What are the odds that two rising football talents, both under 10, both training with elite squads, would live in the same neighbourhood, go to the same school, and share the same dream?
Just days after Cranbourne Star News shared the story of young Oscar’s football rise, a neighbouring family reached out with a remarkable coincidence: their son, Nick, is also a young player juggling elite-level training with school, and both boys attend the same primary school and live only kilometres apart.
“When we saw Oscar’s story, it was just incredible. They’ve done great things over there,” Nick’s father Dusko said.
Nick, a real fan of Melbourne City and Manchester United (still supporting the team despite its performance this season), has a packed weekly schedule.
The Cranbourne West 9-year-old plays for Bentleigh Greens, trains with Prodigy Football Lab (PFL), and recently earned a spot in the Melbourne City FC elite squad after a competitive three-day trial in April.
Despite the demanding schedule, Nick’s academic performance has improved after transferring to Quarters Primary School.
“We changed from one school to this school, and it’s been a year,” mother Liz said.
“His studies have just skyrocketed. He went from below average to now he’s above average in his English and maths.
“We’ve spoken to the school. It’s more like just letting him do his reading logs if need be…He does soccer outside. And then at school, he focuses on school.
“They don’t make you do homework and force homework. They just do the reading, which is two minutes a day. But honestly, the way that they help kids is completely different. If you’re advanced in your class, then they will help you keep going. If you’re having some problems or you need extra help, they’ve got extra support learning offices in the classroom.”
Nick’s goal is clear: he wants to go pro.
“He’s a natural winger and striker. Definitely a top goal scorer for his team. And he’s also worked a bit of defence this year, which has been great because he gets to balance out his position,” Dusko said.
“The minute he started walking, he started kicking a ball.
“I’ve obviously played soccer when I was younger, so we had soccer balls in the house. And he could get a ball, and he just started kicking it around the house.”
For Nick, the dream is alive every day, not just at elite training or game day, but right in his backyard, where he spends forever scoring goals with his little sister and their puppy chasing the ball at his heels.
If you are interested, you can also read Oscar’s story here: cranbournenews.starcommunity.com.au/news/2025-06-24/support-fuels-dream/
