Best Aussie Soccer Players

Posted on January 5, 2024 by SoccerPunter

Throughout history, there have been many amazing Aussie soccer players. They have gone over in history as legendary players due to their club appearances and national team performances. Get to know the seven most legendary players in Australian soccer history right here.

The history of soccer is packed with amazing, legendary Aussie players. They’ve all contributed to putting Australian soccer on the world map. The 2022 Australian success at the World Cup has contributed to making soccer even more popular in the land down under. The popularity of soccer has been growing and more and more Australians are watching soccer, following the major leagues. Their love for soccer even translates into the realm of online pokies, where soccer themed-pokies are one of the most popular choices for Aussie soccer fans who like to entertain themselves with online pokies. Some of these might even feature the most popular Aussie players. Let’s take a closer look at some of the players that have contributed to shaping Australian soccer as we know it today. 

Graham Arnold

One of the defining players in Australian soccer is Graham Arnold. He has not only done an amazing job on the field but also as a coach. In 2000, he worked as head coach of the Australian national team. His achievements as both a player and a coach have earned him a place in the Australian Hall of Fame. In 2018, he became the head coach of the men’s national team leading them to their great success at the World Cup. He is undoubtedly one of the most defining soccer profiles in Australian history.

Mark Schwarzer 

A legendary Aussie goalie is Mark Schwarzer. He played for the national team from 1993 to 2013 where he participated in the World Cup in 2006 and 2010. During his career, he played for some of the biggest teams in the Premier League. He still holds the record of being the only non-Briton to have played more than 500 games in the Premier League. He is also Australia’s most capped male player which clearly states his major impact on Aussie soccer through time. 

Harry Kewell

Another influential player is Harry Kewell who played for the Australian national team from 1996 to 2002 appearing in 58 games, scoring 17 goals. He’s been voted the greatest player in Australia and is frequently referred to as the best Aussie soccer export. He’s played at several major clubs in the Premier League including Liverpool and Leeds. Today, he’s a coach for the Japanese team Yokohama F. Marinos. 

Aurelio Vidmar

A former captain of the Australia national team, Aurelio Vidmar has certainly had an impact on the history of Australian soccer. He played 44 games for the national team and has also been the coach of the Aussie U23 national team. Throughout his career, he’s played at several teams and coached a long list of clubs as well. In 2023, he started as a coach for Melbourne City. 

Tim Cahill

Tim Cahill is one of the legendary Aussie attacking midfielders. His unique play and ability to score have made him one of the best Australian soccer players of all time. He played for the Australian national team from 2004 to 2018 where he appeared in 108 games scoring 50 goals. In his senior soccer career, he played almost 600 games in total scoring 150 goals. Today he’s working as a pundit on Sky Sports and BBC Sport. 

Mark Viduka

Australian player Mark Viduka has several milestones to highlight from his career. He was the captain of the Australian national team in 2006 at the World Cup where Australia had one of their best performances. He’s also the Australian player with the most goals in the UEFA Champions League. He played at some of the biggest clubs in the Premier League including Leeds, Newcastle and Celtic. He played for the Australian national team from 1994 to 2007. He retired in 2009 at age 34. 

Zeljko Kalac 

A talented and very tall Australian player is Zeljko Kalac. The Aussie goalie is one of the legendary goalkeepers from Australia. His height of 2.02 metres makes him the tallest player to have ever played on the Australian national soccer team. Besides the national team, he’s played for a range of international clubs including AC Milan and Leicester City. After his retirement as a player, Kalac moved on to coaching. In 2024, he is coaching the Australian team Sydney United. 

These seven players are just some of the players that have played an essential role in shaping Australian soccer. There are many other significant players who have had a significant impact. As the popularity of soccer continues to grow, it’ll be interesting to follow the development of Aussie soccer going forward. Some of the influential players right now are Martin Boyle, Ajdin Hrustic, Tom Rogic and Awer Mabil, just to name a few.