Known for their sandy beaches and great weather, it’s no wonder that some footballers have decided to take their skills down under to the A-League.
So here’s a list we’ve put together of seven footballers that you didn’t realise played and/or are playing in the A-League.
Dwight Yorke
Having sat on the bench throughout his time in the Midlands, it’s not a surprise Yorke wanted a move away from Birmingham City. And he couldn’t get further away from Steve Bruce than by making a move to Sydney – around 10,500 miles away from the Midlands.
And the Manchester United legend couldn’t have asked for a better first season at the club, as the Sky Blues went on to win the 2006 A-League Grand Final, in which the Trinidadian was awarded the Joe Marston medal for his man-of-the-match display.
Unfortunately, fans were only treated to one season from Yorke, who soon departed to play under his former teammate Roy Keane at Sunderland. But he’s still adored by many supporters, and is widely credited with helping to lift the initial profile of the league while it was in its infancy.
Luis García
It may have only been for ten games, but it was certainly a memorable 10 games for the Central Coast Mariners, as they had the privilege of watching former Liverpool winger back in 2016.
Even before they signed Usain Bolt in 2018, the Mariners were able to convince García to make the short trip in Australia after his stint in India. It didn’t take too long for the Spaniard to have an impact, scoring in his second A-League game against Wellington Phoenix.
Sadly, it was the only win that he experienced, as the bottom club proceeded to go on a ten-game winless run, before retiring soon afterwards.
Juninho
Having played for a hugely varied group of clubs that included Middlesborough, Atlético Madrid and Celtic, it made sense for Juninho to arrive in Sydney and give the A-League a go in 2007.
Very much in the twilight of his career, the Brazilian came as a replacement for Yorke as the club’s marquee player. Yet it wasn’t the ideal time for the midfielder, who was hampered by a shoulder injury and often needed to take painkillers before each game.
He made 14 appearances for the club, before being released by the Sky Blues and subsequently retiring not long afterwards.
Ola Toivonen
Having scored a superb goal against Manuel Neuer at the 2018 World Cup, you’d have thought Toivonen would be signed by a relatively big European club, given his goal-scoring abilities. Yet only a few months later, the Swede announced he was off to Melbourne Victory instead.
The former Sunderland striker had a hugely productive first season, scoring 17 goals in all competitions and was named in the A-League Team of the Season for his efforts. Unlike the aforementioned others, he’s stuck around for a second year, and was named the captain of the Big V before the current season began.
To date, he’s got 12 goals for the 2019/20 season before the league was suspended, and looks to be one of the greatest foreign imports the club has ever brought over.
Keisuke Honda
Remembered most for his superb World Cup performances for Japan, there was much anticipation surrounding Honda’s arrival in Melbourne in 2018.
And if not for a mid-season hamstring injury, the former Milan midfielder could have certainly helped his team finish higher than their third place in the 2018/19 A-League season. Having scored on his debut in the Melbourne derby, he ended the season with eight goals and seven assists in all competitions.
Yet in May 2019, Honda announced his intention to leave Australia, before making a public plea to Man United, imploring them to sign him…they didn’t.
Ross McCormack
At one stage, McCormack was thought to be the best striker in the Championship. Yet his £12m move to Aston Villa in 2016 went horrendously, and after falling out with manager Steve Bruce, he was shipped out to Melbourne City on a loan deal in September 2017.
There the forward returned to his goal-scoring best, netting 14 in just 17 games before returning to Villa midway through the season. Yet he was soon back in the A-League in September 2018, only to now line up for the Mariners.
The second spell didn’t go well at all. In fact, the Scot’s sole highlight of his time at the Gosford club was to assist Olympic sprinter Bolt’s first goal in an official football match. Only playing five games, he was recalled by the Midlands club, and having been released at the end of the 2018/19 season, he remains a free agent.
Steven Taylor
A modern great for Newcastle United, Taylor opted to join Wellington Phoenix in the summer of 2018.
Having initially signed a one-year-deal, he was a successful signing for the Nix, playing 23 games for the club. It led to the defender extending his contract for another season, and even being appointed captain before the 2019/20 A-League season.
The Englishman been ever present for the team during this season too, having played every minute of the league campaign. It remains to be seen if he’ll stay for another year, but by all accounts he’s been a great signing for Wellington.
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