Jan Schmidt

From First Touch to First Team

Society EN ↓ 7 episodes

From First Touch to First Team is a podcast for anyone who loves the game of football and dreams of playing it at the highest level. Each episode, we sit down with current or former professional footballers to hear the real story behind their journey, from their earliest memories of the game to the moment they made it. The highs, the setbacks, the sacrifices, and the lessons that shaped them as players and people. Whether you are a young player working toward your goals, a parent supporting your child's development, or a coach shaping the next generation, this podcast gives you an honest, unfi...

Author

Jan Schmidt

Episodes

EP 07: Daniel Georgievski - From Western Sydney to Dinamo Zagreb and Champions League vs Chelsea 05.07.2026 1:04:23

Daniel Georgievski takes us through his journey from Western Sydney to Dinamo Zagreb's academy, Steaua Bucharest, and Champions League nights against Chelsea, Schalke, and Ajax. In this episode of From First Touch to First Team, host Jan Schmidt sits down with the former professional footballer to trace one of the most unlikely paths in Australian football. Danny talks about growing up in Blacktow...

EP 06: Alexander Fuchs - 1860 München, the Bundesliga and a Masters in Psychology 28.06.2026 56:29

Alexander Fuchs takes us through his journey from the 1860 Munich youth academy to a Bundesliga debut with 1. FC Nürnberg, multiple hip surgeries, and what it taught him about the mental side of professional football. In this episode of From First Touch to First Team, host Jan Schmidt sits down with the 29-year-old German professional to trace a path through one of the most competitive development...

EP 05: Kiara De Domizio - Sydney Olympic, Western United, and her Path to the A-League Women 21.06.2026 54:08

Kiara De Domizio takes us through her journey from her first kick at Bankstown Sports to training alongside Matildas at Sydney Olympic, signing her first professional contract with Western United, and earning a reputation as the "clutch queen" in the A-League Women. In this episode of From First Touch to First Team, host Jan Schmidt sits down with the 24-year-old Australian winger and the show's f...

EP 04: Marcus Younis - WSW, PSV Eindhoven, Melbourne City, and chasing a Socceroos call-up 14.06.2026 41:44

Marcus Younis takes us inside his journey from Western Sydney Wanderers Academy to PSV Eindhoven, Brøndby IF, Melbourne City FC, and being close to a Socceroos call-up before the 2026 World Cup. In this episode of From First Touch to First Team, host Jan Schmidt sits down with the 20-year-old Australian winger to trace a career that has already taken him across three countries. Marcus talks about...

EP 03: Joshua Laws - Wellington Phoenix, Grasshoppers Zürich, and an Under 17 World Cup 07.06.2026 49:19

From kicking a ball around the back garden in Sydney to playing for Wellington Phoenix, Grasshoppers Zürich, and Western Sydney Wanderers, Joshua Laws's story is one of constant change and quiet resilience. In this episode, Josh sits down with Jan to trace a path that took him through six different countries. He talks about growing up as a hyperactive kid sent on Bondi Beach runs by his dad, the l...

EP 02: Nicolai Müller - From 200 Bundesliga appearances to coaching in Australia 31.05.2026 51:17

From kicking a ball against the wall next to his family home to playing 200 games in the Bundesliga and earning a call-up to the German national team, Nicolai Müller's journey is a masterclass in resilience. In this episode, Nico sits down with Jan to trace his path from First touch to First team. He opens up about being released by Eintracht Frankfurt as a youth player for being "too small," the...

EP 01: Will Kennedy - Signing a Pro Contract at his Boyhood Club 24.05.2026 49:34

From U13 to the A-League. Will Kennedy on what it actually takes to come through Sydney FC's academy and into the senior game at Central Coast Mariners. In episode 01 of From First Touch to First Team, host Jan sits down with Will to walk through the full journey: the early influence that pulled him into the game, the youth development years that demanded everything, the transition into senior foo...