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(s) | 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 (born 4 July 1973) is an Australian association football manager and former player. He is currently head coach of the Australia national football team. He guided the team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup becoming the first Australian to play for and manage the team at a World Cup.
As a player Popovic's usual position was centre-back. Starting in 1989 at Sydney United he went on to play for Sanfrecce Hiroshima of Japan and Premier League side Crystal Palace, among other clubs. He appeared with the Australian national team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, where he played against reigning World Champions Brazil.
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 Western Sydney Wanderers at the start of the 2012–13 season. His major achievements as a manager 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. He holds the record of coaching the most A-League Grand Final losses with 5 to the end of the 2023/2024 season. He was appointed as coach of Australia in 2024 and led them to qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
He is the father of Kristian and Gabriel Popovic, both of whom are also professional footballers.