Dario Vidosic stopped making Queensland teams as a teenager, then went from Brisbane Roar to the Bundesliga with 1. FC Nürnberg and the Socceroos.

Between 13 and 16, Dario stopped making Queensland teams, never made the Queensland Academy of Sport, and was one of the last to go into the AIS. His dad's advice: keep working, keep enjoying it. As a late developer he had to rely on technique to beat bigger, faster players, and it paid off when he scored on his A-League debut for Queensland Roar.

From there it was a trial and a contract at 1. FC Nürnberg in the Bundesliga, learning every day from Marek Mintál and Zvjezdan Misimović. Dario explains how Germany's youth reform gave players like Ilkay Gündoğan, Toni Kroos and Mesut Özil their chance, and why Australia's young players, now playing 50 or 60 professional games before 18, are better prepared to go overseas.

He shares what young players should be ready for when they move to Europe, why three sessions a week with Pep Guardiola still would not be enough, and how Pep's Barcelona turned him into a coach, from the Melbourne City academy to Brighton in the Women's Super League.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro: scoring on debut, missing Queensland teams and Bundesliga matchdays

01:12 Episode 20: Dario Vidosic, Socceroo, Bundesliga player and Brighton coach

03:12 Who is Dario Vidosic: from Brisbane and the Socceroos to coaching in England

04:27 First touch: arriving from Croatia aged two and growing up at Brisbane Croatia

06:38 Childhood idols: Roberto Baggio on VHS, Ronaldo, Batistuta and The World Game

08:06 A late developer: missing Queensland teams, the AIS and signing with Queensland Roar

12:21 No two pathways are the same: Matt Leckie, Eberechi Eze and loving the game

14:28 What it takes to play at the top now: Premier League physicality vs technique

16:41 From Brisbane Roar to 1. FC Nürnberg: the trial, Bundesliga matchdays and the Fürth derby

20:17 Lessons from a pro career: discipline, extra work after training and earning your luck

23:43 Learning from Marek Mintál and Misimović, and what Germany's youth reform means for Australia

30:12 Why three sessions a week with Pep isn't enough, and what to expect when you move overseas

39:40 What he'd do differently, Ronaldo's mentality, and why Pep's Barcelona made him a coach

47:29 Is Hansi Flick's Barcelona back to its best? Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Pedri

49:44 From Melbourne City to Brighton: the jump to the Women's Super League

52:12 A-League Women vs the WSL: 15-year-old Shelby McMahon and learning the hard way

54:58 Young players in the A-League: from the Del Piero era to Lucas Herrington's move abroad

1:08:24 Stoppage Time Questions: an Olympic qualifier in North Korea

1:09:56 Best player he shared a pitch with: Luka Modrić

1:10:49 Learning German at Nürnberg and French in Switzerland

1:13:08 The moment he'd relive: scoring on his Queensland Roar debut, and beating Arsenal with Brighton

1:16:54 Why the friendships last longer than the results

1:20:12 Final advice: love the ball, chase the dream and learn from people who've done it

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.

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