APIA knew what they had. Now the rest of Australian football is catching on.

“Max is a super talent. He’s the best player that I’ve seen come through our club,” APIA Leichhardt football director Mario Raciti said previously.

NPL NSW giants APIA Leichhardt have watched Max Court grow up right before their eyes.

From the moment he joined the club’s Under-10s, the talented attacker has been viewed as one of the brightest prospects in their system. Now, years later, the rest of Australian football is starting to see why.

Still only 16 years of age, Court is rapidly establishing himself as one of the country's most exciting young prospects.

The teenager enhanced his growing reputation during the recent AFC U17 Asian Cup, where Australia reached the semi-finals.

He was a standout performer throughout the tournament. Against both China and Uzbekistan, Court's quality was evident.

For those at APIA, however, none of this came as a surprise and following his international exploits, he backed it up his club in NPL NSW on the weekend.

This is a player who is already in the history books.

Court became the club's youngest First Grade debutant last year, a milestone that reflected the belief the club have long held in his ability.

Having spent virtually his entire football journey within the APIA system, the teenager represents the latest success story from one of Australia's most respected development pathways. Oscar Gonzalez is also emerging.

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Court’s performances have not gone unnoticed internationally either.

While Court is firmly established within Australia's youth setup, the midfielder is also eligible to represent Vietnam through his mother's heritage and there have been reports of interest from the Asian nation.

For now, though, the focus remains on development.

And based on what he's already shown, Australian football has every reason to be excited.