Tony Popovic
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Popovic as Western Sydney Wanderers manager in 2013 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Tony Popovic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 4 July 1973 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Sydney, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre-back | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Australia (head coach) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sydney United | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1989–1997 | Sydney United | 162 | (14) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994 | → Canberra FC (loan) | 5 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–2001 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 87 | (13) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2006 | Crystal Palace | 123 | (6) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Al-Arabi | 17 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | Sydney FC | 27 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 421 | (37) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1988–1989 | Australia U17 | 7 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1991 | Australia U20 | 9 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992 | Australia U23 | 4 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–2006 | Australia | 58 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | Sydney FC (caretaker) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2017 | Western Sydney Wanderers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | Karabükspor | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2020 | Perth Glory | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2021 | Xanthi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2024 | Melbourne Victory | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024– | Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tony Popovic (Croatian: [pǒpovit͡ɕ]; born 4 July 1973) is an Australian association football manager and former player who currently serves as head coach of the Australia national team.
Popovic played as a centre-back. Starting his career for Sydney United 58, he moved to Sanfrecce Hiroshima of Japan and then flourished at Premier League side Crystal Palace. He also represented Australia at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, two FIFA Confederations Cups and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Popovic started his coaching career in 2008 with Sydney FC. After a brief stint as assistant manager at Crystal Palace, he was chosen as the inaugural manager of the Western Sydney Wanderers at the start of the 2012–13 season. His major managerial achievements are winning the 2012–13 A-League Premiership and 2014 AFC Champions League with the Wanderers, the 2018–19 A-League Premiership with Perth Glory and an Australia Cup with Melbourne Victory in 2022.
Replacing Graham Arnold in 2024, Popovic helped the Socceroos qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, twenty years after his only playing appearance on international football's biggest stage. His sons Kristian and Gabriel are also professional footballers.