Elijah Just: From Austrian second tier to World Cup breakout star

There was a brief moment during Elijah Just's first Motherwell start that only intensified the doubt among an unconvinced home support at Fir Park. Built with a diminutive physique that can see players written off quickly in Scottish football, he went in for a shoulder challenge against a hardy Peterhead midfielder. Boing. The little New Zealander bounced off the part-time player from the third-tier side as top-flight Motherwell attempted to fight back from a goal down.

Those early feelings that much of the fanbase shared about the 26-year-old mirrored the wider anxiety about whether the brand of football manager Jens Berthel Askou was trying to implement could work in Scotland. Less than a year later, the Danish coach has jumped to Toulouse in Ligue 1, while Just is scoring on football's grandest stage after a standout season at club level. BBC Scotland charts a rapid rise that has taken the attacking midfielder from second-division football to World Cup breakout star.

'A memory that'll last me forever'

When Just signed for Motherwell from Danish side Horsens last summer, there was no huge excitement or anticipation. Despite his international experience, he had only played one season of top-flight football since leaving New Zealand for Europe in 2019. He had spent the campaign before last in the Austrian second division, on loan at SKN St Polten.

But Just lit up the Scottish Premiership last term. He was voted into the PFA Scotland team of the season and shortlisted for player of the year. He eclipsed those feats in the space of one World Cup match, though, becoming the first Motherwell player to score at a World Cup - and his country's top scorer ever at a finals - with two sublime finishes in a 2-2 draw with Iran in Los Angeles.

"It is a memory that'll last me for the rest of my life," Just said after a standout display. "It's incredible. It's not something I could even have dreamt of, so I'm just so happy. One was nice, so two was amazing."

'Pure footballer' who has thrived in system

Just's rise is all the more remarkable because he previously played under Askou at Horsens and struggled under the Dane. He had spoken about the coach's more direct approach prior to coming to Scotland. Last term, that style evolved into some of the finest football seen from a Scottish non-Old Firm side in years.

On the ball and off it, Just was integral to that success, passing the eye test while also backing it up with impressive numbers. Compared with fellow attacking midfielders in the Premiership last season, only Celtic's Benjamin Nygren had a higher combined goals and assists tally. Only three players managed more shots on target per 90 minutes, while just one created more big chances. He ranked third for successful dribbles, second for tackles, fourth for recoveries and sixth for interceptions.

"He's a pure footballer," former Hibernian and Celtic midfielder Scott Allan told BBC Scotland. "He's quite slight, but his awareness, ability to play in tight areas and hurt you is brilliant. Forget the stats - on the eye test, he's been absolutely outstanding.

"He takes touches away from pressure, he has a picture of what he wants to do and he's really fit, so he runs off people a lot. The awareness of when to play one-touch, when to play two-touch and then having the creativity in the final third."

Transfer talk inevitable - but Just wants no distraction

With transfer speculation around his future inevitably ramping up, Just insisted he wanted no distractions from his agent until after his World Cup commitments. BBC Sport pundit Chris Sutton, who covered New Zealand's draw with Iran, said Motherwell could look to "add a couple of zeros" on to the price tag. Celtic, one of Sutton's old clubs, have been reported as having an interest in Just, as have their Glasgow rivals Rangers.