Born in Melbourne to a Romanian mother and a Bosnian father, Ajdin Hrustic abandoned the Australian player pathways programs at just 14. His three goals in the qualifying campaign for the 2022 World Cup have seen him emerge from obscurity
Only the more ardent Australian football fans could have told you much about Ajdin Hrustic 12 months ago.
Two weeks later, he put Asian football on notice in his first start for the Socceroos, scoring a stunning free-kick against Kuwait, the first of his three goals in the qualifying campaign for the 2022 World Cup. Instead, it was the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina that was in his ear for years. He repeatedly fended off their interest, never once relinquishing from his dream of playing for Australia, even if there had been radio silence for years.
“He had a big confidence in himself,” Milicic said. “I remember, he must have told me about 50 times that he was best mates with Sadio Mane. I liked him a lot. I played him as a No.10 on the right, cutting inside on his left foot. He had a good work rate and top set pieces.”A trust in his own ability is something he’s never lacked. When Bert van Marwijk left him out of the Socceroos’ 2018 World Cup squad, Hrustic made his feelings known.
It seemed exorbitant for a player with one cap and just 50 club appearances. But as his career progresses, it looks to have been a bargain. Eintracht paid more than $1.7 million for his services last year, a third of his current valuation. He showed that courage to score a vicious free-kick against Japan in Saitama. He had no hesitation taking a penalty for Eintracht in the Europa League final shootout. Instinctively, he struck a speculative volley in the dying minutes against UAE on Wednesday to score the winner that booked Australia’s spot in the play-off against Peru on Tuesday morning.
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