Young Socceroos midfielder Josip Zelic might be off the radar in his homeland but he’s seeking to make a big impression in Europe.
The Sydneysider is no relation to former Socceroo Ned, one of Australian football’s greatest-ever products, but plays in the same position and like the 48-year-old wants to make it to the top.
“I’ve seen a couple of his YouTube videos and obviously I know what he’s done for Australia,” the younger Zelic told The World Game.
“He’s a great footballer.”
Zelic left his home in Sydney’s south-west as a teenager in a bid to home his craft in the footballing hotbed of his parents.
“I’ve been based in Zagreb since the age of 14,” he said.
“Both my parents are Croatian, I grew up in Canterbury. My dad played football, not at a professional level, and he pretty much gave me that love of football. All the time he was talking about football and I just got the love from him.
“It’s been a crazy couple of years to go halfway across the world, to change everything about your life to chase a dream is pretty surreal. It was a shock [at first coming to Croatia]. It was step up for me personally.
“But you get used to the level after a season. The difference is the physicality and the speed. My game has been improved a lot, 100%.
“They’re more serious about football here in my opinion. It’s a way of living your life. Everyone is just playing on the streets.”
The former St George FC and APIA Leichhardt junior joined the youth set-up of Croatian second division club Hrvatski Dragovoljac in 2016. Zelic then had a brief spell at third-tier HASK before signing for NK Zagreb 2017.
There the midfielder made his senior debut in the third division, before shifting to second division outfit Dubrava last year in a bid for more regular football.
“I went to Dubrava to get those professional minutes in,” he said.
“The whole season at NK Zagreb I was playing in the first-team. That’s where I really got first-grade football under my belt and where I really developed.
“I was hoping to continue on from that season to Dubrava, but things didn’t really go my way. Then Corona hit, I’m disappointed with how it ended but I guess that’s life.”
Zelic took part in a Young Socceroos camp in Holland in February this year. There the Australians took on the Under-19 teams of Ajax, FC Utrecht and FC Twente.
“Obviously getting called up to your national team at any level is no small deal,” he said.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity. It was a great experience, I got to connect with a couple of old friends. In terms of performance, I think I did pretty well.
“I didn’t really showcase much what I know, but the biggest thing was gaining confidence that I can play at that level.”
Zelic appears unlikely to play again this season with the 2019-2020 Druga HNL campaign cancelled because of the Coronavirus.
But the 18-year-old is determined to get back on the field when football returns and continue his development.
“Like any young footballer I just want to get professional minutes in,” he said.
“I don’t care if its in Croatia or in another country in Europe. My goal is to stay in Europe. I’ve got a couple of options in Germany, so I’m looking at that now.
“I don’t know if I’m going to stay in Croatia, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to stay in Europe. We’ll see what happens.”
