From Nervous Teen to A-League Star

Segecic’s Meteoric Rise: Dutch Loan and Costa Mentorship Fuel Golden Boot Campaign

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) — Adrian Segecic’s journey from nervous teenager to A-League Men’s Golden Boot winner reads like a football fairytale. The Sydney FC attacker credits his 18-goal breakout season to two transformative factors: a loan spell in the Netherlands and mentorship from Brazilian legend Douglas Costa.

The 20-year-old’s remarkable campaign saw him outscore high-profile teammates despite starting just 19 of 35 appearances. His super-sub heroics included an 22-minute hat trick against Central Coast Mariners in January – a performance that ultimately forced coach Ufuk Talay to rebuild his attack around the homegrown talent.

“Coming into Sydney FC at 16, I was always nervous and scared to back myself,” Segecic told ESPN. “Holland changed everything. I learned to play without fear.”

Dutch Courage
Segecic’s 2023-24 loan at FC Dordrecht in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie proved pivotal. The technically demanding environment of Dutch second division football rebuilt his confidence:

• 1,287 minutes across 17 appearances
• 4 goals, 3 assists in rotation role
• Adapted to faster decision-making demands
• Learned to thrive under physical pressure

“That experience taught me to show myself and not care about mistakes,” Segecic explained. “When I returned, I played with complete freedom.”

Mentorship Matters
The young attacker also benefited from daily training with former Bayern Munich and Juventus winger Douglas Costa. Their positional rivalry became an unexpected masterclass:

• Costa assisted 5 of Segecic’s goals
• Shared insights on movement in final third
• Modeled professional preparation habits
• Publicly praised Segecic’s potential

“He didn’t have to help me, but he was always there with advice,” Segecic revealed. “Watching his movement off the ball changed my game.”

European Interest Grows
With agents now exploring transfer options, Segecic remains focused on continuous development: “I need a club that lets me attack like Sydney did. Repeating this season’s output is my priority.”