Brae Lamichhane has the future at his feet.
The Shepparton South soccer prodigy has talent surging through his toes and it shows as he’s secured a pre-academy deal with A-League club Melbourne Victory.
Lamichhane, 10, travels to Melbourne to train in a professional environment once, sometimes twice, weekly while still turning out for South’s under-12s in Shepparton Junior Soccer Association (SJSA).
Daniel Nardella, Lamicchane’s coach at South, said he could spot the potential from a mile away.
“At the start of the year Brae was eligible to play under-10s, but for the sake of his development I pushed him into the under-12s so he could get a little bit more stretched,” Nardella said.
“He’s an unbelievable talent, left-footer, really balanced on the ball. His feet, he’s great in tight areas.
“I’ve never seen anything like it from a 10-year-old and, by what I’m hearing, he’s in the best three or so kids in Victoria for his age.”
Lamicchane joined Shepparton South’s under-8s a number of years ago.
Much to his current career trend, he was barely seven at the time ― playing up has never been an issue.
It’s often hard to define the characteristics of a top emerging player in such a young age group and so Lamicchane’s real breakthrough came about 18 months ago.
He was identified by Victory’s talent scouts in March 2022 at the Boys & Girls FC tournament in Bendigo as part of an SJSA development side coached by Tommy Giuliani.
Nardella and Giuliani have utilised Lamichhane as a central midfielder and left winger ― his two strongest positions ― but he’s starting to show real promise in and around the centre circle.
So it’s no wonder why Melbourne Victory came calling.
And when the big boys ring, you pick up the phone.
Earlier this year Lamichhane was asked to join Melbourne Victory’s Pre-Academy, but he only began training in July.
The toing and froing to the big smoke for Monday night sessions ― and the occasional Friday ― is fast tracking the youngster’s development like there’s no tomorrow.
If he remains in Victory’s pre-academy for a few more years the pre-teen will be eligible to graduate into the full academy and, if fortune favours, the A-League men’s side.
But, though he throws on the navy each week, deep down Lamichhane is a South boy.
“He’s a jet and he’s a really good kid. I just love the fact he’s come from Shepp South,” Nardella said.
“He’s probably one of the best kids I’ve seen for his age around this area in a long, long time.
“He’s got a good head on his shoulders for a little kid, so I think he’ll do well.”