He waited 30 years for this moment and it came after another promotion with Malvern City

Gavin De Niese has capped a remarkable year by making his international debut for Sri Lanka at the age of 30, just months after helping Malvern City secure promotion in Victorian football.

The Australian-based footballer was called into the Sri Lankan national team through his family heritage, joining the squad - headlined by NPL star Wade Dekker - for an international window that took him from Sri Lanka to Seychelles and Mauritius before returning to Sri Lanka.

It completed a memorable period for De Niese, who was part of the Malvern City side that earned promotion to VPL2 for 2027 - the ambitious Victorian club's second consecutive promotion.

But representing Sri Lanka carried a significance beyond football for De Niese, who revealed it had been a dream of his since childhood.

“At 30 years old, I finally got to do something I’ve dreamed about my entire football life, international football,” he wrote.

De Niese dedicated the achievement to his grandfather, whose Sri Lankan bloodline ultimately opened the door for him to represent the country.

“The man whose bloodline eventually led to me wearing the Sri Lankan shirt,” De Niese wrote. “This one is for you.”