Whenever someone asks about the best Aussie soccer player, the first memory we recall is from the 2010 World Cup. In so, a clear image of watching the Socceroos take on the Netherlands, and Tim Cahill scoring an unforgettable volley and doing his iconic boxing celebration. You only need to hear Cahill's name among the greatest Australian soccer players.
Sure, the Ronaldos and Messis of the world took all the spotlight, but that doesn’t mean the men in yellow didn’t create magic of their own on the pitch whenever the time came.
Today, let’s take a closer look at what makes the Socceroos so special as we list the Australian soccer stars who made the beautiful game even more exciting for us.
The Best Aussie Soccer Players of All Time
Tim Cahill
Let’s start with the man who represented the Australian team in 3 consecutive World Cups. Tim Cahill is the man whose goals gave Australia its first victory on the World Cup stage against Japan in 2006.
Moreover, the player was eligible to play for England and the Republic of Ireland, while also representing Samoa in a youth tournament in ‘94. Regarding famous soccer players in Australia, the attacking midfielder/striker ticks off every box.
He was named among the World’s elite of Messi, Zidane, and Romero for his World Cup heroics. Tim has scored 50 goals in 108 appearances for Australia, a record that no one has broken yet.
His creativity on the field and humility off it made fans worldwide fall in love with his playing style and recognize Australia’s place on the world stage.
Harry Kewell
Everyone unanimously believes that Harry Kewell is the greatest Aussie soccer player. Making a name for himself at Leeds United, the Socceroos star got the attention of Premier League giants Liverpool.
After his time at the Merseyside club, he made a name for himself at Galatasaray, Melbourne Victory, Al Gharafa, and Melbourne Heart.
People named him the greatest Australian soccer player in 2012. This leaves us to wonder how much more he could have achieved if injuries hadn’t plagued his career.
Mark Schwarzer
While some may not think he’s the greatest, Mark was certainly an impactful goalkeeper. Furthermore, the shot-stopper was influential in front of the net and denied many excellent strikers the opportunity to get their name on the scoring sheet. Mark played for Premier League sides Fulham, Middlesbrough, Leicester, and Chelsea.
Brett Emerton How can we name the best Aussie soccer players without Emerton on the list? Growing through the ranks of Australian clubs, Emerton became a star atBlackburn Rovers.
Moreover, his box-to-box skills became an iconic role model for stars growing up in the current age. And his contributions to each club he played for are remembered to this day.
Mark Viduka
Among the best Aussie soccer players, Viduka is a must. Mark scored 92 goals in 240 Premier League matches combined for Leeds, Middlesbrough, and Newcastle. Fans and professionals alike consider Viduka to be one of the greatest Australian players to have embraced the beautiful game. While his club numbers speak of his greatness, his youth team stunts earned him a place in the Australian international team. He scored 40 goals in 49 games as a youth.
Mile Jedinak
A classic defensive midfielder, Jedinak enjoyed a career playing for Premier League clubs before going to Turkey. He became a fan favorite at Selhurst Park in the 13/14 season. Moreover, he truly loved the English environment, staying there until very recently.
Mark Bresciano
Bresciano had excellent ball control, made perfect passes, and could keep the ball in play with pinpoint accuracy.
The best part of his career was in Europe, where he played for Serie A clubs like Palermo, Lazio, Parma, and Empoli. Hence, his influence in Italy marked him among the best Australian soccer players.
Aurelio Vidmar
Now a professional coach, Vidmar is known as one of the most impactful Aussie players to date. An attacking midfielder, he had 44 appearances for the first team. Vidmar's 17 goals to his name, are not nearly enough to talk about his influence.
Moreover, his control in receiving passes, and precision in scoring, was something every neutral fan fell in love with.
Vidmar represented Australia in the ‘96 Olympics, scoring 3 goals in 4 games. Throughout his career, he played almost 500 games with 125 goals to his name. He had the opportunity of playing for Standard Liege and Feyenoord. However, his club stint in Europe didn’t go as well as expected for a player of his caliber.
While these are just a few names in the Aussie player roster, there have been many who have, and continue, to make a mark in football. All the names we've listed above continue to inspire many of the current and upcoming great Aussie players.