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Celtic’s Reo Hatate (L) and Aberdeen’s Nicolas Milanovic in action(Image: SNS Group)<\/p>\nMilanovic also knows that physically it will be a challenge with Jimmy Thelin having to balance his Dons squad on two fronts<\/p>\n
11:30, 04 Sep 2025Updated 19:42, 04 Sep 2025<\/p>\n
Celtic’s Reo Hatate (L) and Aberdeen’s Nicolas Milanovic in action(Image: SNS Group)<\/p>\n
Nicolas Milanovic is dreaming of making his Australian debut against New Zealand.<\/p>\n
The Aberdeen<\/a> star has been called up by Socceroos boss Tony Popovic for the equivalent of the ‘Soccer Ashes\u2019.<\/p>\n Australia entertain the Kiwis in Canberra tomorrow and then head to New Zealand on Tuesday.<\/p>\n Milanovic, who has been capped at under-23 level, got his first call-up for an end of season training camp, but was then cut from the squad for the games against Japan and Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n The 23-year-old said: \u201cI\u2019ve been waiting a bit now for mine and still striving every day and working every day at club level to try and achieve those goals of making not one cap, but hopefully 10, 20 or 30.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have this two-legged tie against New Zealand and everyone wants to win.<\/p>\n \u201cThe word friendly is not so good around here.<\/p>\n \u201cYou want to impress the coach, impress the staff, and hopefully come back again.\u201d<\/p>\n Share your thoughts in our 2025 summer transfer window survey<\/a><\/p>\n Milanovic will have plenty of backing in the GIO Stadium, as his family are making the six hour round trip from Penrith.<\/p>\n He stated: \u201cYou don’t know when your first cap is going to come. Obviously, they’re all going to be coming down to Canberra.<\/p>\n \u201cSo hopefully, it would be great to get the cap there.<\/p>\n \u201cBut whenever it comes, it comes. It’s more a waiting thing, because you\u2019ve got to believe in yourself and know that one day you will get there.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m right there on the edge, and I’ve got my whole family backing me.\u201d<\/p>\n The winger knows that you have to take every opportunity with the goal of a World Cup final to come next summer. He has a few familiar faces in Hibs pair Jack Iredale and Martin Boyle in the Australian squad.<\/p>\n Milanovic confirmed: \u201cWe’re all pushing each other because we all want, eventually, a spot to go to the World Cup.<\/p>\n \u201cSo you can see that in the last year or so, there are so many young Aussies going overseas.<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t think I’ve seen this many go ever since being involved in Aussie football.<\/p>\n \u201cI would say it’s a new wave.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are moves everywhere around Europe and this whole squad is from Europe.<\/p>\n \u201cSo there are already 25 players that are playing overseas.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s more so everyone challenging each other for spots and trying to impress the national team at club level.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can see that – everyone’s doing well, everyone’s going overseas, and everyone’s playing. I\u2019m happy that everyone has got to go overseas.\u201d<\/p>\n He swapped Western Sydney Wanderers for Pittodrie in the summer. Aberdeen haven\u2019t exactly made a flying start to the 2025-26 season, but Milanovic is confident he has made the right move. The Dons will be looking for improvement with the recent high-profile signings of Stuart Amstrong<\/a>, Jasper Karlsson and Kevin Nisbet<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Australian acknowledged: \u201cIt is not easy. \u201cOur club is struggling a little bit but we need to start performing better and picking up the wins. \u201cPhysically, it is tough. \u201cA lot of Australian people and media they kind of gotten into Australians in the past about Scotland as a whole.<\/p>\n “Even myself, I was asking why are people going to Scotland? \u201cNow I am there, it is tough, it is not easy.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom the A League to Scotland it is a tough transition. \u201cIt is a high level of players and pressing. To be around that mix is just going to make you better as a footballer. \u201cI am really happy to be there and that will spur me on for my career as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Milanovic knows that physically it will be a challenge with Jimmy Thelin having to balance his Dons squad for their domestic and Conference League group games.<\/p>\n
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Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin<\/p>\n