Featuring in Sydney’s three FFA Cup games, Zullo’s first league game for the Sky Blues came with a task of keeping new Wanderer’s Japanese signing Jumpei Kusukami quiet.

Zullo played 34 games in five years for FC Utrecht and drew memories of game he played against Ajax in the Dutch Eredivisie.

The 28-year-old paid tribute to how far the A-League had come after the record breaking 61,880 attendance at the first Sydney derby at ANZ Stadium.

“Who would’ve thought we would’ve had a derby match in front of 60,000 people after 10 to 11 years,” Zullo said.

“As to how it compares, our fans are just as passionate as any of the fans I played for in front of overseas. Probably one that sticks out to me was when I played for Utrecht against Ajax and that’s got 100 years of history behind it, yet tonight was just as fierce and just as heated.

“Tonight was world class on all fronts, we really don’t give enough credit to what the A-League has become and what we’ve built in this country and I think we should be incredibly proud of what we’ve done.”

Zullo played in the one local derby for club side Melbourne City early last season when he went down with an ACL injury only to return in February this year.

And after making the move to Sydney FC, Zullo spoke of the vision City had and admired what the club had become.

“City have made it a clear statement they want to be the biggest club in the A-League, but I think they’re doing the right things, they’re investing in Australian football and you can’t begrudge them for doing that,” he said.

“At the same time I’m incredibly happy to be here and there’s a lot of grounded people around me, the boys are a pleasure to play with and Graham is a pleasure to play under.”