Or, if you’d dropped the kids off at a Sydney FC community event, they may have been coached by Ricciuto at one of the Sky Blues’ holiday clinics. 

The attacking midfielder was considered one of the better talents in the NSW NPL, featuring in one of FTBL’s best talents outside the A-League features. 

He also faced the Sky Blues in the FFA Cup, but like many NPL talents, found chances to break into A-League squads frustratingly difficult.

Ricciuto in action for Rockdale against Sydney FC in the 2018 FFA Cup Round of 32 *Getty Images

But it doesn't have to be the end of your dream: for a former Penarol player in Uruguay, Ricciuto knew at 26 he had more to give after three years in the NPL. 

He knew if he had the chance he could make it back into a pro club. Somewhere in the world. 

And in the global game, that can literally mean anywhere. 

So, after the conclusion of the 2018 NPL season, Ricciuto hatched a savvy plan: he fired up his video editing software, got as creative as he is on the pitch and produced a highlights reel.

Then he jumped on WhatsApp and messaged a previous agent of his in Uruguay.

As a result, the attacker got his name out on YouTube and his agent came back with a trial proposal. 

So, one day he’s working for Sydney FC’s community department and training three nights a week at the Suns, and next, he’s trailing in Brunei with DPMM FC.

Paying his way to the small country situated on the northern shore of the island of Borneo in the South China Seas, to train and play with DPMM (who play in Singapore’s S-League) the club immediately saw his talent.

Their manager - former Stoke City assistant coach Adrian Pennock - signed him after just a week. Smart move.

After December’s trial, the NPL star arrived back in Brunei in early January. In short, he smashed it. 

Ricciuto scored on debut. In front of his adoring mum watching on in the stands, too. 

And after scoring on debut, Ricciuto’s talents and distinctive looks saw him signing autographs in the street of Brunei. 

He’s even made the S-League team of the week.

What’s more, the Aussie with the Uruguayan passport even got invited to celebrate the birthday of the Prince of Brunei (who owns the club), where he watched on as former American Idol singer Jessica Sanchez sang for the assembled guests. 

Welcome to the fabulous new world of former NPL star Blake Ricciuto, an Aussie who’s taking life on and loving every moment being a professional footballer.

Ahead of the top-two S-League clash league leaders Tampines Rovers, FTBL sat down with Ricciuto to catch up on his life on and off the pitch in Brunei. 

Blake, the trial period, how did you feel?

I wasn’t nervous. I felt good. I knew what I could do. All I wanted was a chance to impress. And it came off. 

Best memory so far?

Probably the goal I scored on debut at home. First home game I opened the scoring and got an assist. To celebrate in front of the Prince and my Mum who came to watch. Pretty special.

Great moment that’ll stay with me for the rest of my career. I got man of the match and was in the S-League team of the week. 

Blake's mum saw him score his debut S-League goal, a classy header.

 

How’s life in Brunei?

It’s great. My aim was full-time football. And I’m living it, that’s what I want to do. So many things have happened over the last two months. 

An average day in Brunei for you?

We may do a gym session in the morning then more of a football session in the afternoon. 

It’s fairly quiet here so you can focus on your football but there are some nice places like national parks. We sometimes chill out there or some nice cafes.

I live in a nice gated community, so there are a pool and a gym to use. There are always people around there. 

But there’s not much downtime due to training, and that’s the way I like it. 

How do you find the culture in a Muslim country like Brunei?

Great. Very respectful people. I can’t fault them. Sometimes training will stop during prayer time, but it’s not a problem.

I once was in a warm-up and went to close someone down and I didn’t realize the prayer came on and so we stopped. We pray before games. I’m enjoying the whole experience. 

Before I came here I did some research on Brunei but I’d never heard much of Brunei, but I’m enjoying it and people are great.

And with my curly hair, I kinda stand out and people look at me. Now people know who I am they ask for photos in the street! That doesn’t happy back home in the NPL. 

 

S-League standard?

We’re early in our season (four games) and there some strong teams. One team is Albirex who are actually a J-League club based in Singapore and they went undefeated all last year. They’re strong. As is Tampines Rovers who are top of the league. 

We fly into Singapore for away games the night before, play and leave the night after so three days in Singapore in total. It’s only a 90-minute flight. It hasn’t affected my performance wise. I don’t mind the flights every two weeks. 

Your coach at DPMM FC and your teammates?

Adrian Pennock, he’s from England and formerly an assistant with Tony Pulis. The fitness coach is also from England. They come from a similar football culture to Australia which is good. His family is back home in England and knows what it’s like to be a player away from home in my case.

He’s done well and he’s very respected here in Brunei and as the results show, he’s getting a lot out of the local players and foreign players like me. 

He’s come in and changed things and it’s working. 

We have Charlie Clough, who’s played in League One and Two in England for Bristol Rovers and Barnet. 

We also have a Belarus national team player Andrey Varankow who played against Neymar at the Olympics. Some good local players too and if we’re doing well, apparently we can get a full stadium around 28,000. 

The Prince of Brunei I’m told is football mad. He’s your owner as well?

Yes, he owns the club and is at nearly every training session. He loves his football. Absolutely loves football. We train at times that suit his schedule. We even met him when we were invited to his 45th birthday party. 

I’m guessing it’s a bigger function than your average NPL owner’s birthday?

Ha! Yes. It was pretty good. 

We had a singer called Jessica Sanchez, who’d won American Idol. And the Indonesian band called Republic, I think, who are really big, and the food was amazing. And I got to meet some of the Royal Family. 

We had to get up and sing a song in Malay. I kinda just tried to look like I was singing because I wasn’t sure of the words! 

I didn’t win the draw prize. 

They got us dressed up for the occasion. I was crazy. It was next level! 

The Sultan was there too. 

 

Blake, six from left back row

But this isn’t your first foray overseas, is it?

That’s right. At 19 I tried to put my name out there and got a contract with Penarol, one of the biggest clubs in Uruguay. I played a year there then moved to a second division club in Uruguay and played 18 months there. I took a risk and left like I did here. 

What did Uruguayan football give you?

Uruguay gave me that passion for football. They live and breathe it. Win every tackle. That was what I mainly gained, my passion in the field and will to win.

I became a better player after that spell. They have some very, very good players, some in the league play for the national team. That tells you how high the level is. 

It’s crazy, only three million people in that country and they still produce some of the best players in the world in the biggest leagues.  

Did you come across Bruno Fornaroli?

I was on trial at a club before I signed with Penarol called Danubio in the reserves. So he was part of the first team so I’d see him train on the other pitch to us. 

 

On the cover of DPMM FC's match-day mag

 

NPL life and getting that chance in the A-League, sum it up, Blake…

It’s very disappointing for most players that are doing very well in the NPL that they can’t even get a trial in the A-League.

But now a few are getting a chance, like Jordan Murray at Central Coast, but there needs to be more opportunities because from what I’ve seen, there are some very, very good players in the NPL that could easily make a move to full-time football. 

Advice to players in a similar situation to you in the NPL?

You gotta keep grinding away and hustling. Keep believing. Have confidence because you never know when an opportunity can arise. I had to initiate this by sending my video out.

If you want it you need to be on the front foot and keep working hard because you never know when the opportunity comes along. I want to keep bettering myself and my game. 

Look at me, I’m 26.

Some may think it’s too old and there’s no chance.

*Action shots and promo shot courtesy of AKK Design Brunei.