“He was playing since he was four in our neighbourhood in Dundas [in west Sydney],” explained his Nicaraguan-born mother to au.foufourtwo.com.

“From then on we saw his talent and that’s when we thought about putting him in soccer.”

Later today, Amini and his team-mates will train later on the Central Coast in their last public appearance before Sunday’s grand final.

Amini, who turns 18 next month, is set to again play a key role as the Mariners look to upset Brisbane on their home patch. It will all depend on how playmaker Patricio Perez pulls up from a hamstring injury picked up in the grand final qualifier against Gold Coast last weekend.

But if Amini is called upon, his electric skills and confidence are again set to light up an A-League game after a breakthrough season for the club.

Brisbane though are 27 games unbeaten and at short odds of $1.45 for the A-League season finale.

A graduate of the AIS and Westfields Sports High, Amini has been one of the finds of the season for the Gosford club.

So whatever happens on Sunday, Amini's mother said her son has shown what he can do at the highest level in this country.

“I’m very proud of him. He’s performing well every day,” she said. “The A-League is very good. But I think the football overseas is much better than Australia.”

Quizzed on her son she offered these insights into the his life outside of football. “His favourite is junk food. And his hair himself... he doesn’t put anything in it and he doesn’t use a hairdryer. It’s all natural.”