How will we best remember Tony Popovic? As one of the first-chosen players in the Socceroo squad for the past decade Popovic has seen a lot of game time; and been at the heart of some of Australia’s most heart-breaking and inspiring sporting moments. While he has been one of our most consistent performers during that time, “Poppa” hasn’t always received the accolades of some of his more revered teammates but his very efforts helped get the Socceroos to their finest moment of all: qualifying for the World Cup.

Vital Statistics
Born: 4 July 1973, Sydney
Height: 194 cms
Weight: 83 kgs
Debut: v Colombia (0-0), Brisbane, February 1995
Last match: v Brazil (0-2), Munich (Aus), 18 June 2006

It was Poppa who most memorably marked Alvaro Recoba - Uruguay’s danger man - out of the second qualifier in Sydney. Our starting left back that night gave so much heavy-handed attention to Recoba that it completely nullified the Inter Milan star’s sharp game and forced him to leave the field complaining of weary legs and fatigue. For Poppa, he then made way for Harry Kewell who sparked the Socceroos’ attack back to life which eventually led to Mark Bresciano’s goal.

The Bahrain game marks a special occasion for Poppa and some of his teammates who he has shared so many special moments... he still speaks of that night at Telstra Stadium in November 2005 with pure joy. He told The Socceroo: “Qualifying against Uruguay was special for me. It had been unfortunate that we’d failed at the last two qualifying campaigns and I just got injured before it. I felt that the jinx was there again after the Confederations Cup in Germany where I got injured. I didn’t play for three months going into the Uruguay game and I thought, ‘here we go again.’