Talia Younis

Talia Younis
Personal information
Date of birth	26 October 2008 (age 16)
Place of birth	Australia
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Western Sydney Wanderers
Number	19
Youth career
2019–	Western Sydney Wanderers
Senior career*
Years	Team
2023–	Western Sydney Wanderers
International career‡
2023–	Australia U17
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17 April 2024; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 13 May 2024

Talia Younis (born 26 October 2008) is an Australian soccer player who plays as a midfielder for A-League Women side Western Sydney Wanderers. She is the first player born after 2008 to feature in the A-League.

Raised in Western Sydney, Younis made her first-team debut in October 2022, becoming the youngest debutant in the A-League aged 14 years and 361 days. Her record stood for two weeks before teammate Ischia Brooking made her debut aged 14 years and 347 days old.^[1]^[2]

Club career

Western Sydney Wanderers

Younis started playing for Western Sydney Wanderers in 2019, after trailling three times for the Wanderers Academy.^[3] She made her A-League Women debut for Wanderers on 22 October 2023 in a 3–0 defeat to Wellington Phoenix at Western Sydney Stadium.^[4] Aged 14 years and 361 days, Younis became the youngest debutant in the A-League, breaking Sam Kerr's record who debuted aged 15 years and 45 days.^[4]^[5]^[6] She also became the first player born after the inauguration of the competition in 2008 to make her maiden appearance.^[5]^[6]

International career

An Australian youth international, Younis was called up to Australia under-17 squad ahead of the 2024 AFC U-17 Asian Cup qualification.^[7]^[8]^[9] She scored a goal each in Australia's 11–0 win over Mongolia,^[10] and 6–2 victory over Philippines in Hanoi.^[11]^[12]

Personal life

Raised in Western Sydney, Younis has an older brother, Marcus Younis, who plays for Western Sydney Wanderers in the A-League Men.^[13]^[14] Her father, Ray, was a former National Soccer League player and currently works as the Wanderers' conditioning coach.^[13]

References

^ Rosengarten, Jake (5 November 2023). "All-time A-Leagues record broken for the second time in 14 DAYS". A-League. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
^ "Late drama sees Wanderers share points with Newcastle". Western Sydney Wanderers. 5 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
^ "Wanderers secure rising star Talia Younis". Western Sydney Wanderers. 6 July 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Phoenix see off Wanderers with second-half flurry". Western Sydney Wanderers. 22 October 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
^ ^a ^b Sherlock, Harry (22 October 2023). "Chelsea and Australia star Sam Kerr sees long-standing A-League record broken by 14-year-old Talia Younis". Goal. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
^ ^a ^b Comito, Matt (22 October 2023). "One of Sam Kerr's long-standing A-Leagues records has just been toppled... by a 14-year-old!". A-League. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
^ "Younis named in CommBank Junior Matildas squad for 2024 AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup Round 1 Qualifiers". Western Sydney Wanderers. 16 April 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
^ "Younis named in CommBank Junior Matildas squad selected for Korea Republic International Series". Western Sydney Wanderers. 31 May 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
^ "Younis named in CommBank Junior Matildas squad for upcoming camp". Western Sydney Wanderers. 25 August 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
^ "Australia kick off #AFCU17W Round 1 Qualifiers with an 11-0 win over Mongolia | Football Australia". Football Australia. 24 April 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
^ "Younis strikes in CommBank Junior Matildas 6-2 victory over the Philippines in their #AFCU17W Round 2 Qualifiers". Western Sydney Wanderers. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
^ "CommBank Junior Matildas record a 6-2 victory over the Philippines in their #AFCU17W Round 2 Qualifiers | Football Australia". Football Australia. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
^ ^a ^b "After breaking Sam Kerr's record, the A-Leagues' youngest-ever player has her eyes on a bright future". ABC News. 25 October 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
^ "Younis' meteoric rise". Western Sydney Wanderers. 17 July 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.

[1] Rosengarten, Jake (5 November 2023). "All-time A-Leagues record broken for the second time in 14 DAYS". A-League. Retrieved 11 November 2023.

[2] "Late drama sees Wanderers share points with Newcastle". Western Sydney Wanderers. 5 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.

[ref0-3] "Wanderers secure rising star Talia Younis". Western Sydney Wanderers. 6 July 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.

[ref1-4] "Phoenix see off Wanderers with second-half flurry". Western Sydney Wanderers. 22 October 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.

[ref2-5] Sherlock, Harry (22 October 2023). "Chelsea and Australia star Sam Kerr sees long-standing A-League record broken by 14-year-old Talia Younis". Goal. Retrieved 26 October 2023.

[ref3-6] Comito, Matt (22 October 2023). "One of Sam Kerr's long-standing A-Leagues records has just been toppled... by a 14-year-old!". A-League. Retrieved 26 October 2023.

[7] "Younis named in CommBank Junior Matildas squad for 2024 AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup Round 1 Qualifiers". Western Sydney Wanderers. 16 April 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.

[8] "Younis named in CommBank Junior Matildas squad selected for Korea Republic International Series". Western Sydney Wanderers. 31 May 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.

[9] "Younis named in CommBank Junior Matildas squad for upcoming camp". Western Sydney Wanderers. 25 August 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.

[10] "Australia kick off #AFCU17W Round 1 Qualifiers with an 11-0 win over Mongolia | Football Australia". Football Australia. 24 April 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.

[11] "Younis strikes in CommBank Junior Matildas 6-2 victory over the Philippines in their #AFCU17W Round 2 Qualifiers". Western Sydney Wanderers. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.

[12] "CommBank Junior Matildas record a 6-2 victory over the Philippines in their #AFCU17W Round 2 Qualifiers | Football Australia". Football Australia. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.

[ref4-13] "After breaking Sam Kerr's record, the A-Leagues' youngest-ever player has her eyes on a bright future". ABC News. 25 October 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.

[14] "Younis' meteoric rise". Western Sydney Wanderers. 17 July 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.

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