Former Gold Coast United striker Andrew Barisic has travelled the length and breadth of Asia in recent years, fulfilling his football dream.
His next destination is India where his wildest dreams will come true. As part of the new India Super League, Barisic will be lining up against some of the game's true greats, such as ex-Sydney FC captain Alessandro del Piero.
The league is football's answer to Twenty-20 cricket - with games every few days for just 12 weeks, beginning next month.
"As Sepp Blatter said, it's a sleeping giant, Indian football, and it definitely is,” Barisic says.
“That's what's drawing me back there, I think it's something that could evolve into something very big."
Barisic flies out this weekend to join new club Kerala Blasters FC. The franchise is owned by cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar.
It’ll be Barisic’s second stint India, after a spell with East Bengal in 2012.
"I was involved in the Kolkota derby, which is a huge thing, there were hundreds of thousands of fans there and to score in the derby was a huge thing for me,” he says.
Elsewhere in the India Super League will be the likes of World Cup winners del Piero and David Trezeguet, former Arsenal winger Fredrik Ljungberg and former England goalkeeper David James, who will be player-manager at Kerala Blasters.
"Seeing what I saw in the Kolkota derby, and having that many fans there in one game, it's not just cricket that's taken off,” Barisic says.
"It can only get better for (India). They've got the population, they've just got to have the right grassroots and the right infrastructure, and they can excel."
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