Local Trio Chase Asian Cup Glory with the Joeys
Nickolas Alfaro, Kade Baccus and Thomas Cutuk, the highlyregarded footballers with connections to The Hills and Hawkesbury, will represent Australia at the 2025 AFC U17 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Australia has been drawn into Group B and will face Vietnam (April 4), United Arab Emirates ( April 7) and Japan (April 10), with the top eight teams in the competition qualifying for the FIFA U-17 World Cup being hosted by Qatar in November 2025.
Defender Thomas Cutuk, is a Year 11 student at Marian Catholic College, Kenthurst. He started his career with Hills Spirit FC before being signed up by premier A-League side Sydney Wanderers.
Midfielder Kade Baccus, who spent his early days at Parklea FC, is now a teammate of Cutuk at the Wanderers. In the 2019 Under-12 grand final, Kade won the Man of the Match Award and has continued to excel at higher levels.
Kade’s South African-born brothers, Kearyn and Keanu, are also professional footballers, with the latter a regular with the Socceroos.
Originally from Schofields, Alfaro was recruited from Football Tech Academy in Blackett after showing early promise as a talented midfielder.
Alfaro played for Nepean FC before being signed up by A-League powerhouse Sydney FC in January. He signed his first professional contact with multiple A-League champions Sydney FC early this year,
“Being selected to represent Australia at a major tournament is something that I am very grateful for and looking forward to as we’ve been working for this tournament for the last 12 months” Alfaro said.
“Being able to contribute to the team to get to this stage is something me and my family are proud of and can’t wait to showcase what myself and my teammates can do.”
The three-year deal with Sydney FC marks a significant milestone for Alfaro, who joined Sydney FC’s Academy, aged 11, under the guidance of technical director Kelly Cross. “Nico has always possessed a special quality on the pitch,” says Cross.
“With a Peruvian family background, he carries a touch of South American football in his game — something that stands out the moment you watch him play. He is incredibly comfortable on the ball and prefers to take risks and create opportunities rather than simply making a safe pass.”
“Nico is a player who makes things happen. One of his standout attributes is his ability to draw opponents in, allowing them to think they can win the ball, only to glide past them effortlessly. This skill is what sets special players apart.
The Joeys recently won the recent Hattrick U17 International Tournament and the ASEAN U16 Boys Championship in addition to impressive tours of Europe and the Pacific.
Subway Joeys’ coach Brad Maloney said he is pleased with his team’s application and effort in implementing their playing style and off-field standards.
