FFA pay tribute to retiring Socceroo great

Football Federation Australia (FFA) chief Executive Ben Buckley has paid tribute to Socceroo great Tony Vidmar who today announced that he will retire after an illustrious 19-year career at the top level.

Football Federation Australia (FFA) chief Executive Ben Buckley has paid tribute to Socceroo great Tony Vidmar who today announced that he will retire after an illustrious 19-year career at the top level.

The 37-year-old defender is set to play his final match when the Central Coast Mariners take the field on Sunday week in the 2008 Hyundai A-League Grand Final against the winner of this weekend's Preliminary Final between Newcastle Jets and Queensland Roar.

The Adelaide-born Vidmar is Australia's third most capped Socceroo with 76 appearances in a 15-year international career. He earned his first international cap in 1991 and served longer in the green and gold shirt than any other player.

Vidmar's club career is equally impressive playing in Belgium, the Netherlands, the English Premier League (Middlesbrough) and the Scottish Premier League (Glasgow Rangers), before returning to Australia two years ago.

"Tony Vidmar is one of the greats of Australian football with a remarkable career both with the national team and at club level," said FFA Chief Executive Ben Buckley.

"Tony was a stalwart of the Socceroos for many years competing in four World Cup campaigns, and given his calmness under pressure on the field it was fitting that he was one of the heroes against Uruguay scoring from the penalty spot on that historic night in November 2005.

"As much as anyone, Tony is a player that wore the green and gold with passion, perhaps best exemplified with that famous emotional image after the World Cup qualifying defeat against Uruguay in 2001.

"Aside from his many on-field achievements Tony has played the game with fairness throughout his career."

Vidmar was last year selected by the FFA as an inaugural National Ambassador of My Football Career, which is a player support services program.

TONY VIDMAR Born - 14 July 1970

National team: 1991 - 2006 Socceroos - 76 appearances, 3 goals (captain 6 matches) Four World Cup qualifying campaigns 1992 Olympic Games (Barcelona)

Club career: Adelaide City - 149 appearances 14 goals Ekeren (Belgium) - 9 appearances, 1 goal NAC Breda (Netherlands) - 82 appearances, 4 goals Glasgow Rangers (Scotland) - 107, 9 goals Middlesbrough (England) - 12 appearances Cardiff City (England) - 73 appearances, 2 goals Central Coast Mariners - 32 appearances