Garang Kuol is an "excitement machine" and can thrill for Australia at the World Cup in Qatar, Socceroos great John Aloisi has told Stats Perform.
Teenager Kuol is the most promising talent in Australia's A-League and has already agreed a January move to Newcastle United in the Premier League.
The 18-year-old, who can play across the front line, only made his full debut for Central Coast Mariners in an Australia Cup tie in July.
But Kuol had previously made nine A-League appearances as a substitute, scoring four goals in just 189 minutes.
He also starred in the A-League All Stars Game against Barcelona and during his Australia debut versus New Zealand.
Aloisi, who played and scored for the Socceroos at the 2006 World Cup, now hopes to see Kuol given the opportunity to impress again in Qatar next month.
The 46-year-old now coaches Western United, who lost 1-0 to a Kuol goal in their last meeting with Central Coast in April.
"Well, I'm excited about Garang Kuol because having coached against him, watched him closely, he's an excitement machine," Aloisi told Stats Perform.
"And I don't want to put too much pressure on him as well, because there's still a long way to go in his career.
"But it's great that he's able to sign for a Premier League club. Hopefully he becomes the next big thing for Australian football. But we have to help him and also guide him.
"It's exciting, and I'm sure that if he does get that ticket on the plane and he does come on, it will excite everyone watching, and all Australians will be following him and seeing how good he is."
Brazil legend Marta to retire from international football
Brazil star Marta has announced she will retire from international football at the end of 2024.
The 38-year-old is the all-time highest scorer for Brazil, netting 116 goals in 175 matches for the national team.
She is also the top-scorer in the Women’s World Cup with 17 goals, finishing as a runner-up in 2007 when Brazil lost in the final to Germany.
The forward has won three Copa America Femenina titles and was part of the Brazil team that won silver medals at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics.
Marta could make her sixth appearance for Brazil at this year's Games if she is selected in the squad at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
"If I go to the Olympics, I will enjoy every moment, because, regardless of whether I go to the Olympics or not, this is my last year with the national team," Marta told CNN in an interview on Thursday.
"There will be no more Marta from 2025 in the national team as an athlete.
"I am very calm about this because I see with great optimism this development that we are having in relation to young athletes."
Al Hilal 3-1 Al Fateh: Neves on target as Saudi giants close in on title
Al Hilal moved 12 points clear of Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr at the top of the Saudi Pro League as Ruben Neves scored in a 3-1 win over Al Fateh on Friday.
Former Wolves star Neves slotted in from the penalty spot in the 74th minute, as Al Hilal completed a rapid comeback.
Having fallen behind to Lucas Zelarayan's 57th-minute opener, Al Hilal responded swiftly through Micheal before Salem Al Najdi fouled Mohammed Al Qahtani in the penalty area.
Ex-Barcelona winger Cristian Trello and Al Fateh coach Slaven Bilic were booked for their complaints, with Neves making no mistake, paving the way for Ali Al Bulayhi to seal victory in the 15th minute of an extended period of stoppage time.
Data Debrief
Al Hilal have now won 21 games on the spin in the league. They have scored 86 goals across their 28 matches this season, winning 26 in total.
They had 19 shots on Friday, accumulating 2.34 xG to Al Fateh's 0.25, with pass-master Neves creating three chances to go along with his goal.
RFEF elects Rocha as new president
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has confirmed Pedro Rocha as its new president.
Rocha has been elected as Luis Rubiales' replacement, despite being under investigation for corruption.
He had been serving as interim president since Rubiales resigned in September over the scandal caused when he kissed player Jenni Hermoso following Spain's Women's World Cup triumph in August.
In a statement released on Friday, the RFEF said: "Pedro Rocha has today been proclaimed the new president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), after having received the support of the majority of the assembly members of this institution that governs Spanish football.
"The process followed the procedure agreed by the Electoral Commission, which met this morning, and the timetable that was established for these elections."
Rocha has been under investigation since earlier in April, after the RFEF's headquarters was raided by police last month. The Spanish government announced on Thursday that it would be stepping in to oversee the running of the organisation.
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