Australia’s Premier League Trio Bring Varied Paths to the Under-17 World Cup

Australia’s Under-17 World Cup squad carries three teenagers from Premier League academies, each bringing a different kind of promise: Manchester United’s Jariyah Shah can cover midfield and defence, Brighton goalkeeper Charlie Wilson-Papps has already established himself with the Joeys, and Bournemouth defender Max Lyall-Rajendra is the newest arrival to the national setup. Their selection also reflects Australia’s pull for young players whose family ties make several national teams possible.

Carl Veart’s 21-player squad includes 17 A-League Men players and four based overseas. The other overseas-based player is Red Bull Salzburg defender Harrison Bond. Australia return to the tournament for the first time since reaching the Round of 16 in Brazil in 2019. In Qatar, the Joeys face Argentina, Denmark and Mozambique in Group C.

Three academy routes, three different profiles

The Premier League trio are at contrasting stages of their development. Shah has progressed from Doncaster Rovers into Manchester United’s age-group sides, with appearances at Under-18 and Under-21 level. Wilson-Papps moved from AFC Wimbledon to Brighton after drawing interest from England’s youth setup, then became Australia’s first-choice goalkeeper at the Under-17 Asian Cup. Lyall-Rajendra, the youngest of the three, joined Bournemouth in July after a decade in Watford’s system and received his first Australia call-up in September.

For Australia, their selection adds academy experience and gives the squad three players with football lives shaped in England. It also brings a national-team dimension to their development: Shah and Wilson-Papps have represented England at Under-15 level, while Lyall-Rajendra is eligible for England, Italy and Scotland as well as Australia.

Jariyah Shah: Manchester United’s adaptable midfielder

Shah was born in Canberra on May 25, 2009. His father is Pakistani and his mother Vietnamese; after the family moved to England, Shah also gained British citizenship. He is eligible to represent Australia, England, Pakistan and Vietnam.

His route to Manchester United included setbacks. Shah’s father, Tak, told the Doncaster Free Press in 2023 that Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday had released his son before Doncaster Rovers took him on at age nine. Even that move was uncertain at first.

“Doncaster didn’t really fancy him at first but there was one coach who said ‘let’s just keep him’,” Tak said.

Shah and Doncaster teammate Neithan Barbosa joined United in April 2022; Zac Watson followed later that year. United reportedly paid six-figure compensation covering all three players.

Tak has described the demands of the move to United’s Carrington academy as a family commitment as much as a football decision. “Every week they are playing against the best players in the world and matching them,” he said. He also praised the club’s accommodation of the family’s Muslim faith, including time off when Shah needed it for fasting or Ramadan. But he cautioned against treating the pathway as easy: “It’s far from it.” In his view, sustained effort separates those who progress. “It’s not down to talent, it’s down to hard work.”

Shah made his United Under-18s debut at 15 in February 2025, starting in midfield in a 2-1 home league win over Wolves. He signed scholarship terms on July 1 that year and scored his first Under-18 goal against Everton in December.

Though he has also played as a defender, Shah’s range is a notable part of his profile. Last month he started at right-back against Wolves in a 6-0 win, moved inside and scored with a left-footed shot into the top corner shortly before half-time. He has also stepped up to the Under-21s, starting a 1-1 draw with Birmingham City in March before coming off in the 75th minute.

Australia have used him in different roles, too. England invited him to an Under-15 training camp in December 2023. He was listed as a defender for his first Joeys squad, in the Asian Cup qualifiers in Jordan in November 2025, and scored in stoppage time against the Philippines. Club commitments kept him out of the Asian Cup finals in May; he returned for a September camp in Spain. Australia list him as a midfielder for the World Cup.

Charlie Wilson-Papps: Australia’s established option in goal

Wilson-Papps, who turned 17 on September 13, was born in England and qualifies for Australia through heritage. At 6ft 2in, he began with Sheen Lions before joining AFC Wimbledon’s academy in early 2023. An England Under-15 call-up followed within a year. In December 2024, Wimbledon confirmed his move to Brighton for what the club described as “a substantial six-figure fee”.

Michael Hamilton, Wimbledon’s academy manager at the time, credited the player and staff for turning potential into strong performances. Those displays, he said, led to Wilson-Papps’ England selection and attracted attention from clubs across the country. Hamilton framed the transfer as part of the academy’s record of developing players later recruited by clubs higher up the pyramid.

Wilson-Papps switched to Australia for the 2026 Under-17 Asian Cup. He won the starting role ahead of Western Sydney Wanderers goalkeeper Lachlan Allen as the Joeys reached the semi-finals and secured their place at the World Cup. Appearing for Australia provisionally ties him to the country; a one-time switch would be required if he later wanted to play for England.

His Asian Cup form made him one of Australia’s standout performers. Football360’s Aussie Scout praised his consistency and pointed to key saves, especially against Vietnam, as evidence of his long-term potential. Wilson-Papps also kept Australia in the semi-final against China until the 2-0 loss was settled late.

Brighton signed him to what AussieScout described on X as “a scholarship and pre-pro deal” in July. This month, the Guardian included him in its Next Generation list of the Premier League’s best first-year scholars. His World Cup selection gives Australia a goalkeeper already tested in high-stakes youth matches.

Max Lyall-Rajendra: a late call-up with several options

Born on December 26, 2009, Lyall-Rajendra is the youngest of the three and will still be 16 throughout Australia’s group stage. A right-footed defender, he primarily plays at right-back but can also operate in central defence.

He started at London Colney Colts and spent 10 years in Watford’s system, making his FA Youth Cup debut at 15. In July, Bournemouth brought him in as one of five external recruits in a 14-player first-year scholarship intake. He joined the Under-18s under lead coach James Lowy after a season in which he played up an age group for Watford.

His first Australia call-up came in September for a Copa España camp in Salou, where the group played Panama and Morocco. That was the final camp before World Cup selection. Six weeks later, Lyall-Rajendra was named in the squad. Because he can also represent England, Italy and Scotland, the decision marks an early commitment to Australia at a consequential point in his development.

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The Joeys’ Group C schedule

Veart expects the tournament to test players on a scale many have not encountered. “We know we’ll face strong opponents in the group stage, but that’s exactly the type of challenge we want to embrace,” he said. Australia, he added, will aim to play positive football and progress as far as possible.

Argentina v Australia
Friday, November 20 (AEDT), 3am AEDT / 7pm local on Thursday, November 19
Aspire Zone, Pitch 8, Al Rayyan

Denmark v Australia
Sunday, November 22, 11.30pm AEDT / 3.30pm local
Aspire Zone, Pitch 4, Al Rayyan

Australia v Mozambique
Thursday, November 26 (AEDT), 2.30am AEDT / 6.30pm local on Wednesday, November 25
Aspire Zone, Pitch 8, Al Rayyan

The three academy prospects arrive with different evidence behind their selections: Shah’s versatility and rapid rise through United’s age groups, Wilson-Papps’ Asian Cup performances, and Lyall-Rajendra’s recent move into Bournemouth’s academy. Qatar will show how those paths translate against international opposition—and how central each teenager can become to Australia’s campaign.