June 12, 2026 — 3:29pmMichael Petrillo will never forget the first time he watched teenager Jordan Bos run riot at Melbourne City training.As the club’s director of football remembers it, Bos was using his speed and skill to knock opponents on their backsides, leaving his new teammates, including some Socceroos, dumbfounded.Socceroos star Jordan Bos playing for Melbourne City in 2019.Melbourne CityBos, now 25, is one of seven players with City ties in the Socceroos’ 26-man squad at the FIFA World Cup, with coach Tony Popovic hoping his charge, who now plays club football for Feyenoord in the Netherlands, will treat defenders from Turkey, USA and Paraguay in the same way as he did his City colleagues.“Jordy is just physically a beast, and we saw that from an early age,” Petrillo recalled.“His first training session with the A-League side, he was flattening people, and I remember [Socceroos striker] Andrew Nabbout making a comment ‘Who the hell is this kid?’“We knew we had someone special.”City will receive a windfall from FIFA’s club benefits program after the World Cup because Mathew Leckie, Aziz Behich and Patrick Beach from their current A-League side are members of Australia’s squad.Recent City stars Aiden O’Neill (New York City FC) and Kai Trewin (New York City FC) now play Major League Soccer in the US.The precise sum of money the club secures will be decided by how many days their players are away on national duty, whether Australia progresses beyond the group stage and whether City are eligible for a share of money for the squad members who were on their list but have recently moved clubs.Industry figures estimated City could receive between $700,000 to $1.2 million, with FIFA allocating a total of $505 million ($US355 million) to the program.Socceroos midfielder Connor Metcalfe pictured during his time with Melbourne City’s academy in 2017.Melbourne CityThe emergence of Bos and Socceroos teammate Connor Metcalfe is a shining example of the success of Melbourne City’s academy, which signed the duo at the respective ages of 13 and 14 before they progressed to the A-League, then Europe and the national team.They are the third and fourth City academy players to go to a World Cup, following Daniel Arzani (2018) and Nathaniel Atkinson (2022).“It helps us keep funding our academy and our football program,” Petrillo said.“It makes a difference and we’re very grateful for whatever amount eventually comes our way.”Socceroos star Jordan Bos, right, playing for Melbourne City’s academy in 2017.Melbourne CityThose Socceroos are the best advertisement for both the academy and the A-League sides, and Petrillo said Bos and Metcalfe were often mentioned by prospective signings.“They are watching these players and want to be just like them,” Petrillo said.“They want to emulate the pathway those players have taken. Nearly every young player we bring in our senior setup mentions those boys who come through our ranks and represent Australia.”City’s academy program focuses closely on helping players develop the skills and qualities they will need to play at senior level, with Metcalfe a fine example of its success, despite battling serious back issues as a teen.“Connor had stress fractures in his back and had to sit out a year of football,” Petrillo said.“He put in an enormous amount of work during that time in the gym, strengthening his body.“He went into the program with a young teenage body, and came out with a man’s body, and it certainly helped him progress quickly once he got back on the field.”In recent years, veteran Socceroos Leckie, 35, and Behich, 35, have signed with City after returning home to Victoria from overseas, sharing their leadership and experience with younger teammates.Former Melbourne City players (L-R) Mathew Leckie, Aiden O’Neill, Jordan Bos and Connor Metcalfe leave the Rose Bowl after playing for the Socceroos against Mexico.Getty Images“It is really difficult to produce young players at that top level without those experienced heads around – not just their experience, but the quality of players,” Petrillo said.“Between them, they have played 150-160 Socceroos games, and I know the young players look up to them and watch everything they do.“Even at their age, nothing is too much for them and that’s why they are still playing at the level they are playing at.”Petrillo hasn’t suggested it to the Socceroos hierarchy, but it is possible that Popovic could field a line-up including the City seven.“That would be nice but any of them could hold their place in the team,” Petrillo said.“It would be a bit hard for Beachy because he has [captain] Mat Ryan in front of him, but he’s shown he’s up to it.Roy Ward is a sports writer, live blogger and breaking news journalist. He's been writing for The Age since 2010.Connect via X or email.From our partners