Told of Xavi’s compliments,Kuol said:“That’s just a honour,isn’t it? To have a[former] player like Xavi talking about me. I was watching him back then,he was dominating with[World Cup-winning former Barca superstar Andres] Iniesta. But yeah,I swapped shirts with Aubameyang. Life goes on.”

Yorke,who willcoach Macarthur FC in the A-League next season,said it was immediately clear Kuol had talent when he took the All Stars group through two days of limited preparation.

“I didn’t know too much about him,and he certainly did surprise Barcelona. He should have gotten two goals,” Yorke said. “Even when we conceded the equaliser it was a stonewall foul on him as well. Overall,fantastic – I’m pleased that the public get to see him because he’s one for the future.”

It now appears to be a matter of time until Kuol follows in his brother’s footsteps and heads to Europe – but because he doesn’t turn 18 until September,the earliest he could make the move is in the January transfer window,during the middle of the A-League season.

Alou has long been telling anyone who will listen that Garang is a much better player. Upon his arrival at Stuttgart,he toldthe club’s sporting director and famed talent scout Sven Mislintat:“You’ve signed the wrong Kuol.”

There is even a growing school of thought that Kuol should be in serious contention to play for the Socceroos,or at least be picked in Graham Arnold’s squad as a game-changer off the bench,for next month’s World Cup qualification play-offs against the UAE and,if victorious,Peru.

“Watching this guy is crazy,” Alou told theHerald andThe Age.

“I don’t even know this kid,I’m just a fan like the rest of us. I send him messages and the kid doesn’t even respond. Might need a signed jersey from this kid.”

Originally from Sudan,the Kuol family – father,Mawien,and mother,Antonita,and their seven children – settled in Shepparton,in northern Victoria,when they moved to Australia. Only a couple of years ago,Garang was playing junior football for the Goulburn Valley Suns in NPL Victoria.

“Alou knew what was going on,” he said. “Alou knew I was better than him.”

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