With Nishan Velupillay receiving his FIFA World Cup debut for the Socceroos, along with a trio of young stars lifting Asian silverware, the work of the Melbourne Victory Academy has been highlighted on the international stage.
Despite the A-League Men’s and Women’s season concluding in May, June so far has proven to be an extraordinary period for the Victory Academy, with past and present players achieving notable feats.
Joining the Victory Academy back in 2019, where he would later earn his first-team debut in 2021 and record 128 league appearances to date, winger Nishan Velupillay has been one of the Club’s top success stories in recent history.
Rewarded with a first Socceroos call-up in 2024, where he would manage to score on debut, Velupillay’s strong performances for club and country earned him a spot in Tony Popovic’s 26-player squad for the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup.
Introduced as the first substitute in Australia’s memorable 2-0 triumph over Türkiye, all of the 25-year-old’s hard work and determination to battle through injuries heading into the start of the 2025/26 campaign had well and truly paid off when he had accomplished a lifelong dream.
While the World Cup action in North America has unsurprisingly captured the attention of football fans globally over the past month, three young stars of Victory’s VPL1 team managed to lift silverware in Indonesia.
Called up for the 2026 ASEAN U19 Boys’ Championship, the Victory trio of Oliver Dragicevic, Daniel Graskoski and Lewis Marinucci all played a part in helping the Green and Gold claim the trophy for the first time since 2019.
Also worth noting, former Victory Academy player Luka Didulica, who departed the Club back in October 2025 for J1 side Urawa Red Diamonds, starred for the Australia side across the tournament, playing all 90 minutes in the Final against Thailand.
Although the aforementioned trio of Victory prospects have been absent from the Senior Academy team in the thick of the VPL1 season, the Young Vucks have hit their stride with some impressive performances against top opponents.
Scoring four goals in back-to-back games against Brunswick Juventus and FC Bulleen Lions, respectively, Victory have worked their way into the top four under the leadership of Head Coach Besart Berisha.
The league’s top scoring team, 18-year-old striker Mikey Ghossaini has led the way with his chart-topping 15 goals, four clear of second place, while midfielder Jack Mihailidis has hit a strong patch of form, scoring in both of the last two games.
Meanwhile, opportunities for regular gametime against senior opponents in VPL1 have been provided for the likes of 17-year-old duo Malik Olukhale and William Kengni, gaining vital experience in a highly competitive environment.
