Best Socceroos of all time - Who is Australia’s best ever soccer player?

Quick Answer: Many fans consider Mark Schwarzer or Tim Cahill the greatest Socceroo of all time, based on longevity, World Cup performances, and leadership for Australia.

Australian football has come a long way in a relatively short time. Since the Socceroos’ historic qualification for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the sport has exploded in popularity, player pathways have improved, and Australian footballers have become regular features across Europe’s biggest leagues.

That growth was on full display again in Qatar in 2022, where Australia matched its best-ever World Cup run by reaching the Round of 16, pushing eventual champions Argentina and coming face to face with Lionel Messi on the game’s biggest stage.

So with generations of talent now to compare, one question never goes away: who is the greatest Socceroo of all time?

It’s a debate built on eras, roles, and personal bias. Goalscorers grab headlines, defenders do the unseen work, and goalkeepers often decide matches without scoring a single goal. For this list, we’ve balanced individual ability, impact in major tournaments, leadership, longevity, and legacy.

Here are Aussiebets’ top five Socceroos of all time.

Position: Forward

Caps: 42

Goals: 7

No list of Australian football greats is complete without Johnny Warren. Known forever as “Captain Socceroo”, Warren’s influence goes far beyond statistics.

While his playing numbers don’t stack up against modern stars, his contribution to building football in Australia is unmatched. Warren was instrumental in pushing the game into the mainstream, advocating for Australia on the global stage, and inspiring future generations to chase professional careers overseas.

He didn’t just wear the green and gold, he helped define what it meant.

Position: Striker

Caps: 43

Goals: 11

Mark Viduka was a striker Australian football had never seen before. Powerful, technical, and fearless, he was the focal point of Australia’s attack during its most important era.

As captain during the 2006 World Cup campaign, Viduka led from the front, holding up play, bullying defenders, and allowing Australia’s counter-attacking style to thrive. At club level, his success in Europe, including becoming the highest-scoring Australian in UEFA Champions League history, set a new benchmark for strikers from this country.

Position: Winger

Caps: 58

Goals: 17

For a generation of Australian football fans, Harry Kewell was the dream. From his breakout years at Leeds United to his Ballon d’Or nomination, Kewell showed Australians that world-class attacking talent could come from home.

Blessed with pace, vision, and elite technical ability, Kewell was capable of unlocking defences at the highest level. Injuries ultimately limited how much of his peak we saw, but at his best, he was one of the most gifted footballers Australia has ever produced.

Position: Attacking Midfielder

Caps: 108

Goals: 50

If moments define greatness, Tim Cahill has as many iconic moments as any Socceroo in history.

Australia’s all-time leading goalscorer, Cahill delivered on the biggest stage time and time again. He scored at three World Cups, produced one of the greatest World Cup goals ever against the Netherlands in 2014, and turned himself into a symbol of belief for Australian football fans.

His trademark leap and corner-flag celebrations are etched into Socceroos folklore, and his influence extended far beyond goals, he was the emotional heartbeat of the team for over a decade.

Position: Goalkeeper

Caps: 109

Clean Sheets: Numerous

It may not be glamorous, but Mark Schwarzer sits at the top of the list for one simple reason: without him, Australian football history looks very different.

For nearly two decades, Schwarzer was the backbone of the Socceroos. His shot-stopping, command of the penalty area, and leadership from the back kept Australia competitive against far bigger footballing nations.

Add in more than 500 Premier League appearances and record international caps for Australia, and Schwarzer’s legacy becomes impossible to ignore. The greatest Socceroo isn’t the flashiest – it’s the most reliable.