Melbourne City’s Academy has continued its rise on the international stage, with Senior Academy Manager Simon Zappia pointing to the Club’s growing ability to compete with the world’s best.
City’s recent campaign at the JSSL Singapore 7s delivered one of the Academy’s most successful tournaments to date, highlighted by a runners-up finish for the Boys and a promising debut for the Girls side.
For Zappia, the experience reinforced both the progress made in recent years and the direction the Academy is heading.
“It was a wonderful experience competing in the JSSL Singapore 7s this year,” Zappia said.
“We’ve been over there a number of times now, and each time the players and staff get the same buzz and energy around competing against some of the best academies in the world.”
Boys deliver statement tournament
City’s Boys side produced a standout campaign, underlined by a dominant unbeaten group stage that set the tone for the entire tournament.
“I think that was highlighted in the group stage, where you play every team once,” Zappia said.
“We finished undefeated and on top of the group with a goal difference of +16. Those kinds of results have usually been reserved for teams like Tottenham or Valencia – teams we’ve competed against previously – where we’ve probably been finishing third or fourth.
“So to go there and be what we felt was clearly the best team in the group was a real statement of intent.”
The numbers back it up. City recorded five wins and two draws in the group phase, scoring 22 goals – a significant leap from previous years and a clear indication of the Academy’s growth.
“It shows the pathway of our Academy,” Zappia said.
“When we first went five years ago with a 2006-born group, we only scored about four goals in the group. This time it was 22. It shows how far we’ve come and the quality we’re now producing across a whole cohort of players.”
That momentum carried into the knockout stages, where City defeated Persib Bandung and Fulham to reach the Final, ultimately falling just short against Tottenham in a tightly contested decider.
Despite the narrow defeat, Zappia was quick to highlight the broader significance of the campaign.
“This 2010-born group has performed extremely well in tournaments previously – winning the Mina Cup, finishing top six at last year’s Malmö Trophy (where City faced the likes of Real Madrid and Toulouse), and now runners-up at JSSL,” he said.
“They were very unlucky not to bring home the trophy, but it shows that some of our players are truly competing at the top level.”
Zappia also pointed to the individual development within the group, with several players already stepping into international pathways.
“We’ve got players like Luka Demuth and Akeem Gerald from that group going on to represent Australia at not an U16 level, but at U17 level,” he said.
“They’re not just excelling in their own age group, but also a level above, and we’re excited to see how this whole group develops over the next few years.”
Girls impress in historic debut
The tournament also marked a significant milestone for Melbourne City, with the Girls Academy making its first-ever appearance at the JSSL Singapore 7s.
For Zappia, it was an important step forward in the Club’s commitment to providing equal opportunities across its pathway.
“Sending the girls team over was super exciting for us and the first time we’ve ever done that at Melbourne City following the launch of the Girls Academy earlier this year,” he said.
“It’s something we’re really keen on – providing as many equal opportunities as we can across our Boys and Girls Academy.”
On the pitch, the Girls showed promising signs, advancing to the Quarter Finals and consistently matching it with strong international opposition.
“For many of them, it was their first time competing on the international stage, and they performed really well,” Zappia said.
“The highlight was probably the style of football they played. It was very unique compared to other teams and really embraced the City way.”
Across the tournament, City’s Girls often controlled possession and dictated play, even in matches where results didn’t always reflect their performance.
“There’s still some work to do technically and physically to compete with the very best academies,” Zappia said, “But we’re very confident we’ll get there in the next few years.”
Building for the future
Beyond results, the tournament served as a key development opportunity for players across both programs – particularly in preparing them for future international football.
“These experiences are massively important for the players, particularly in Asia,” Zappia said.
“We’ve already got a number of these boys playing for the Joeys, and in the future, a number of these girls we hope will play for the Young Matildas as well.
“What we’re trying to do is prepare them for what’s to come – whether that’s international tournaments with national teams or competitions like the AFC Champions League.”
Zappia highlighted how exposure to high-level opposition and different playing conditions helps fast-track player development, pointing to Akeem Gerald’s recent experiences as an example.
“He’s already played in the AFC Champions League Elite in Japan earlier this year, and now he’s had this experience in Singapore,” Zappia said.
“They’re all stepping stones to help prepare players for the future, both at Melbourne City and hopefully as Australian representatives.”
A shift in mindset
Perhaps the most telling takeaway from the tournament, however, is the evolution of the Academy’s mindset.
Where City once travelled overseas hoping to compete, the expectation has now shifted towards success.
“It’s massively rewarding when we know we can not just match it, but now compete and perform against some of the top academies from around Europe and Asia,” Zappia said.
“Five or six years ago, we were going in as underdogs – if we competed well, that was a great result.
“But that’s no longer the expectation. Now, the expectation is to go and excel.”
Importantly, Zappia emphasised that success is not measured solely by results, but by the way City’s players impose themselves on games.
“When we talk about excelling, yes results are part of it, but it’s also about how we go about it on the pitch,” he said.
“That’s why the JSSL format is so valuable. Being seven-a-side, there are a lot of one-on-one battles across the pitch.
“When we’re consistently coming out on top in those moments, it shows the quality of our players and that we’re now at, or even above, the level of some of these academies.
“That’s fantastic to see and very rewarding for everyone in the Academy.”
With both the Boys and Girls programs continuing to grow, Melbourne City’s Academy is not only producing results, but building a pathway capable of competing with the best in the world.
