Australia’s A-League kicked off its inaugural season in 2005. The advent of the A-League has improved players’ chances of moving to Europe, North America, or other leagues in Asia to achieve their sporting dreams.
Even before the domestic league started, however, Australia had several soccer players who had found success playing abroad. The 2019-20 A-League season has just begun, and fans can visit this website to get bonus codes before wagering on the teams they believe will win each matchday.
Australia has had some fantastic soccer players working abroad. Here is a list backward of the five greatest soccer exports Australia has produced all-time:
5. Sam Kerr
Sam Kerr isn’t just one of the greatest Aussie exports of all-time. She is one of the best women’s football players in the world. Kerr is a part of the National Women’s Soccer League and W-League all-time leading scorer players. She achieved those feats playing in the United States for six months and in Australia for the same period of time.
Kerr recently signed with the WSL team Chelsea and is ready to take her game to the next level in Europe.
4. Harry Kewell
Harry Kewell could have been the greatest player to ever come out of Australia. However, injuries made it impossible. He was excellent at Leeds United helping the club achieve big success before moving to Liverpool.
According to Playbonuscode.com, it was at Anfield that Kewell’s career went off the rails due to fitness and injuries. Regardless, Kewell was technically brilliant and capable of doing things with the ball few Aussie players before could do.
After his time at Liverpool, Kewell experienced football in Turkey with Galatasaray before returning Down Under to play for Melbourne Victory and Melbourne Heart. His two stints in Australia sandwiched his one disappointing season in Qatar with Al-Gharafa. Unfortunately, Kewell only played three times for Al-Gharafa before moving on.
Since retirement, Kewell has tried his hand at management. Kewell coached in the Watford youth team before moving to Crawley Town and Notts County. Unfortunately, Kewell’s time at Notts County was short-lived as he was sacked just 14 games into his tenure.
3. Mark Schwarzer
Mark Schwarzer was a steady hand in goal during his career. The goalkeeper won two FFA Footballer of the Year awards and made 109 appearances for the Socceroos.
Before arriving in England and rising to prominence as a goalkeeper, Schwarzer cut his teeth in Germany with Kaiserslautern. He showed promise in Germany and soon moved to England to play for Bradford, followed by Middlesbrough. After success on Teesside, Schwarzer moved to Chelsea, followed by Leicester City.
Schwarzer was a part of back to back Premier League title-winning teams in 2014-15 and 2015-16. But due to the Premier League’s ridiculous rules, he wasn’t given a winner’s medal for either championship due to not playing in five league games during the season. Still, Schwarzer is one of the greatest soccer exports in Australian history and an excellent goalie.
The shot-stopper was one of the finest glovemen in the world during his playing career. Schwarzer’s longevity in between the sticks showed just how important of a player he was for his club and country. Schwarzer’s best moment for the Socceroos came in 2005 during the World Cup playoffs. The goalie made two penalty saves during the shootout between Australia and Uruguay, helping the Socceroos to qualify for the finals in Germany.
2. Tim Cahill
Tim Cahill lacked the skills of Kewell, but he made up for it with aggression and determination on the pitch. Cahill started in the 1990s playing for Sydney United before relocating to England. There, he was signed by Millwall, a team as tough and gritty as Cahill.
After success at Millwall, including reaching the FA Cup Final in 2004, Cahill moved to Everton, where he had his greatest club success.
Cahill often faced criticism in his career due to lacking technical skills. He wasn’t an expert passer that could cut through defenses. He was with his head down, a 100-mph attacking midfielder who could outjump defenders and bully midfielders. The aggression and determination he possessed are what top-tier teams often seek out in players. It is that artistry that made him a top player for Everton during his tenure.
He tallied Australia’s first-ever World Cup goal in 2006 and later went on to score at the 2010 and 2014 tournaments. Cahill is the Socceroos all-time leading scorer with 50 international goals. The Aussie soccer great made his debut in yellow and green in 2004 as Australia defeated South Africa 1-0 in London. Fourteen years later, Cahill finally hung up his international boots.
1. Mark Viduka
Mark Viduka was a goalscoring powerhouse produced by the Melbourne Knights. The club was Viduka’s launching pad in 1993, and one year later, the striker was an Australian international. The technically gifted striker moved to Dinamo Zagreb in 1995 before Celtic, Leeds United, Middlesbrough, and finally Newcastle United.
Viduka’s four seasons with Leeds United were the best of his career at a time when the club reached incredible highs. Viduka scored 258 goals in 507 career club matches.
As a striker for the Socceroos, Viduka was often tasked with the impossible job of leading the line for the team. Viduka only scored 11 international goals, which caused many Socceroo supporters and the Aussie media to criticize him.
However, Viduka’s time as the Socceroo’s No. 9 shone a light on just how few attacking options the team had. His goals were vital, and on many occasions, Viduka carried the team in the final third. Viduka helped lead the Socceroos into its current era when qualification for the FIFA World Cup is more commonplace than it was 15 years ago.
