Schwarzer receives OAM

Socceroos goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer has received a Medal of the Order of Australia in Monday’s Australia Day honours list.

Socceroos goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer has received a Medal of the Order of Australia in Monday-s Australia Day honours list.

Schwarzer received his OAM for service to football, particularly as an international representative player, and to the community.

The Fulham Athletic keeper has made 63 appearances for Australia, since making his debut in a crunch World Cup qualifier in 1993 against Canada in Edmonton, Canada.

He will however be best remembered for his two saves in the thrilling penalty shootout against Uruguay in 2005, which earned Australia a place at the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals in Germany.

"I was very, very surprised and obviously very honoured," Schwarzer, told the Fulham website http://www.fulhamfc.com of his honour. "It was totally out of the blue and something that has taken time to sink in really, it still hasn't sunk in. I think it's pretty amazing, an amazing honour."

Schwarzer holds the record for the most number of caps by a goalkeeper with the national team and also holds the record the most appearances by a foreign player with one club (Middlesbrough) in the English Premier League, as well as the record for the most appearances by a foreign player in the EPL.

He moved to Fulham at the start of this season and has played a pivotal role in their good first half of the season, which has them in the top 10 on the table.

The talented keeper has also produced a series of children-s books, which recounts some of his own upbringing in Australia and playing the game he loves. He recently also became a special representative for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Schwarzer was not the only football identity to receive an OAM with former President of Football NSW Tom Doumanis, receiving his award for service to football in NSW through executive roles with a range of sporting clubs and organisations, and the community.