Australian football: Remarkable milestones following entry into AFC

ABU DHABI, 18th May, 2023 (WAM) — After the Australian national football team qualified for the 1974 FIFA World Cup and made its debut in the international tournament, discussions began about the necessity of establishing a solid league that would serve as a platform for the future of the national team.

The first edition of the National Soccer League kicked off in 1977 and witnessed intense competition throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

However, the departure of a significant number of players to clubs outside Australia resulted in a relative decline in the league’s overall level, prompting Australian sports officials to assess the situation.

Recognising the need for professional competition with better financial status and support, the decision was made to launch the A-League as the top professional league in Australia. The inaugural season commenced in 2005-2006, coinciding with two significant events in Australian football history.

The first was the Australian national team’s qualification for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, when it participated in the finals shortly after the end of the inaugural season of the new domestic league, marking Australia’s second appearance in the World Cup and its last as a representative of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC).

The second was Australia’s inclusion in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in 2006, which aimed to provide better opportunities for club and national team participation in stronger competitions compared to the OFC, as well as improve the country’s chances to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, considering the limited allocation for the OFC, which is only allocated half a spot.

Over the past two decades, the A-League has witnessed fierce competition among many teams and attracted stars who have previously played and competed in Europe, such as Dwight Yorke from Trinidad, a former forward for Aston Villa and Manchester United, Swedish striker Ola Toivonen and Brazilian midfielder Juninho. The renowned Japanese star Keisuke Honda also played for Melbourne Victory.

Despite intense competition in the AFC Champions League and qualifying matches for the AFC Asian Cup and the FIFA World Cup, Australian football has made its mark on the Asian football scene at both club and national team levels.

Western Sydney Wanderers FC clinched the AFC Champions League title in 2014, while Adelaide United finished as runner-up in 2008.

Since joining the AFC, the Australian national team has not missed out on the AFC Asian Cup or the FIFA World Cup. In the latest edition of the World Cup hosted by Qatar in 2022, the Australian team showed significant improvement in performance and results. Despite losing their first match against France, they secured consecutive victories against Tunisia and Denmark, reaching the Round of 16 alongside the French.

In the knockout stage, the team put up a tough fight against the Argentine national team but lost 1-2. Argentina eventually won the tournament.

In terms of the AFC Asian Cup, Australia has made a considerable impact, reaching the quarter-finals in the 2007 edition, their first participation in the tournament as an AFC member.

In the following edition in 2011, the Australian national team advanced to the final but lost 0-1 to Japan in extra time, settling for the runner-up spot.

Australia claimed their first continental title in Asia when they hosted the cup’s 2015 edition, reaching the final for the second consecutive occasion and emerging victorious after defeating South Korea 2-1.

Over the past two decades, Australian football has produced a group of players who have had successful professional careers outside Australia, including in Europe. Among these stars are Tim Cahill, Mark Bresciano, Massimo Luongo, and goalkeepers Mark Schwarzer and Mark Bosnich.