Shepparton striker Teng Kuol is the latest member of his family to have achieved international success
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Shepparton’s Teng Kuol is daring to dream of further success on the international scene - after scoring on his debut for South Sudan after just 30 minutes.
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With South Sudan currently embarking on their qualification campaign for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Kuol will be hoping to play a role in making history for the nation as they look to make the finals for the first ever time.
He was recently called up to the senior men’s squad for fixtures against Djibouti in March, making the trip to Juba Stadium for what proved to be a landmark moment in his career.
With brother Garang Kuol having previously made history by becoming the youngest player since the legendary Pelé to feature in the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup, there is no doubt that sporting excellence runs in the family.
In addition, elder sibling Alou Kuol previously represented Australia at Under-23 level, while younger brother Didi Kuol is also tipped for stardom in the future.
However, March 27 proved to be Teng’s moment in lights after he struck just half an hour into proceedings on his South Sudan bow - with a memorable piledriver effort from long range.
Cutting inside on his right foot, the forward unleashed a powerful shot which left the Djibouti ‘keeper flailing to fire South Sudan into a slender lead en route to a comfortable 4-0 victory.
Up to that point, Teng had experienced a memorable few days, having reunited with family members, while meeting others during what was an emotional experience.
The Kuol family settled in Shepparton back in 2005 after a period living as refugees in Egypt, having fled Sudan amid civil unrest.
Now, the 23-year-old striker has reflected on a full-circle moment in an exclusive interview with Shepparton News, having now represented South Sudan at the highest level.
Issuing words of wisdom for youngsters dreaming of making the grade on the international stage one day, he highlighted the need for prospects to demonstrate self-belief.
“I think for young kids, from Shepparton or South Sudan, self-confidence is the biggest thing to play at the highest level,” he said.
“And not turning away from obstacles - realizing it’s all part of the journey.”
In a closing comment, Kuol showed his humility as he dreamed of coming up against some of the continent’s foremost talents at the next tournament, which is set to take place in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda in 2027.
“It would be amazing, there’s a lot of great countries like Nigeria, Senegal, Morocco and Ghana.
“There’s so so many with top Premier League players so it will be very difficult [to qualify].
Teng Kuol previously represented the GV Suns during his youth.
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
“But being able to come up against those players at the highest stage is what every aspiring footballer should look forward to.
“So I look forward to these challenges and especially with South Sudan, its such a young country, so there’s so much history that can be made.
“It gives me more motivation being an underdog.“
Following on from his international debut, Kuol’s side fell to a 1-0 loss in the second leg of its AFCON qualification tie with Djibouti - but they advanced to the next round on aggregate following their 4-0 win in the first leg.
Back at club level, the Shepparton striker is also making strides with Marconi Stallions in Sydney, having scored three times in six outings in the NPL New South Wales division so far this season.
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