There was a moment in Tete Yengi’s first time speaking with the media since being called into the Socceroos where a reporter asked him to look behind him at a banner that has been put up at their training ground in Oakland.
It features some true Australian greats: Lucas Neill, Mark Bresciano, Brett Emerton, Tim Cahill, Brett Holman, Aaron Mooy, Mark Viduka, Manfred Schafer – and the moment Aziz Behich sent this 2026 squad to the World Cup.
Yengi looked back at those faces as he was asked what it means to become a Socceroo.
“It’s crazy. I don’t know if it’s really sunk in yet,” he told reporters.
“There are so many great players that have played for this country, some of my idols.
“I’m just grateful for the opportunity. Hopefully I can get on the pitch, I’m still uncapped.
“It’s amazing my first call-up has come at a World Cup.”
He added: “There’s guys here like Maty Ryan, Jackson Irvine, Awer Mabil – he’s someone I’ve watched since I was really young at Adelaide United.
“So to be here with him, sharing the pitch with him, all of them, Mathew Leckie as well, these players have been to many World Cups so I’m just trying to take as much information as I can from them.
“On the pitch, off the pitch, anything to help build myself and get the experience and hopefully bring it onto the pitch.”
Indeed, there will be few players at this tournament who have emerged so late into their team’s preparation for football’s biggest stage as Yengi.
It was barely six months ago that the striker was sent out on loan by his Scottish club Livingston to J.League outfit Machida Zelvia.
“Football is crazy. A lot can happen in six months,” he said.
“I was enjoying my time in Scotland, even though things weren’t going so well, I was still playing week in week out.
“Then I got the call from Japan, I thought it was an opportunity I can’t let go. I took it and thankfully it worked out. The people over there are great, my teammates, my coaches, I’m really enjoying it over there.”
In that period, Yengi has starred for Machida Zelvia in Japan’s top flight and played a key role in helping them reach an AFC Champions League Elite final.
He described that game as ‘crazy’ and the atmosphere ‘ridiculous’, adding “I haven’t seen that before, hopefully the games here will be a bit like that!”
Uncapped heading into this tournament, Yengi looks set to join his brother Kusini in becoming a Socceroo.
“He was very excited for me, probably a bit disappointed with himself not getting the opportunity,” he said when asked about his brother’s reaction to his selection.
“But I’m here on his behalf so yeah I’m looking forward to enjoying my time here and hopefully playing my first World Cup.
“… He’s just really happy for me. My mum as well, my dad, everyone is really happy. It is everyone’s dream to come to the World Cup, so I’m grateful to be here.
“Unfortunately he couldn’t be here through his injuries. I would have liked to be here with him. Maybe the next one, let’s see.”
Yengi arrives at this World Cup after a unique journey that has taken him from South Australia’s NPL, to England’s League Two as well as stints in Finland, Scotland and now Japan.
“I think football is a journey. Only some players stay at one club,” he reflected.
“I’ve had the opportunity to move around to numerous clubs and countries, I’m grateful for that experience.
“It’s helped me as a player and as a person. I’ve taken bits from everywhere I’ve been and kinda put that together and it’s made me who I am today. So yeah, I’m grateful for that experience so far.”
The 25-year-old has some familiar faces around him in Nestory Irankunda and Mohamed Toure, who he has known for over a decade, having grown up in Adelaide.
While they play the same position, Yengi is hoping he gets the chance to share the pitch with Toure at some point during this tournament.
“We’re very close to each other. We speak almost every day. Even when we’re not here.
“I’ve grown up with Mo. I’ve known him since I was maybe 12 and he was 8. So we’ve grown up together with the whole Toure family. We’re just grateful and happy to be here together.
“We’re just gonna enjoy the moment every day in training and hopefully we can maybe be on the pitch together. That would be an amazing moment.”