Melbourne Heart FC Head Coach John Aloisi and Club captain Harry Kewell have been selected in the FFA ‘Team of the Decade’ to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of FIFA Membership.
Melbourne Heart FC Head Coach John Aloisi and Club captain Harry Kewell have been selected in the FFA ‘Team of the Decade’ to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of FIFA Membership.
Football Federation Australia (FFA) today acknowledged the heroes by naming its Teams of the Decade in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of FIFA Membership at a Hall of Fame function in Melbourne.
From Johnny Warren through to Mark Schwarzer, Julie Dolan to Sarah Walsh, Australia-s greatest footballers and coaches covering 19 FIFA World Cup campaigns, 8 FIFA World Cup Finals appearances, 8 Olympic Games and countless milestone moments were acknowledged in eight Teams of the Decade:
• Men-s 1963-1970
• Men-s 1971-1980
• Men-s 1981-1989
• Men-s 1990-1999
• Men-s 2000-2013
• Women-s 1979-1989
• Women-s 1990-1999
• Women-s 2000-2013
“Football-s influence on Australian Society is undergoing significant growth in social, economic and political terms but today we embrace and celebrate our proud history and honour the pioneers who went before us,” said Football Federation Australia Chief Executive Officer David Gallop.
“We are proud of our multicultural foundations and the footballers selected in the Team-s of the Decade represent these foundations of not only football but Australian Society. Forget about a dividing line between “old” and “new” – it-s all one football history and one football story.
“Put simply, football is the face of Australia in all its diversity. No other sport can match football-s universal appeal and accessibility and as the Asian Century unfolds, this undeniable truth will only become more entrenched.”
“We must continue to drive football into the future but at all times remember our past and today we salute the men and women who have been selected in the Teams of the Decade.”
Melbourne Heart’s Kewell and Aloisi featured in the Men’s 2000-2013 Team of the Decade, alongside the likes of Schwarzer, Craig Moore, Brett Emerton and Tim Cahill.
To see the players selected in the Teams of the Decade click here.
Harry Kewell and John Aloisi speak with Lucy Zelic about their selection in the Team of the Decade
Team of the decade | Men-s 2000 – 2013
FIFA World Cup campaigns in 2001, 2005, 2009 and 2013; FIFA World Cup Finals 2006 & 2010; Confederations Cup 2001 and 2005; Olympic Games 2000, 2004 & 2008.
Formation *4-3-3
Coach Guus Hiddink
1 Mark Schwarzer (GK)
2 Tony Vidmar (D)
3 Lucas Neill (D) CAPTAIN
4 Craig Moore (D)
5 Scott Chipperfield (D)
6 Luke Wilkshire (MF)
7 Marco Bresciano (MF)
8 Brett Emerton (MF)
9 Tim Cahill (F)
10 John Aloisi (F)
11 Harry Kewell (F)
