said.
“I think we’re going to be as ambitious as possible. We’re not there to make up any numbers at all. We’re going to go take it to some of the biggest teams in the world.
“I think everyone was really excited, really happy. I think you go to a World Cup to play against the best teams, and teams like Italy, Argentina, Cuba, they’re all big nations, and we’re going to take it to them and show them what we’re about.”
Young Socceroos head coach Trevor Morgan has picked 17 players from Australia’s Under-20 Asian Cup triumph for World Cup duty in Chile. One of those 17 Asian champions is Badolato, who is also part of another 17-player subset in the Young Socceroos squad: the 17 players from Isuzu UTE A-League clubs picked to represent the nation on the world stage.
FULL SQUAD: 17 Isuzu UTE A-League prospects to help Australia chase another trophy
MEET THE STARS: ‘Massive’ reason behind young duo’s return to Australian football
Less than two weeks out from the start of the tournament, Badolato believes Football Australia and head coach Trevor Morgan have left no stone unturned in preparing the squad for this moment.
“We’ve been preparing for this World Cup for the best part of two years now,” he said.
“We’ve been in so many various different countries and so many camps in different scenarios, both on and off the field, and we’ve really come together over the two years, and that’s going to hold us in good stead.
“It’s almost like every time we go three, four months without seeing each other, when we do see each other, it’s like we just saw each other yesterday. So it’s really, really positive and really exciting for the group.”
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
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
Australia v Cuba
Date: Saturday, 4 October 2025 / Sunday, 5 October 2025 (AUS)
Time: 8.00pm (local) / 10.00am (AEST)
Venue: Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos, Santiago, Chile
2025-26 ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE FIXTURES RELEASE
FULL FIXTURES: Every match of the Isuzu UTE A-League 25-26 season here
DERBY DATES: The matches to circle in your calendar now
FIRST 5 FIXTURES: Your Isuzu UTE A-League team’s start to the 2025-26 season
FINALS SERIES: 2025-26 structure and dates
TRANSFER CENTRE: Your club’s ins/outs ahead of the upcoming season
