Two Okons shared a lifelong dream. There’s one more to come … but he plays for Italy

San Francisco: After playing the pass that unleashed Nestory Irankunda on goal, Paul Okon jnr chose not to join his teammates in the pile-on that followed at the corner flag.

Instead, he made a beeline for the bench to celebrate with his father.

Paul Okon snr might have captained Australia, but never got to play at a World Cup. He’ll have to settle for being an assistant coach, watching his son run the midfield at one.

“I could see the emotion in his face. That touched me,” Okon jnr said. “It’s a memory I’ll cherish.”

When Australia’s second goal against Turkey went in, Okon snr started bawling, and embraced Tony Popovic, his old teammate. In that moment, all the anxiety – about Paul jnr’s presence in the squad, about the path he’d chosen for his kids – washed away. The ultimate vindication had arrived.

For years, Okon snr privately wondered if he’d made a terrible mistake. In 2019, he moved his family from Sydney back to Belgium, where his own European club career started, so that his two eldest boys, Paul jnr, 21, and Gianluca, 17, could chase their dreams of following in his footsteps.

That meant sacrifices. They left their friends and extended family behind for a new country, a new language, and with no guarantees about anything. Then the pandemic happened.

“There were a number of times where I thought, what have I done?” Okon snr said.

Okon snr tries to avoid speaking publicly about his sons because he is reluctant to cast a shadow over their journeys. Bearing the surname of one of the most technically gifted players Australia has produced has been more of a burden for them than an advantage, he insists.

“If I have to talk about them, it’s never as a father,” he said.

“It’s always through a football lens, because it doesn’t serve a purpose – I mean, it goes without saying that there’s pride, and you’re proud, and all that. But when you get to experience it and see how hard they work … I know how dedicated they are.”

Despite the view he has been handed a rails run in football, Okon jnr’s journey has not been straightforward.

A classic late bloomer, he spent several years in the academy of Club Brugge, his dad’s old club, and was then scouted and signed by Portuguese giants Benfica but never played a senior game for them.

This season, he returned home, living with his grandparents as he played in the A-League with Sydney FC – his first campaign in senior men’s football, which ended with him being named as their player of the year, and in Australia’s 26-man World Cup squad.

“Staying longer at Benfica, as they wanted him to, was not really an option. He had opportunities to stay in Europe. But we thought a year in the A-League would tick so many boxes,” Okon snr said.

“It couldn’t have gone much better.”

Nor could have his World Cup debut, after he was given a surprise start in midfield over stalwart Jackson Irvine.

Irankunda was named man of the match against Turkey but Okon jnr must not have been far behind. He looked nervy and emotional as the anthems were played pre-game, and had tears welling in his eyes, but once the final whistle sounded, he looked immediately at home, quelling the influence of Arda Guler and Turkey’s other main threats while also providing impetus in attack for the Socceroos.

Okon snr is acutely aware of the perception that, because of his job as Popovic’s assistant, he personally played a role in fast-tracking Paul jnr into the team. Eyebrows were raised when he was named in a Socceroos squad for the first time 12 months ago, before he had even made a first-team appearance at club level.

History looks back on that decision differently: that Popovic saw something that nobody else could, and it’s paid off on the biggest stage.

“I do hear comments. People do tell me,” Okon snr said.

“It’s not something that I can do anything about. I would be quite confident that if I wasn’t sitting in this chair right now, and it was the same head coach, I reckon he’d [Paul jnr] be here.

“Because he has my surname, should that be a reason why [not]? Then, OK, we accept it. He accepts it. And if anyone doesn’t think that because he has that surname, he has to work and prove himself double hard because of all the scrutiny – right or wrong, that’s how it is.

“He deals with it very well. I know I probably couldn’t if I was in his shoes, but I have to take my hat off to him. It doesn’t faze him at all. In actual fact, it makes him want to do even better.”

Surely, now, the debate is over.

Even Irvine, the player he replaced, agrees.

“With midfielders, everyone’s got their kind of thing; what you bring that makes you the reason that you’re in the national team. To be at this level, you’ve got to have your factor. [Okon jnr] has shown probably two or three already,” Irvine said, speaking to this masthead before the Turkey match.

“The progressive passes is probably the standout. The bravery to face forward, play forward; he can receive the ball in tight spaces, can drive with the ball. He’s got a [physical] presence in there as well. He’s so talented … anyone who pays close attention can probably see why he’s here.”

There’s one more Okon to come. And he might be even better.

Gianluca Okon is one of the hottest talents in the game, and is being pursued by some of the biggest clubs. This season, he made his professional debut for Club Brugge’s youth team in Belgium’s second division, and was a key part of their run to the UEFA Youth League final, where they fell on penalties to Real Madrid after beating Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Benfica on their way.

The problem is that right now, he plays for Italy, not Australia.

Last Sunday, Gianluca won the U17 Euros with Italy – they beat France in their group, Spain in their semi-final and Belgium in the final – and was named in the tournament’s official best XI by UEFA after scoring a penalty in the decisive shootout.

Okon snr watched on television from Socceroos camp.

“It’s not a small game. You’re playing the best kids in Europe in your age – and you do well,” he said.

“When I see that, I sort of give myself a little pat on the back. I was brave. I thought, this is what I should do as a father. Ultimately that’s what you try and do: give them the best opportunity, and then it’s up to them.”

Even though his last name is Okon, he is no certainty to play for the Socceroos. Gianluca played for Australia’s junior teams twice, in 2024 and 2025, before switching his allegiance to Italy despite never having lived there.

“I’d be lying if I said he hasn’t enjoyed this journey so far with Italy,” Okon snr said.

“But at no stage have I ever said you have to do this, or that – and that was the same for Paul jnr. He also had the opportunity, but he had always wanted to play for Australia.

“It’s early, and the door is there to change. But ultimately, that will be his decision.”