Football down under has always been the ‘ugly duckling’ with Aussie Rules, Rugby League and Cricket taking precedence over the world game. But that trope of Australian sport is coming to an end. Summer 2023 marked a landmark occasion not only for Australian sport but for the growth of the women’s game. Stadium after stadium was packed out to see Sam Kerr lead the Matildas on an incredible journey to the World Cup Semi-Finals. Their success and popularity symbolizes a significant turning point and the peak of Australia’s football adventure to date with both domestic and national fronts stronger than ever. The achievement in itself is remarkable, but this milestone was also made possible through the work of those that laid the platform. Australia’s mens side have now qualified for five consecutive World Cups having previously only ever made the 1974 edition of the showcase event. Those squads featured some of Oz’s greatest ever players without whom this defining era of Australian football would not have been possible. Here’s our look at some of the best Australian footballers ever to lace a pair of boots.
Mark Viduka
In the early years of the 2000s Viduka was Australia’s footballing icon. His goals in the Premier League for Leeds United, Middlesbrough and Newcastle propelled him into the limelight and his contributions helped put Australian football on the map. The striker scored 92 goals from his 240 Premier League appearances and while that’s a tally that won’t break many records, many of his scintillating efforts are fondly remembered today. Perhaps the most famous of which is his four goals against Liverpool at Elland Road in 2000 to secure a famous 4-3 victory that assured his place in Leeds United folklore. However, his greatest achievement in the eyes of many Aussie football fans will be leading his country in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the year in which they ended their long 32-year wait for an appearance at the event. Their tournament might have ended prematurely in the round of 16 but in going where no Australian had gone for a generation Viduka won the hearts and minds of the Australian footballing nation.
Tim Cahill
Cahill’s performances for Millwall and Everton put him on the map as Australia’s newest superstar delivering goals galore over the course of his 21-year career. His eight years on merseyside coincided with an era of success for the Toffees as he became the most reliable resource under David Moyes’ stewardship of the club. His creativity in midfield and knack of scoring vital goals at crucial times endeared him to many across England. His contributions on Merseyside in particular have made him a club legend but much like Viduka, he will be most fondly remembered for his appearances for the Socceroos. 50 goals in his 108 appearances for the national side secured qualification for multiple World Cups from 2006 onwards and earned him the accolade of being Australia’s record goalscorer. Cahill’s legacy will be that of a pioneer for modern Australian football.
Mark Schwarzer
While the goalkeeper is unlikely to be regarded as many people’s favourite Australian player of all time, he is undoubtedly the most talented shot-stopper the country has ever had. The now 51-year-old made 625 appearances for eight clubs over the course of an astonishing 26 years in between the sticks. Perhaps more impressive though was his retention of the no.1 shirt for Australia, playing for the national side 109 times from 1993 until his International retirement in 2013. The hallmark of his career will be his longevity and reliability in goal, in particular for Middlesbrough and Fulham with whom he enjoyed two immensely successful European runs. His stretch of 11 years on Teesside still stands as one of the longest tenures for a foreigner at a single Premier League club. He is to date Australia’s highest cap player of all time and his legacy as one of the country’s greatest ever goalkeepers will remain for years to come.
Harry Kewell
Despite a myriad of injuries plaguing the winger over the course of his career, Kewell still managed to contribute enough to be considered arguably the most talented player Australia has ever produced. Before the youngster arrived on the scene in the late 90s, Australia would have faced significantly worse odds than the 750/1 billing new betting sites have for the Socceroos to win the next World Cup. He made an immediate impact for club and country, making his Premier League and International debut in the space of a month becoming the youngest player to have ever played for Australia at just 17-years-old. He was the standout young player in the English top flight in the early stages of his career and his performances for Leeds United at Elland Road did not go unnoticed, winning the 2000 PFA Young Player Award. His standout achievements though are a Champions League triumph with Liverpool in 2005 and scoring the goal that put the Aussies through to the round of 16 in the 2006 World Cup. Unfortunately, a series of unfortunate injuries and poor decisions halted his momentum and meant he never quite fulfilled his full potential. Even so, he is one of the most creative attacking threats in Australia’s footballing history and deserves recognition as one of the greatest players the country ever produced.
