Australian rules football and rugby league are Australia’s most popular spectator sports, but soccer comes next and is growing all the time Down Under.
In 2004, the A League was introduced to replace the old NSL and currently features 13 teams, including two from New Zealand.
Since its inception, the competition has welcomed at least one marquee player per season and more in recent years.
Here is a look at some of the most famous footballers from the men’s game to have played in Australia…
32. Michael Mifsud
With 143 caps and 42 goals for Malta, Michael Mifsud is both the nation’s record appearance holder and top scorer.
The former Coventry City and Kaiserslautern striker spent a season with A-League side Melbourne Heart in 2013/14, but scored just once in 14 games during his time in Australia.
31. Wes Hoolahan
Wes Hoolahan made over 350 appearances for Norwich City in a decade at Carrow Road between 2008 and 2018 and won 43 caps for the Republic of Ireland.
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The attacking midfielder signed a one-year deal with Newcastle Jets in August 2019, but was unable to make his debut until the following February due to an ankle injury and ultimately made only five appearances for the A-League side.
30. Jack Rodwell
Jack Rodwell started his career at Everton and went on to play for Manchester City, Sunderland, Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield United before moving to Australia in 2021.
The former England international spent a season at Western Sydney Wanderers. He was named in the A-League All-Star team in 2022 and moved across town to Sydney FC for two more years until his departure in May 2024.
29. Alessandro Diamanti
Alessandro Diamanti won 17 caps for Italy between 2010 and 2013 and played for the likes of Brescia, Bologna, Fiorentina and West Ham in a career spanning almost 25 years.
The last four of those were spent at A-League side Western United, where he made 83 appearances and scored 11 goals before hanging up his boots shortly before his 40th birthday in 2023. An A-League champion in 2022, Diamanti moved into coaching with Western United’s crosstown rivals Melbourne City after his retirement.
28. Panagiotis Kone
Panagiotis Kone played in Italy with Brescia and Bologna and earned a reputation for scoring spectacular goals during his time in Serie A.
Capped 28 times by Greece between 2010 and 2015, the midfielder arrived as a marquee signing for Western United in a two-year deal in the club’s inaugural A-League season in 2019 but left after just one year at the Australian side, having scored twice in 15 games.
27. Beñat Etxebarria
Beñat Etxebarria played over 240 games for Athletic Club in seven seasons at the Basque outfit between 2013 and 2020, having previously impressed in a three-year spell at Real Betis.
Capped four times by Spain, the midfielder finished his career at Macarthur in 2020/21 and made 24 appearances for the A-League side, scoring once.
26. Joe Ledley
Joe Ledley won 77 caps for Wales between 2005 and 2018 and played in all six games as the Dragons reached the semi-finals of Euro 2016.
The former Cardiff City, Celtic and Crystal Palace centre-back joined A-League side Newcastle Jets until the end of the season after his one-month contract with Charlton Athletic expired in February 2020 and remained with the Australian club until August due to the Covid-19 pandemic. He played just six times for the Jets.
25. Aaron Hughes
Aaron Hughes won 112 caps for Northern Ireland in a 20-year international career and is best remembered for long spells at Newcastle and Fulham in the Premier League.
After limited playing time in the Championship with Brighton in 2014/15, the defender joined A-League side Melbourne City in the summer. Hughes played only six games in Australia, scoring one goal, and was released in April 2016.
24. Benito Carbone
Benito Carbone spent most of his career in Italy and England but never seemed to stay very long at any of his clubs and was never capped by the Azzurri – despite his exceptional talent.
Among his many clubs, the former Sheffield Wednesday, Aston Villa and Inter forward had a short spell in Australia on loan with Sydney FC. The Italian signed a four-game guest deal and impressed initially, but pulled his hamstring in his third appearance and was not offered a contract. Carbone scored two goals for the A-League club.
23. Siem de Jong
Born in Switzerland to Dutch parents, Siem de Jong played as an attacking midfielder or as a forward and is best remembered for spells at Ajax, PSV and Newcastle.
The former Netherlands international, who is the older brother of Luuk de Jong, spent a season on loan at Sydney FC from Ajax and helped the club win the A-League title in 2018/19 with six goals in 17 games.
22. Daniel Sturridge
Daniel Sturridge scored eight goals in 26 caps for England and is best remembered for spells at Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City.
Sturridge signed for Perth Glory in October 2021 and the club’s owner Tony Sage described the deal as one of the biggest in A-League history. However, the striker would go on to make just six appearances and only one start and left the following June without scoring a single goal.
21. Mário Jardel
Mário Jardel scored goals at an unbelievable rate during his time in Portugal, hitting 169 in 175 games for Porto and 67 in 60 appearances for Sporting CP.
But the Brazil forward declined due to injuries and a loss of form from 2002 onwards and went on to play for a series of smaller sides towards the end of his career. That included a spell in Australia with Newcastle Jets, but he failed to net in 11 games and was already back in his homeland by the time the club claimed the title in February 2008.
20. Pablo Contreras
Pablo Contreras won 67 caps for Chile in a 13-year international career between 1999 and 2012 and the centre-back played in Spain, France, Portugal and Greece in a well-travelled career.
Contreras spent his final season as a player in Australia, signing for Melbourne Victory in 2013 and retiring after an A-League semi-final loss against Brisbane Roar, despite speculation he might carry on for one more year.
19. Morgan Schneiderlin
Morgan Schneiderlin spent 12 years in the Premier League with Southampton, Manchester United and Everton between 2008 and 2020.
Capped 15 times by France, the defensive midfielder returned to his homeland with Nice in 2020, but later joined A-League side Western Sydney Wanderers on loan in 2023. He played 12 games and scored two goals during his time in Australia and retired at the end of the 2022/23 season.
18. Tomer Hemed
Tomer Hemed helped Brighton to the Premier League in a three-year spell on the south coast, having previously played in Spain with Mallorca and Almeria.
After leaving Brighton, the former Israeli international had brief stints at QPR and Charlton, before moving to the A-League. The forward spent one season with New Zealand’s Wellington Phoenix and another at Western Sydney Wanderers, scoring 17 goals in 41 appearances combined.
17. Valon Berisha
Valon Berisha was born in Sweden but grew up in Norway and represented the Norwegian national team until switching allegiance to play for Kosovo in 2016.
At club level, the midfielder has played in Norway, Italy, Germany, Austria and France. He also had a season on loan with Melbourne City. Berisha made 27 appearances and scored once as City topped the A-League to win the Premiership title, but lost the Grand Final to Central Coast Mariners.
16. Ola Toivonen
Ola Toivonen won 64 caps for Sweden and scored 14 goals for the Scandinavian nation between 2007 and 2018.
Top scorer as Sweden’s Under-21 side finished third at the European Championship in 2009, the forward last appeared for his country at the 2018 World Cup, when he scored against Germany. The former PSV and Rennes player signed for A-League side Melbourne Victory that summer and spent two seasons in Australia, scoring an impressive 28 goals in 44 appearances overall.
15. Marc Janko
Marc Janko netted 28 goals in 70 appearances for Austria and is one of the top scorers in the nation’s history.
At club level, Janko played in Portugal, the Netherlands, Turkey, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. He also had a spell in Australia with Sydney FC in 2014/15 and scored 16 goals in 25 appearances for the A-League club.
14. Shinji Ono
Shinji Ono won over 50 caps for Japan between 1998 and 2008 and had spells in European football with Feyenoord and Bochum.
Part of Feyenoord’s UEFA Cup-winning side in 2001/02, Ono later spent two seasons in Australia with Western Sydney Wanderers. The A-League side had considered signing former Germany midfielder Michael Ballack, but brought in Ono instead. He helped Wanderers top the A-League and win the Premiership title after the league phase, but the Sydney side lost the Grand Final to Central Coast Mariners in his last game.
13. Emile Heskey
Remember when Emile Heskey played for Newcastle? You might not, but he did. Australian A-League side Newcastle Jets, that is. Not Newcastle United.
The former Leicester, Liverpool and England striker signed for the Jets in 2012 after leaving Aston Villa. He spent two seasons with the A-League outfit, scoring 10 goals in 42 games before returning to England with Bolton Wanderers.
12. Juninho
Juninho won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002 and made almost 50 appearances for his national team in total.
Towards the end of his career, the former Middlesbrough favourite had a short spell in Australia with Sydney FC, but managed only 14 appearances in an injury-interrupted campaign and was not offered a new contract after a sole season at the A-League club.
11. Damien Duff
Damien Duff won 100 caps for the Republic of Ireland between 1998 and 2012 and finished his career back in his homeland in a short spell with Shamrock Rovers.
Before his return to Ireland, the former Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Newcastle and Fulham winger spent a season in Australia with Melbourne City, scoring once in 16 appearances overall.
10. Thomas Sørensen
Thomas Sørensen made 101 appearances for Denmark between 1999 and 2012 and the former goalkeeper spent much of his career in the Premier League.
After long spells at Sunderland, Aston Villa and Stoke City, the Danish goalkeeper joined Melbourne City in 2015 and finished his career in Australia, playing 40 games across two seasons before hanging up his boots at the age of 41.
9. Luis García
Often popping up with important goals and helping Liverpool to the Champions League title in 2005, Luis Garcia is fondly remembered by Reds fans for his three-year spell at Anfield.
The former Barcelona and Atletico Madrid winger came out of retirement later in his career to play in India and then in Australia, where he featured in 10 games and scored two goals in a short spell at A-League side Central Coast Mariners before hanging up his boots for good at the age of almost 38.
8. Keisuke Honda
After a spell at Mexican side Pachuca in 2017/18, Keisuke Honda spent a season at A-League outfit Melbourne Victory in 2018/19.
The legendary Japanese attacking midfielder scored eight goals in his 22 appearances for the Melbourne club, but left at the end of the campaign to join Dutch side Vitesse.
7. Nani
Nani signed a two-year contract with A-League side Melbourne Victory in July 2022 and made his debut from the bench against former club Manchester United in a friendly just a few days later.
The former Portugal winger and Euro 2016 winner ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in an accidental clash with Brisbane Roar’s Connor Chapman in January 2023 and his contract was terminated by mutual consent at the end of the season. He made just 11 official appearances for Victory and didn’t score a goal during his time in Australia.
6. William Gallas
Unusually, William Gallas played for London rivals Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham between 2001 and 2013 – and the centre-back won over 80 caps for France.
After leaving Spurs at the end of the 2012/13 season, Gallas signed a one-year deal with Australian club Perth Glory. He became the first Frenchman to play in the A-League, but retired from professional football at the end of the campaign, having made 14 appearances and scored one goal.
5. Robbie Fowler
Robbie Fowler played for two A-League sides towards the end of his career and the Liverpool legend later returned to Australia as coach of Brisbane Roar.
The former England striker spent one season at North Queensland Fury in 2009/10 and another at Perth Glory in 2010/11. He scored 18 goals in 54 appearances across those two spells. Fowler coached Brisbane Roar in the 2019/20 season, but left the A-League club during the Covid-19 pandemic to be with his family.
4. Dwight Yorke
Five out of six of Dwight Yorke’s professional clubs were English: Aston Villa, Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City and Sunderland.
The other one was Sydney FC, where the former Trinidad and Tobago forward spent just over a season between 2005 and 2006, scoring eight goals in 24 appearances overall. Often operating in midfield, he set up the only goal as Sydney FC won the A-League Grand Final. He left that summer for Sunderland, but later returned to Australia as coach of A-League side Macarthur FC in 2022.
3. Romário
Romário’s well-travelled career took him to the Netherlands, Spain, Qatar and Miami, along with a number of clubs in his homeland.
The legendary Brazil forward and 1994 World Cup winner also spent a short spell on loan with A-League side Adelaide United in a five-game guest stint from Miami FC in 1996. He played four fixtures in the end, scoring just one goal.
2. David Villa
After leaving Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2014, it was announced that David Villa would join newly formed New York City for the 2015 season.
But with MLS not due to start for another six months, it was also announced that the former Barcelona and Valencia striker would join another club affiliated with Manchester City, A-League side Melbourne City, on loan. The arrangement would see the World Cup-winning forward feature for up to 10 games. In the end, though, he only played in four and scored twice. Melbourne City didn’t win any of those, but it is estimated that Spain’s all-time top scorer boosted attendances by around three times and coach John van ‘t Schip credited him with bringing attention to the club.
1. Alessandro Del Piero
A World Cup winner with Italy and a legend at Juventus, where he spent 19 seasons and scored 290 goals in 705 appearances, Alessandro Del Piero moved to Australia after leaving the Bianconeri in 2012.
Del Piero joined Sydney FC in September 2012 in a huge coup for Australian football. He stayed for two seasons and scored 24 goals in 48 appearances overall – including four in a 7-1 win over Wellington Phoenix in January 2013.
