‘I’m also a fair dinkum Australian’ father of Wanderers star Kusini Yengi’s moving interview

The father of Western Sydney Wanderers star Kusini Yengi stole the show in a moving TV interview at an A-League game on the weekend.

Ben Yengi had just watched his son’s team beat Perth Glory 1-0 at Commbank Stadium – and was elated at seeing Kusini play in the flesh professionally for the first time in Australia.

Speaking to Channel 10’s Tristan MacManus on the pitch moments after the final whistle at Parramatta in Sydney’s west, the long-standing refugee advocate from Adelaide was proud to see his son live out his sporting dream.

‘It was exciting to see him play, a real privilege,’ Mr Yengi said.

Clearly relishing his time on camera, Mr Yengi then told viewers he was ‘born in South Sudan, is Sudanese by nationality’ – but is also a ‘fair dinkum Australian’.

Kusini Yengi of the Wanderers impressed in their A-League season opener versus Perth Glory

Yengi snr moved to Australia in the 1970s, searching for a better place to raise his family after enduring famine in Africa.

He quickly immersed himself into community life, and was awarded an OAM for his tireless work with migrant families in South Australia.

Yengi studied and worked for a number of refugee-advocacy, multicultural and health bodies, as well as the University of Adelaide – and at the same time always look to give back to family and friends living a very different life in Uganda.

Once it became apparent two of his sons – Kusini and Tete – had the potential to forge professional careers in football, he encouraged both to realise their potential.

Refugee advocate Ben Yengi (pictured right) was on cloud nine after watching his son Kusini play in the flesh for the first time in Australia last Sunday with the Wanderers

Yengi, 23, has joined the Wanderers after earning his A-League stripes with Adelaide

Tete Yengi, 21, is currently plying his trade in Finland with VPS, on loan from English League One outfit Ipswich Town.

‘I have encouraged them to pursue football to their maximum potential,’ Yengi snr told A-League website Keep Up.

‘I am praying hard for them to develop football skills that are acceptable at international level. 

I am very proud of them and my pride keeps on growing bigger and bigger every week.’

His son added it was ‘amazing’ to have his highly respected old man watch him in action, before the striker turned his attention to the Wanderers round two clash versus Melbourne Victory on October 15.