AURELIO Vidmar has been rewarded for a glittering playing career by becoming
the latest inductee into Football Federation Australia's Hall of Champions.
To see today's event...
Just hours after being nominated for the Asian Football Confederation's coach of the year award for steering Adelaide United into the final of the Asian Champions League, Vidmar received FFA's highest honour during a ceremony in Melbourne on Friday afternoon.
He was one of 11 people inducted into the Football Hall of Fame, joining former Matildas captain Julie Murray and fellow players Cliff Almond, George Keith and Tracey Wheeler, as well as former referee John De Witt, journalist Peter Desira, administrators John Thompson, George Dick and Don Di Fabrizio, and former coaching director Mike Wells.
Over a 20-year career, Vidmar made 517 first-class appearances including stints in Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain and Japan, as well as two separate periods in his home city of Adelaide in the old National Soccer League.
Most notably, he played 53 matches for the Socceroos - including seven as captain - and scored 18 goals, the most memorable coming against Diego Maradona's Argentina in the 1994 World Cup qualifier in Sydney.
Vidmar also took part in three unsuccessful World Cup campaigns in 1989, 1993 and 1997, as well as the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.
After retiring from all football in 2005, Vidmar became an assistant coach at Adelaide United before taking over the head coaching role in 2007.
FFA chief executive Ben Buckley paid tribute to the 41-year-old, whose career he described simply as 'glittering'.
He said: "Aurelio has just come off the back of a highly successful Asian Champions League campaign, but let's not forget that he was also an outstanding player for Australia."
Murray, who played 67 matches for Australia after making her debut at the age of 15 in 1985, received the Medal of Excellence for her work as a pioneer for women's football.
She was the first Australian woman to play in the USA and competed at the 1995 and 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup tournaments in addition to the 2000 Olympic Games.
"Every sport has its legends," Buckley said.
"That's what the Football Hall of Fame is all about - celebrating the legends of the sport on the field, and recognising outstanding and sustained contribution off the field."
The Football Hall of Fame commenced in 1999 and has inducted 208 people.
To see today's event...
Just hours after being nominated for the Asian Football Confederation's coach of the year award for steering Adelaide United into the final of the Asian Champions League, Vidmar received FFA's highest honour during a ceremony in Melbourne on Friday afternoon.
He was one of 11 people inducted into the Football Hall of Fame, joining former Matildas captain Julie Murray and fellow players Cliff Almond, George Keith and Tracey Wheeler, as well as former referee John De Witt, journalist Peter Desira, administrators John Thompson, George Dick and Don Di Fabrizio, and former coaching director Mike Wells.
Over a 20-year career, Vidmar made 517 first-class appearances including stints in Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain and Japan, as well as two separate periods in his home city of Adelaide in the old National Soccer League.
Most notably, he played 53 matches for the Socceroos - including seven as captain - and scored 18 goals, the most memorable coming against Diego Maradona's Argentina in the 1994 World Cup qualifier in Sydney.
Vidmar also took part in three unsuccessful World Cup campaigns in 1989, 1993 and 1997, as well as the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.
After retiring from all football in 2005, Vidmar became an assistant coach at Adelaide United before taking over the head coaching role in 2007.
FFA chief executive Ben Buckley paid tribute to the 41-year-old, whose career he described simply as 'glittering'.
He said: "Aurelio has just come off the back of a highly successful Asian Champions League campaign, but let's not forget that he was also an outstanding player for Australia."
Murray, who played 67 matches for Australia after making her debut at the age of 15 in 1985, received the Medal of Excellence for her work as a pioneer for women's football.
She was the first Australian woman to play in the USA and competed at the 1995 and 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup tournaments in addition to the 2000 Olympic Games.
"Every sport has its legends," Buckley said.
"That's what the Football Hall of Fame is all about - celebrating the legends of the sport on the field, and recognising outstanding and sustained contribution off the field."
The Football Hall of Fame commenced in 1999 and has inducted 208 people.
To see today's event...
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