Noah Botic is reaching new levels with Western United, and calls for a headline spot in the Socceroos are intensifying. He recently shared his thoughts with aleagues.com.au on his current form, the buzz surrounding him, and his future aspirations.
When listening to Noah Botic speak, you can sense a maturity in his tone—an understandable effect of his diverse experiences both at home and overseas.
This player has spent time in Germany and has attracted interest from football powerhouses like Bayern Munich and Manchester United. Now flourishing at Western United in the Isuzu UTE A-League, he’s positioning himself firmly in the conversation for national team selection.
He is acutely aware that this may be his final season in Australia.
“It’s the last year of my contract, so I want to wrap things up on a positive note and really showcase what I’m capable of,” Botic expressed to aleagues.com.au ahead of Saturday’s significant clash against league leaders Auckland FC in Tarneit.
Botic is performing at an exceptional level, rising under the guidance of Australian football legend John Aloisi, and leading a youthful and dynamic squad at Western United.
With eight goals so far this season, he is enjoying the best scoring record of his professional career as the 23-year-old competes for the coveted Golden Boot title.
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It’s clear that interest is in abundance for the former Hoffenheim prodigy. However, Botic approaches this with a level-headed perspective, ensuring any move he makes is well-considered.
Botic is eager to return to Europe.
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“It’s a topic I’ve discussed with my family. I’ve always envisioned going back to Europe,” Botic remarked when questioned about his future.
“It’s all about finding the right moment—whether that’s at the end of this season, the next, or even two years down the line. I’ll need to make that decision soon within the next couple of months.
“But right now, my main focus is on contributing to Western United, aiming for the play-offs, and hopefully securing another Championship for this club.”
“For any kid playing in Australia, there’s always that ambition to play in Europe, as that’s where the pinnacle lies.”
“Playing back in Europe is a dream for me. Wherever that may be, I’m unsure. I want to make a choice that’s right for my future rather than joining a club just for the sake of it. It’s a significant decision.”
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The Subway Socceroos could very much feature in Botic’s future.
There’s an increasing buzz for his first senior national team call-up amid a shortage of prolific goalscorers in Australia, as Socceroos manager Tony Popovic searches for talent ahead of the March qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup.
With eight goals in 16 fixtures, including 12 starts, Botic is undeniably making his presence felt.
How does he navigate the surrounding hype?
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“Honestly, it’s easier said than done,” he admitted, having represented Australia at the U16, U17, and U23 levels. “I genuinely enjoy what I do.
“Since I was young, I’ve always dreamed of representing the national team. I believe that if your primary focus is solely on that and neglecting club-level performance, you’ll struggle to achieve it. You might become overly anxious, and if you don’t score in a match, that pressure can be detrimental.”
“When I step onto the field, I consciously push aside everything else and concentrate entirely on playing football.
“When I first joined Western, I had a strong desire to represent the national team. As I aged out of the U23s, I resolved to take that next step, which took me a year to reconcile with.”
“I ensure that I maintain a balanced perspective. My parents have played a huge role in this; they’ve always been extremely supportive but also kept me grounded, helping me focus on the game without letting success or pressure cloud my judgment.
“Football can be a tough environment, and it requires many sacrifices. When faced with setbacks, it’s vital to stay as positive as possible.”
“Ultimately, if I receive that call-up, it would make me the happiest person alive, as I’ve envisioned this since I was ten when I first aspired to be a professional footballer.”
“In terms of a favourable position for myself, we don’t have many strikers available, so that certainly works in my advantage. Other players like Archie Goodwin and Thomas Waddingham are also performing well and have recently joined Portsmouth, which also excites me.”
“A new generation of talent is emerging, which is precisely what Australian football needs. The future looks promising for attacking roles in our game.”
Botic, however, isn’t new to attention.
He has been in the spotlight since his performance with the Subway Joeys, leading his team to the Round of 16 at the 2019 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Brazil. He was also highlighted as one of The Guardian’s 60 promising young talents in football.
He’s faced comparisons with Australian football legend Mark Viduka early in his career.
“I was somewhat taken aback by the comparison,” he said, reflecting on how he manages such expectations. “People will always draw comparisons, and many young athletes receive similar labels regarding being the next big thing.
“I took it in stride, viewing it as a recognition that I’m on the right path. If I continue to develop, my future looks bright.”
“I don’t know if I’ll ever reach Mark Viduka’s level, but I aspire to carve my own path and be remembered as the next Noah Botic for the younger generation to admire.”
“I want to inspire them to think, ‘one day I want to be the next Noah Botic’. That’s the goal I’m setting for myself in this context.”
At just 23, Botic has benefited immensely from the mentorship of Socceroos great John Aloisi, who played a pivotal role in his decision to return to Australia and join Western United four years ago.
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“I’m certain that any young striker, particularly someone under 20, would have an incredible opportunity working with a head coach of his calibre. He shares a similar journey, which allows me to learn from him considerably, and many others would surely follow my path.”
“Having him as a former Socceroo, a true Australian icon who has played in various top leagues worldwide, gives me the chance to ask him invaluable questions during training—whether it’s about my positioning or movement in the box. He is always keen to assist.”
“At times, we’ll review game footage and he’ll provide insights on what I could do better in certain situations, as well as what I did well. His guidance has been instrumental, and I feel like I’ve improved significantly because of his support.”
Ultimately, Botic’s passion for the game drives him forward. He approaches football as a continuous learning experience.
“Football is everything to me. I seize every opportunity to watch matches and learn,” he stated.
“I prefer to study teams like Liverpool because there’s always something to learn while observing them.”
“I don’t watch just for enjoyment; I actively seek lessons to take away from each game.
“I often find inspiration in players like Erling Haaland and his positioning within the box. That’s a key focus for me.”
“Many professionals claim they don’t watch football outside training, which is fair. However, I’m the opposite; football has been my life for the past 20 years, starting from the age of three. It’s hard to imagine my life without it.”
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Botic’s hunger for growth and self-improvement is evident on the pitch this season, although it hasn’t been without its challenges.
A navicular stress fracture impacted his 2023-24 season, leaving him scrambling to catch up during pre-season.
It was a “disheartening” injury that caught him unawares.
“In a way, this season has been my pre-season,” he remarked. “I believe I have so much more to offer.”
“For four to six weeks leading to my injury, I felt a minor niggle in my foot. As a young athlete, I brushed it off, thinking it would resolve itself with time.
“Unfortunately, that was not the case. The discomfort persisted, prompting me to get a scan which revealed a stress fracture in my navicular bone—a critical area with limited blood flow that took me six to seven months to fully recover from.”
“During pre-season, I had to focus on individual training while missing out on matches at the beginning of the season, making my debut from the bench.”
His resilience was further forged during his transformative time overseas.
Initially, there was interest from Manchester United following his stellar performances with the Joeys. The club, which had been his childhood favourite, invited him for a trial.
“I was shocked and incredulous. At that moment, my agent was telling me, ‘United want to give you a week’s trial.’ I was like, ‘are you pulling my leg?’”
“This stemmed from the Joeys’ U16 Asian Cup qualification for the World Cup. I scored five goals in that tournament, which apparently caught the attention of scouts who contacted my agent for a trial.”
“When I heard that, I felt astonished. I trained there for a week, witnessing their top facilities and players like Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford up close.”
“At the end of the week, they expressed a desire for me to return, but then things stalled, which was unfortunate because I would have relished the chance to impress them further.”
Next, he signed with Hoffenheim.
While Bayern Munich were keen to secure the young Australian after just one pre-season match with Hoffenheim, Botic chose to remain there.
“After a week at Hoffenheim, they offered me a contract right away, and we accepted straight away,” he recounted.
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“Bayern’s interest only arose after my first pre-season fixture. I felt that moving to a powerhouse club like them at such a young age might be overwhelming and not as beneficial to my development, so I chose Hoffenheim instead.”
Botic spent two formative years with Hoffenheim’s youth team from 2019 to 2021.
He played alongside current Germany international Maximilian Beier and Aston Villa’s Amadou Onana in the Under-19s.
Despite this, he found the experience harsh due to COVID-19 and being on a team with few English-speaking players.
“Football is a solitary pursuit,” he stated. “It was a challenging experience, particularly amidst COVID, with the season cancelled and no opportunity for my parents to visit me.”
Botic elaborated: “It’s quite isolating, especially since most of my teammates didn’t speak English and our location in Hoffenheim—a small town with only a few thousand residents—means there’s little opportunity to find English speakers.”
“There’s a perception of an Australian player coming over to take someone’s place, which is understandable. Everyone is fighting for their position, and I respect that.”
“It was a difficult period for me.”
Nonetheless, that two-year chapter in Germany helped shape Botic.
“The whole experience fortified me against life’s challenges. If you can endure that, everything else becomes manageable.”
“I believe that was when my mentality sharpened, and it contributed significantly to my current position.”
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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