In an unexpected turn of events, 18-year-old right-back James Overy, who has yet to play any senior football and only joined Manchester United last summer, could be heading to next summer's World Cup finals. This comes after his recent call-up to the Australia squad for friendlies against Venezuela and Colombia in the United States.
Overy played for United's Under-18s against Leeds on Saturday. Despite being a newcomer to professional football - just last year he was playing in the 10th tier of English football - his talent has not gone unnoticed. The former Perth Glory full-back moved from Australia to Devon in 2023. He began playing for Newton Abbot Spurs' first team in the South West Peninsula League before being signed by United's academy a year later.
His journey hasn't been without challenges; a significant Achilles tendon injury stalled Overy's progress. However, his talent shone through as he made impressive performances at both Under-18 and Under-21 level with Manchester United. He even featured against senior opposition in National League Cup ties at Tamworth and Rochdale.
Versatile player with potential
Overy is known as a quick right-back who can cover central defenders well and press forward effectively. His call-up presumably owes everything to his performances for his country at last month's Under-20 World Cup held in Chile. Even though Australia failed to make it out of the group stage, Overy managed to stand out with his skills on display.
He is among seven uncapped players included by coach Popovic as part of efforts towards building depth before next summer’s World Cup – an event that marks their sixth consecutive qualification and seventh overall.
Tony Popovic, Australia coach, said:
"He's worth having a look at. I'm open minded about what that looks like for the immediate future and long term. Watching him closely in Chile, I was impressed. We have good contacts at Manchester United, so we know what he's doing at training. He's in the process where he's getting called up (to first-team training) a lot more often."
Eligibility across borders
Interestingly enough, Overy also holds eligibility status for Scotland having represented them at Under-19 level. This adds another layer of intrigue to his burgeoning career.
In a peculiar twist, Overy could join fellow full-back Diego Leon (Paraguay) and wide-man James Scanlon (Gibraltar) in making his senior international debut before he has even played a first team game for Manchester United.
James Overy's journey from the 10th tier of English football to potentially representing Australia in the World Cup is nothing short of remarkable. His story serves as an inspiration for young players worldwide, proving that talent and hard work can lead to opportunities on the grandest stages. As sports fans and sports betting enthusiasts alike keep their eyes on this rising star, it will be interesting to see how his career unfolds.
