Latest news with #MaxBalard
News.com.au
24-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Dutch delight has Max Balard confident of success at international level
Fresh from a satisfying debut season in European club football, former Central Coast Mariners star Max Balard is eager to graduate from fringe Socceroo to midfield regular in Australia's line-up. Balard, 24, said he had 'improved immensely' from playing for Dutch club NAC Breda in the Eredivisie, the highest level of football in the Netherlands. 'My growth has gone amazing,' Balard said from the UAE, where he is part of a training squad assembled by national team coach Tony Popovic ahead of the Socceroos' FIFA World Cup qualifiers next month against Japan and Saudi Arabia. 'The speed of the game in the Netherlands is a lot quicker than what I had experienced in Australia, and thankfully, I am at a club where they give me my opportunity to play. 'It's helped me improve my game even more, both physically and technically. It's an experience that I've really taken with both hands.' Balard started in 33 of NAC Breda's 34 Eredivisie games in the 2024-25 season, and was also a starter in the club's only Dutch Cup match. 'I'm very grateful to the club for giving me my opportunity in such an amazing league with amazing players, where you're playing against Dutch internationals every second week pretty much,' he said. 'I feel like I've still got a lot of progress to do. I'm very excited for what the future holds.' 🎙ï¸� Max Balard is full of confidence and determined to make an impact as he targets selection for the final Subway #Socceroos squad for the upcoming #FIFAWorldCup qualifiers against Japan and Saudi Arabia. — Subway Socceroos (@Socceroos) May 24, 2025 The immediate future could include a maiden Socceroos cap in the upcoming weeks. It's an honour many feel is overdue, but Balard is just grateful to be given the chance by Popovic to prove himself at the current training camp. 'I'm really happy to be here,' he said. 'I'm really looking forward to showing that I'm a player that deserves to be here and that I'm ready to play.' With Socceroos star Jackson Irvine sidelined with a foot injury, there is a vacancy in Australia's midfield. And while Balard acknowledged that his style of play differed to Irvine's, he was confident of being able to play an important role in the Socceroos' engine room if given the chance. 'I'm more of a defensive-type style (of midfielder that Irvine), so I like to get on the ball, build up, and play like that, but I also have the qualities to get in around the edge of the box and score,' he said. '`Jacko' has been immense for the national team for many years now, and to see him go down was unfortunate because you never want to see any players go down. 'You want our country to have our best players ready to play. He's been incredible … (but) I definitely understand that there's an opportunity, and I'm working hard every day to make sure that I put my best foot forward and show the coaches what I can do.'
Courier-Mail
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Courier-Mail
Socceroos: Max Balard eager to make Socceroos debut
Don't miss out on the headlines from Football. Followed categories will be added to My News. Fresh from a satisfying debut season in European club football, former Central Coast Mariners star Max Balard is eager to graduate from fringe Socceroo to midfield regular in Australia's line-up. Balard, 24, said he had 'improved immensely' from playing for Dutch club NAC Breda in the Eredivisie, the highest level of football in the Netherlands. 'My growth has gone amazing,' Balard said from the UAE, where he is part of a training squad assembled by national team coach Tony Popovic ahead of the Socceroos' FIFA World Cup qualifiers next month against Japan and Saudi Arabia. 'The speed of the game in the Netherlands is a lot quicker than what I had experienced in Australia, and thankfully, I am at a club where they give me my opportunity to play. 'It's helped me improve my game even more, both physically and technically. It's an experience that I've really taken with both hands.' Balard started in 33 of NAC Breda's 34 Eredivisie games in the 2024-25 season, and was also a starter in the club's only Dutch Cup match. 'I'm very grateful to the club for giving me my opportunity in such an amazing league with amazing players, where you're playing against Dutch internationals every second week pretty much,' he said. 'I feel like I've still got a lot of progress to do. I'm very excited for what the future holds.' The immediate future could include a maiden Socceroos cap in the upcoming weeks. It's an honour many feel is overdue, but Balard is just grateful to be given the chance by Popovic to prove himself at the current training camp. 'I'm really happy to be here,' he said. 'I'm really looking forward to showing that I'm a player that deserves to be here and that I'm ready to play.' With Socceroos star Jackson Irvine sidelined with a foot injury, there is a vacancy in Australia's midfield. And while Balard acknowledged that his style of play differed to Irvine's, he was confident of being able to play an important role in the Socceroos' engine room if given the chance. 'I'm more of a defensive-type style (of midfielder that Irvine), so I like to get on the ball, build up, and play like that, but I also have the qualities to get in around the edge of the box and score,' he said. '`Jacko' has been immense for the national team for many years now, and to see him go down was unfortunate because you never want to see any players go down. 'You want our country to have our best players ready to play. He's been incredible … (but) I definitely understand that there's an opportunity, and I'm working hard every day to make sure that I put my best foot forward and show the coaches what I can do.' Originally published as Dutch delight has Max Balard confident of success at international level
Daily Telegraph
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Telegraph
Socceroos: Max Balard eager to make Socceroos debut
Don't miss out on the headlines from Football. Followed categories will be added to My News. Fresh from a satisfying debut season in European club football, former Central Coast Mariners star Max Balard is eager to graduate from fringe Socceroo to midfield regular in Australia's line-up. Balard, 24, said he had 'improved immensely' from playing for Dutch club NAC Breda in the Eredivisie, the highest level of football in the Netherlands. 'My growth has gone amazing,' Balard said from the UAE, where he is part of a training squad assembled by national team coach Tony Popovic ahead of the Socceroos' FIFA World Cup qualifiers next month against Japan and Saudi Arabia. 'The speed of the game in the Netherlands is a lot quicker than what I had experienced in Australia, and thankfully, I am at a club where they give me my opportunity to play. 'It's helped me improve my game even more, both physically and technically. It's an experience that I've really taken with both hands.' Balard started in 33 of NAC Breda's 34 Eredivisie games in the 2024-25 season, and was also a starter in the club's only Dutch Cup match. 'I'm very grateful to the club for giving me my opportunity in such an amazing league with amazing players, where you're playing against Dutch internationals every second week pretty much,' he said. 'I feel like I've still got a lot of progress to do. I'm very excited for what the future holds.' The immediate future could include a maiden Socceroos cap in the upcoming weeks. It's an honour many feel is overdue, but Balard is just grateful to be given the chance by Popovic to prove himself at the current training camp. 'I'm really happy to be here,' he said. 'I'm really looking forward to showing that I'm a player that deserves to be here and that I'm ready to play.' With Socceroos star Jackson Irvine sidelined with a foot injury, there is a vacancy in Australia's midfield. And while Balard acknowledged that his style of play differed to Irvine's, he was confident of being able to play an important role in the Socceroos' engine room if given the chance. 'I'm more of a defensive-type style (of midfielder that Irvine), so I like to get on the ball, build up, and play like that, but I also have the qualities to get in around the edge of the box and score,' he said. '`Jacko' has been immense for the national team for many years now, and to see him go down was unfortunate because you never want to see any players go down. 'You want our country to have our best players ready to play. He's been incredible … (but) I definitely understand that there's an opportunity, and I'm working hard every day to make sure that I put my best foot forward and show the coaches what I can do.' Originally published as Dutch delight has Max Balard confident of success at international level
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Emerging talent wants to fill Socceroo's big shoes
When a foot injury cruelly ended Jackson Irvine's season for club and country, it sent a shock wave through Australian football. It also pricked up the ears of every midfielder jostling for a Socceroos berth. NAC Breda midfielder Max Balard knows there is an opportunity open in midfield for crunch World Cup qualifiers against Japan and Saudi Arabia. Called up to Tony Popovic's training camp in Abu Dhabi, he is determined to take it. Max Balard 👋 — Subway Socceroos (@Socceroos) May 21, 2025 "Jacko has been immense for the national team for many years now and to see him go down was unfortunate, for sure, because you never want to see any players go down," Balard said. "You want our country to have our best players ready to play and he's been incredible. "I definitely understand that there's an opportunity, and I'm working hard every day to make sure that I put my best foot forward and show what I can do to the coaches. "I'm really, really excited for this opportunity. Who knows what can happen? Of course, football is a crazy sport, but I'm doing my best out here and just making sure that I'm working hard and fit to go." Balard, a different profile of defensive midfielder to Irvine, has taken on feedback from his first call-up last year, when he was in camp for two games, but didn't take the field. "It's really made me much more comfortable this second camp," he said. "I'm really looking forward to showing that I am a player that deserves to be here and I'm ready to play." Former Central Coast Mariners star Balard has become a fixture at NAC Breda, and is learning Dutch while playing in the Eredivisie. "The speed of the game in the Netherlands is a lot quicker than what I had experienced in Australia, and thankfully, I was at a club where they gave me my opportunity to play," he said. "It's just helped me improve my game even more both physically and technically." Max Balard 🪄#NACpraat #NACfey — NAC Breda 💛🖤 (@NACnl) February 19, 2025 Balard plays against Dutch internationals every week and is determined to keep taking his game up a gear in Europe. "Previously, there were only a few Australian players playing in Europe, and nowadays, you see, pretty much every transfer window there's another Australian player heading overseas," he said. "There's an abundance of midfielders that are ready to play in Europe. "It just goes to show how hungry the Australian football players are, and how much the sport has grown at grassroots level as well to improve technically at such a level. "I'm really looking forward to what the future holds, but I know as well I've got to stay sharp and keep improving myself, because there's plenty of other players that are knocking at the door as well. "So I'm focusing on myself, making sure I can reach the highest level."
