Awan Lual did something very few people do and moved to the other side of the world early in his life, with his family moving from South Sudan to Australia “for a better life” in his words.
It is an incredibly difficult thing to do coming into a completely different culture, lifestyle and having to learn a new language, and it can be easy to go into your shell especially as a younger child.
This could have been the case for Lual, but football helped him escape from his shell and make Australia his new home.
“I didn’t really have any friends at school that I would talk to, the only way I could interact with people was through football,” he said.
“(It) has been an important factor in how I communicate, how I socialise, I still have friends to this day (from junior football).
“I started playing football when I was really young, I just enjoyed kicking the ball into the net and it became this thing for me.”
Lual did more than connect with others when playing football, he clearly had a knack for it as he rose up the levels whilst playing in local competitions in Western Sydney, and eventually was in the youth system at Blacktown Spartans, just down the road from Wanderers Football Park.
His impressive form earned the attention of the Wanderers youth coaches, and he made the switch across the road – quite literally – to the youth set up of the A-League club at the start of last season.
With the facilities and quality of coaching on offer, Lual noticed an immediate improvement to his game, especially in a mental and teamwork sense.
“(I learnt) how I could see the situation and position myself well, and how I could help the team in not just selfish ways, like running away, getting the ball and (trying to) dribble through the team,” Lual said.
“It’s helped me become more structured, become more mature and (to) play more professionally.”
He had a fantastic debut season in Red & Black, as he scored 20 goals in 38 games in both the U18s and U20s sides, but he was thrust straight into the deep end at the beginning of 2024 as he became a regular member of the first grade side.
Lual says it was a big step up physically, and made him realise the importance of nailing the little things in training and in game preparation.
“I knew what I had to do to thrive in that position, but it’s just a matter of ‘am I willing to do extra (work) in training?’” He said.
“Really perfecting the little things that will help me… whether it’s my touch, positioning, my scanning, all these things.”
He once again made a quick impact at first grade level, scoring his debut goal in just the second match of the season against Hills United in a 2-1 win.
It is a moment that sticks with Lual.
“My mind was sort of blank when I saw the ball go in,” Lual remembers.
“Then I went to Aydan Hammond, who assisted, to celebrate it with him, and then as soon as the game kicked off again, I switched back to wanting more (and) getting the job done.”
Lual has played 16 games for the first grade side, 11 being starts, and has two goals for the season, and whilst the side has been on a poor run of form that has seen them slip out of the finals race, they are still set to secure safety comfortably with just five games left in the season.
As well as improving his own game, Lual says he also wants to pay back his family in his football journey for all of the sacrifices they have made.
“My family has been supporting me and my football career, taking me to training, paying fees, I just want to make them proud.”
