Miguel Di Pizio
Personal information
Date of birth (2006-01-04) 4 January 2006[1]
Place of birth Sydney, Australia
Height 1.71 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Central Coast Mariners
Number 39
Youth career
AC United FC
2019–2022 Western Sydney Wanderers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022 Western Sydney Wanderers NPL 8 (1)
2023– Central Coast Mariners NPL 14 (3)
2023– Central Coast Mariners 7 (0)
International career‡
2023– Australia U17 10 (5)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 January 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 6 December 2023

Miguel Di Pizio (born 4 January 2006) is an Australian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for A-League Men club Central Coast Mariners.

Early life

Born in Sydney, New South Wales, Di Pizio started playing football at the age of four.[3] He attended Mamre Anglican School, located in Kemps Creek, and Westfields Sports High School, representing in both schools' football teams.[3] He has an older brother, Gianni Di Pizio, who also played at Western Sydney Wanderers Youth and Central Coast Mariners Academy.[3] Di Pizio is of Italian descent and idolised Argentine footballer Paulo Dybala.[3][4][5]

Club career

Central Coast Mariners

A youth academy player of Western Sydney Wanderers,[5] Di Pizio signed a scholarship contract (his first professional contract) with Central Coast Mariners under head coach Nick Montgomery on 12 April 2023.[6] Di Pizio made his professional debut as an 85th-minute substitute on 22 April 2023 in a 3–1 league win against F3 rivals Newcastle Jets.[1][7] He was added to the Mariners' 2023 A-League Grand Final squad,[8][9] but was not named on the match squad on the day.[10]

On 29 November 2023, Di Pizio scored his first professional goal in the 2023–24 AFC Cup in a 1–1 home draw to Terengganu.[11] Di Pizio made his starting debut for the Mariners on 8 December 2023 in a 4–0 victory over Western United at Central Coast Stadium.[1][3]

International career

In July 2022, Di Pizio received his first international call-up to represent the Australian under-17 team ahead of the 2022 AFF U-16 Youth Championship,[12] and was renamed in a 23-man squad for the 2023 AFC U-17 Asian Cup qualifiers.[13][14] He helped Australia to automatic qualification for the U-17 Asian Cup, scoring the third goal in a 3–1 win over China to top the group.[15] During the tournament, Di Pizio also managed to score a brace in a 23–0 victory against Northern Mariana Islands,[16] and a goal in a 10–0 win over Cambodia.[17]

In May 2023, Di Pizio was renamed in the 23-man squad for the U-17 Asian Cup that was staged in Bangkok and Chonburi.[18][19] Di Pizio featured in all three group matches as Australia qualified to the knockout rounds.[1][20] He was also awarded player of the match in a 2–0 win against Tajikistan in the Joey's last group match.[21] Di Pizio also featured in Australia's 3–1 quarter-final loss to Japan at BG Stadium.[22]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "M. Di Pizio: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  2. ↑ "Miguel Di Pizio Stats and Ratings". Sofascore. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Campo, Jose (9 December 2023). "Meet the 17-year-old Mariners prodigy who could be the next Garang Kuol". The Roar. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  4. ↑ Marziani, Marcella (June 2023). "Miguel Di Pizio: una grande passione per il calcio". Il Globo (in Italian). Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  5. 1 2 Pisani, Sacha (22 June 2023). "Modelling Dybala, following Kuol and co: 'Sky's the limit' for Joeys' attacking weapon". A-League. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  6. ↑ "Miguel Di Pizio signs Mariners scholarship deal". Central Coast Mariners. 12 April 2023.
  7. ↑ Pisani, Sacha (15 May 2023). "The Mariners have a 17-year-old whose coach says he's 'ready' to go overseas after 9 NPL games". A-League. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  8. ↑ "In-form Miguel Di Pizio gearing up for Grand Final and U17 Asian Cup". Socceroos. 23 May 2023.
  9. ↑ "Match Preview: A-League Men's Grand Final". Central Coast Mariners. 2 June 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  10. ↑ "Melbourne City 1 vs Central Coast Mariners 6". KEEPUP. 3 June 2023.
  11. ↑ Comito, Matt (29 November 2023). "Hype for Joeys star goes up a notch as emotional scenes follow exciting career milestone". keepup.com. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  12. ↑ "Four Wanderers named in Australian squad for AFF U16 Youth Championship 2022". Western Sydney Wanderers. 29 July 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  13. ↑ "Subway Joeys' Squad Named For AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2023™ Qualifiers". Football Victoria. 3 October 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  14. ↑ Webb, Daniel (3 October 2022). "Australia locks in squad for Shepparton qualifiers". Shepparton News. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  15. ↑ "China finishes 2nd in Group G at U17 Asian Cup qualifiers". www.news.cn. 9 October 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  16. ↑ Webb, Daniel (6 October 2022). "Joeys start qualifiers with spring in their step". Shepparton News. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  17. ↑ Webb, Daniel (8 October 2022). "Qualification destiny in Australia's hands after Cambodia victory". Shepparton News. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  18. ↑ "Joeys extended squad named for 2023 AFC U-17 Asian Cup". Football Australia. 16 May 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  19. ↑ "Subway Joeys' squad named for AFC-17 Asian Cup Thailand 2023". Network Ten. 14 June 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  20. ↑ "Joeys advance to AFC U-17 Asian Cup knockout stages". Central Coast Mariners. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  21. ↑ "Tactical patience key to Australia's progress, says Di Pizio". Asian Football Confederation. 14 June 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  22. ↑ "WATCH: Australia's AFC U17 Asian Cup campaign ends in defeat to Japan". Socceroos. 26 June 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.

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