Central Coast Mariners rising star Haine Eames has been recognised as one of the top 10 Under-20 players globally, according to a recent list released by the CIES Football Observatory.
Eames sits in a joint sixth position for the highest number of assists and ranks second for assists per 90 minutes among U20 players across 45 non-big-five football leagues around the world, having played at least 630 domestic minutes, as per CIES statistics.
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The trailblazing 16-year-old is tied with Sverre Nypan from Rosenborg and Pontus Dahbo of BK Hacken, both with an assist rate of 0.26. Leading the pack is 17-year-old Porto prodigy Rodrigo Mora with 0.55 assists per 90 minutes, followed by Thomas Jorgensen from Viborg at 0.44, Brondby’s Noah Hartey at 0.37, and Motherwell’s Lennon Miller, a reported target for Celtic, at 0.29.
Completing the top 10 are Tadeas Hajovsky from Trencin and Adriano Jagusic from Slaven Belupo, both aged 19 and boasting an assist rate of 0.22.
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This season has been remarkable for Eames in Gosford.
Just last month, he made history by becoming the youngest player to don the captain’s armband in the AFC Champions League during the Central Coast’s 2-0 defeat to J1 League rivals Kawasaki Frontale in the ACL Elite.
This is merely one of the numerous records broken by Eames during the 2024-25 season.
He has already secured his place in the history books as the youngest player and goalscorer in Central Coast Mariners’ history.
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“When I first joined the club, I often watched the academy train,” said Mariners head coach Mark Jackson in an episode of Total A-Leagues.
“I stood with Matt Simon, who remarked, ‘Look at this kid; he’s only 15, yet every time he’s moved up an age group or given a challenge to play against older players, he rises to the occasion.’
“By the end of last season, I thought, let’s give him a shot with the A-League squad. He seamlessly integrated into our setup. He has made impressive physical progress in a short time, even though he still has a youthful appearance.
“Every training session and match, he continues to grow stronger and more capable. He’s an incredibly level-headed young man with immense talent and potential.
“He tackles everything that comes his way with a calm demeanour.”
“Seeing him start games now and compete in the Champions League is fantastic for everyone involved, especially for Australian football.”
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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