Australia's Greatest Footballers (Soccer Players) of All Time

The 5 Greatest Australian Players in Football (or Soccer) History

Australia is a unique footballing nation, with many well-known players donning that iconic green and gold.

But who are the best football players to have played for Australia? The Sporting Blog ranks the top 5…

Australia have been the champion of two confederations. They won the OFC Nations Cup four times before moving to the Asian Football Confederation, going on to win the AFC Asian Cup in 2015.

Australia have become regular World Cup attendees in the 21st century, qualifying for seven World Cup finals. FIFA World Cup 2026 is their sixth World Cup tournament in a row. Their World Cup appearances have helped soccer become one of Australia’s most popular sports.

Many Australian football players have been adored by their nation, and they’ve also had an impact on world football, competing for huge teams with many personal accolades.

In this article, we’ll discuss the 5 greatest football players from Australia. These are the best players in Australian football history!

5. Brett Emerton

Caps: 95

Goals: 20

Oceania's football player of the year in 2002 and A-League All-Star of 2013, Brett Emerton played an important role in Australian football history. 

Emerton's career lasted from 1996 to 2014, and he played for clubs such as Feyenoord, Blackburn Rovers and, in his homeland, Sydney FC.

During his club career, he made 490 appearances, with a significant number of them for European teams. He is one of the only Australians to truly break ground in European football.

Emerton scored 20 goals for the Socceroos. He generally played as a winger, but his strong build made him a tough man to beat, and he was a huge defensive asset for all of his teams.

Ultimately, his impressive speed on the ball and creative skills were mesmerising to watch.

4. Mark Viduka

Caps: 43

Goals: 11

The peak of Mark Viduka's career took place in the English Premier League. He played for clubs such as Leeds United, Middlesbrough and Newcastle United, but his time at Elland Road was certainly the highlight of his career.

Viduka scored 202 senior goals in 409 games at six clubs, but Viduka's most impressive feat was when he captained the Socceroos at the World Cup in Germany in 2006, where they reached the knockout stage.

Viduka was a big target man centre forward, and he was a nightmare for defenders. This meant he provided many goals for others, as well as scoring in abundance himself.

In the Premier League, Viduka was well known for his time at Leeds United, and he holds the record for the seventh fastest goal in Premier League history (11.90 seconds).

3. Mark Schwarzer

Caps: 109

Mark Schwarzer is widely perceived as one of the greatest Australian soccer players of all time. He’s also one of the greatest Premier League goalkeepers of all time.

Schwarzer played for a number of prominent clubs during his career, including Chelsea and Leicester City. He was a member of the Leicester City team that defied the odds to win the Premier League in 2016.

Schwarzer is the most capped Australian player in history, and he also holds the record for the most clean sheets for the national side (44).

2. Tim Cahill

Caps: 108

Goals: 50

Tim Cahill is an absolute icon in Australian football history — and he almost made it to the top of this list!

Cahill is the all-time record goalscorer for the Socceroos, with 50 goals under his belt. He also scored Australia's first-ever World Cup goal in the opening game of the 2006 World Cup against Japan. He later added a further goal in the same game.

Cahill was often deployed as a centre forward, and he was a prolific goalscorer in England for Millwall and Everton, netting 52 goals for the former and 56 for the latter.

Cahill made an unusual name for himself by scoring diving headers, despite being just 5’10’’. He is remembered fondly for these headers, mainly by Everton fans and Australians back home.

1. Harry Kewell

Caps: 58

Goals: 17

Harry Kewell is, without a doubt, the finest soccer player in Australian history! However, he also had a huge impact on the European game.

Kewell spent the peak of his career at Leeds United — he started there at just 15 years old. He was a tricky winger with blistering pace and excellent passing ability. He also spent time at Liverpool and Galatasaray in Turkey, scoring 91 goals in 381 club appearances.

Kewell was a starter for Liverpool in the 2005 UEFA Champions League final, becoming the only Australian to win the competition, as the Reds miraculously turned over a three-goal lead to be crowned Champions of Europe.

Most significantly, in 2012, Kewell earned the award of Australia’s greatest ever footballer, which shows how highly he is regarded by Australians. Kewell was also a Ballon d’Or nominee in the prime of his career in 2001. This is by far the best achievement any footballer from Australia can boast.