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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Jack Snape

The one who got away: how did Australia lose one of its brightest football talents to Croatia?

Portsmouth midfielder Adrian Segecic gestures while holding the ball during a Championship match
Adrian Segečić, who plays his club football for Portsmouth, has chosen Croatia as the country he wants to represent at international level. Photograph: Simon Roe/ProSports/Shutterstock

There have been many to choose other nations over Australia, but for Socceroos fans this one hurts. One of the country’s best young players formally changed his footballing allegiance to Croatia at the weekend, reopening the debate about how the Socceroos can keep hold of the country’s brightest talents.

Adrian Segečić, a talented attacking midfielder with an eye for goal, has impressed in England for Championship side Portsmouth this season, after winning the A-League Men’s golden boot last year. He had played for junior Australian national teams at under-17, under-20 and under-23 levels, and had been called up to Socceroos camp by Tony Popovic but was yet to make his full international debut.

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