Sydney FC have completed the signing of young Rising Star Award winner Marin France on a three-year professional A-League Men’s contract.
17-year-old France becomes the latest Sydney FC Academy prospect to graduate to the Sky Blues’ first team ranks.
The attacking midfielder joined Sydney FC’s Academy as a 12-year-old in 2019 and has worked his way through the ranks to become part of the A-League Men’s squad for the next three seasons.
France described the moment he was told he was being offered a Sydney FC contract.
“It’s hard to put into words how I felt,” he said.
“There was a lot of emotion because you put so much into it and to hear you have got the opportunity to sign with the best club in Australia, it’s something you dream of as a kid.
“I grew up idolizing the likes of Del Piero, Brosque, Ninkovic, Luke Brattan, Anthony Caceres when I was younger, and now I’m playing with these sorts of players, it’s really special.
“If you’ve ever played football it’s the sort of things you dream of.”
Sydney FC Head Coach Ufuk Talay called up France to train with the A-League Men’s squad towards the end of last season, after hearing good reports from the Academy’s matches in Leverkusen and Dusseldorf.
He was impressed with what he saw.
“He is a winger who did exceptionally well and when the squad went over to Germany, he played some really good games,” he said.
“We are bringing in the young players we believe will take the next step into our A-League squad, while also giving them game time with our NPL side.
“I think the quicker they come into our environment, the quicker their development will be.”
The Northern Beaches resident is also a Tottenham supporter and describes himself as a winger or a number 10 who likes to get on the ball, run at defenders and try to excite people with a goal or an assist.
Sydney FC Technical Director Youth, Kelly Cross, first saw the youngster playing for Manly United Under 10’s in 2017 and brought him into the Academy two years later.
“Marin’s x-factor is his desire to beat his immediate opponent as often as he can, and this desire is matched by a high success rate in individual duels,” he said.
“Despite only just turning 17, he is the leader in dribbling and duels across the whole of the NSW NPL 1st division.
“Perhaps not surprisingly, he is number three on the list of those who get fouled the most.
“We’ve focused on allowing Marin to express himself in this way over the years, even though he was not always so successful.
“To see it coming to fruition now is very satisfying for everyone at the Academy.”
France described winning the Rising Star Award as ‘a bit of a surprise’ but ‘a very special award to receive.’
His contract will commence from July and he will continue his training with the A-League Men and National Premiers League squad in the meantime.
