Alexandros dare to dream as Florina stands behind Heidelberg United

When Heidelberg United walk retired astatine Lakeside Stadium tonight for the Australia Cup final, they will beryllium representing acold much than themselves.

The arrogant Greek-founded nine from Melbourne’s northbound — affectionately known arsenic Alexandros — will transportation the hopes of a assemblage that has lived and breathed shot for generations.

Their opponents, the Newcastle Jets, are full-time A-League professionals. But under manager John Anastasiadis, Heidelberg’s semi-professionals person already beaten three A-League clubs — Western Sydney, Wellington and Auckland FC — without conceding a goal.

Among them is Mohamed Aidara, who spends his mornings driving Uber astir Melbourne earlier heading to training.

“It’s not ever easy, but you get used to it,” Aidara told AAP. “That’s our beingness arsenic semi-professional players.”

Teammate Bul Juach, a disablement support worker with AGAPI Care, was calved successful South Sudan and grew up successful a Kenyan exile campy earlier his household resettled successful Canberra.

“It’s very rewarding, conscionable making vulnerable radical happy,” Juach told AAP. “They’re invested successful my games — I think they cognize the docket amended than I do.”

Now, the 24-year-old hopes his goal-scoring signifier tin assistance present an unprecedented victory — and possibly a accidental to beryllium himself astatine A-League level.

Victory tonight would marque Heidelberg the archetypal non-A-League nine to win the Australia Cup, and with it, gain a spot successful Asian Champions League 2 — a imagination fewer dared imagine.

“It would beryllium the champion happening that could ever hap to us,” Aidara told AAP, laughing astatine the thought.

“Champions successful our hearts”

The club’s transportation to Greece remains powerful. In a heartfelt message, the Mayor of Florina, Vasilios Giannakis, praised the players arsenic “born from the occurrence and imagination of radical of Florina successful the diaspora.”

“Your consecutive victories against higher-division clubs are truly remarkable,” helium wrote. “Regardless of the result, you are already champions successful our hearts. You transportation not lone the tradition of your birthplace, but besides the vision of our compatriots overseas who ne'er forgot their roots.”

He added, “You are not conscionable competing for a trophy — you are playing for 4 generations of Greeks successful Australia. The soul of Florina beats proudly successful each 1 of you.”

For the fans tonight’s lucifer is much than football.

It is simply a solemnisation of endurance and individuality — a story of faith, household and assemblage spirit that has outlasted leagues, logos and eras.

Win oregon lose, Alexandros person already made history.

With AAP

Full letter

Letter from Mayor of Florina, Vasilios Giannakis