Daniel Cappellaro, known as D10, on his journey from Perth to FIFA Street, professional futsal in Spain and England, and the UEFA Futsal Cup.

Daniel did not touch a football until he was eight, on a family trip to Italy where his cousin played in Serie C. Back in Perth, he chose Armadale Soccer Club purely because they trained twice a week instead of once.

What followed was West Ham's Hammers Academy in Western Australia, a scholarship at John Curtin Soccer Excellence, and a pathway that barely existed. No A-League academies. State teams that appeared and disappeared. His references were Stan Lazaridis and Harry Kewell, recorded off The World Game onto VHS.

Then futsal found him at eleven, through a low bounce ball a coach had picked up from a guy in Leeds. It took him to Argentina, Spain, England, a Champions League campaign with a Scottish club, and eventually Melbourne, where he now coaches in the Melbourne City academy. Along the way he became one of sixteen unlockable characters in FIFA Street, played against Falcão and alongside Douglas Costa, and met Neymar in Brazil.

Part 1 is his journey as a player. Part 2 covers coaching: skill acquisition, the weak foot, and what Melbourne City's academy looks for.

From First Touch to First Team is the podcast for young football players, parents and coaches. Every episode, host Jan Schmidt sits down with professional players, coaches, and people building lives around football, and unpacks the real journeys behind the game. The goal is simple: to give young players and their parents the education, the honest stories, and the perspective they need to navigate the pathway to professional football.

Whether you are a young player chasing the dream, a parent supporting one, or a coach shaping the next generation, this episode is essential listening for anyone who has ever wondered what a life in football can look like beyond the pro contract.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro: "I was a professional futsal player and I travelled the world"

03:23 Who is Daniel Cappellaro: Melbourne City U14s coach and former pro futsal player

04:51 First touch at eight: discovering football on a family trip to Italy

07:31 West Ham's Hammers Academy and John Curtin Soccer Excellence

09:22 A critical father and the "what's next" mentality

10:21 The Perth pathway in the 1990s and Frank Arok's Future Glory

12:17 No clear path but real references: Stan Lazaridis and Harry Kewell

14:46 The Perth pathway today: NPL, Football West and two A-League academies

19:42 Why young players should still study Denilson, Rivaldo and Romario

22:23 A late developer obsessed with out-teching the next team

24:54 How he learned: watch it on VHS, then find street football

27:49 Futsal and NPL side by side, and four months in Argentina

29:44 FIFA Street, Spain, England, the UEFA Futsal Cup and Melbourne City

33:51 Champions League nights, video games, homesickness and money

35:06 Leaving Perth Glory for Spain with no European passport

41:34 Where social media fits into the story

46:12 The 2016 tutorial that hit 80,000 views and deals with Nike and Adidas

49:40 Consistency, timing and blind faith

51:09 Part 2 preview: coaching technical skills

Jan and the Eleade Fussball coaches help young Australian players bridge the gap between team training and individual development, so they can reach the highest level possible. Individual and group sessions with a cognitive focus, game analysis, and performance testing, all built around the individual player.

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Enjoy your football journey!