Mark Bresciano ( ; ; born 11 February 1980) is an Australian former professional
soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
player who played as a
midfielder
In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...
.
Born in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
, Bresciano played youth football for
Bulleen Lions, before moving into the
National Soccer League with
Carlton. In 1999, he moved to Italian
Serie B
The Serie B (), officially known as Serie BKT for sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It has been operating for over ninety years since the 1929–30 season. It had b ...
side
Empoli, beginning a twelve-year stay in the country. In 2002, he moved to the
Serie A
The Serie A (), officially known as Serie A Enilive in Italy and Serie A Made in Italy abroad for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Italy and the highest tier of the Italian football league system. Establish ...
with
Parma, later playing for
Palermo
Palermo ( ; ; , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan province. The ...
and
SS Lazio
(; ; ''Lazio Sport Club'') is an Italian professional sports club based in Rome, most known for its Football club (association football), football activity. The society, founded in 1900, plays in the Serie A and have spent most of their hist ...
. From 2011, he spent the final four years of his career in the Middle East, first with
UAE Pro League side
Al Nasr and then
Qatar Stars League club
Al-Gharafa where he last played in 2015.
Bresciano had a long career for
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
, making 84 appearances and scoring 13 goals. He played in three
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often called the World Cup, is an international association football competition among the senior List of men's national association football teams, men's national teams of the members of the FIFA, Fédération Internatio ...
s, two
AFC Asian Cup
The AFC Asian Cup is the primary association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), determining the continental champion of Asia. It is the second-oldest c ...
s (one victorious) and the
2004 OFC Nations Cup winning team. His goal against
Uruguay
Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...
in the
2006 World Cup qualification play-off sent the match to a penalty shootout which Australia won to qualify for the first time in 32 years. He previously represented Australia frequently at youth levels, including the
2000 Summer Olympics
The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, officially branded as Sydney 2000, and also known as the Games of the New Millennium, were an international multi-sport event held from 15 September to 1 October ...
in Australia and the
1999 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Biography
Early days in Australia
Bresciano grew up in
Rosanna,
Melbourne
Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
.
He began playing football locally and later progressed to the first team of
Victorian Premier League side
Bulleen Lions in 1995 at the age of 15. He made little impact until his third year in the first team, scoring four goals in four league games and helping Bulleen to the 1997 VPL grand final. Bresciano's reputation began to grow and he was selected in an Australian Schoolboys squad that toured the United Kingdom in 1996. In 1997, he featured prominently in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
's unsuccessful
U17 World Cup qualifying campaign, scoring five goals.
At the end of the 1997 season and upon completing high school at
Marcellin College, he was offered a place at the
Australian Institute of Sport, where he reunited with childhood pal
Vince Grella. The players' careers would mirror in the coming years as the two supported their footballing endeavours on and off the field.
He and
Vince Grella signed with new
National Soccer League (NSL) club
Carlton for the 1997–98 season, but Bresciano was forced to wait until Round 17 to make his NSL debut. He then played every game for the rest of the year, as Carlton finished second with a place in the finals. Bresciano scored in injury time to win the elimination semi-final and put the club into its first grand final, which they lost 2–1. He stayed with the Blues for the 1998–99 season, scoring four goals in 18 games, but the club finished well outside the top six. In 1998 and 1999, Bresciano made a number of appearances for Australia in various matches at
Under-20 and
Under-23 level, including the
1999 FIFA World Youth Championship, where the Young Socceroos were eliminated in the first round.
Move to Italy
As for many Australian players, a career in Europe beckoned for Bresciano as he sought to develop his game and further his career. Bresciano and Grella had sights set on a move to Italy, spurred in part by their Italian heritage.
The pair joined
Empoli in 1999, who had been relegated to
Serie B
The Serie B (), officially known as Serie BKT for sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It has been operating for over ninety years since the 1929–30 season. It had b ...
the previous season, and became regular selections in the first team. In Bresciano's third year at the club, he scored 10 goals and helped Empoli to a fourth position and promotion back to the top-flight
Serie A
The Serie A (), officially known as Serie A Enilive in Italy and Serie A Made in Italy abroad for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Italy and the highest tier of the Italian football league system. Establish ...
. The pair also appeared several times in the Australian Under-23 team in the lead-up to the
2000 Olympics, particularly in friendlies held in Europe. They were both included in the team for the Sydney Olympics, although Bresciano only saw limited action as a substitute. The following year, his efforts with the Olympic squad were rewarded with a call-up to the "
Socceroos." On 1 June 2001, Bresciano received his first cap for Australia in a
Confederations Cup match against
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, coming on as a substitute in the 78th minute for
Josip Skoko. He made a further five appearances that year for the "Socceroos," including another match against France in a friendly at the
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), also known locally as the 'G, is a sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne, Victoria. Founded and managed by the Melbourne Cricket Club, it is the largest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere, the Lis ...
(MCG), again replacing Skoko as a substitute.
In the summer of 2002, he joined
Parma for €7 million, at the time a record transfer fee for an Australian player.
''"Moving to Parma was a big change in every way, not just money-wise but it is a big club. The structure of the club, the facilities, its popularity means you are under a lot more pressure to get a result,"'' he said following the close of the season, well aware of his profile.
Though he was hampered by a series of injuries, his 24 appearances in
2002–03 helped Parma to fifth and a
UEFA Cup
The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a Typography, typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a star (heraldry), heraldic star.
Computer scientists and Mathematici ...
place. With
Empoli being relegated again, he was reunited with Grella who stayed in
Serie A
The Serie A (), officially known as Serie A Enilive in Italy and Serie A Made in Italy abroad for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Italy and the highest tier of the Italian football league system. Establish ...
with a transfer to Parma.
Goal scoring for Parma and Socceroos
Setting himself a target for the
2003–04 season of five goals,
Bresciano surpassed that with eight goals from 33 appearances, the most of any midfielder in the Serie A, as Parma finished fifth in the league again. Bresciano had also claimed a regular spot in the Socceroos line-up, justifying his selection with a string of goals, including a match-winning free-kick against
New Zealand
New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
and the only goal in a one-nil victory against
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
.
Parma's fifth place qualified them for the
UEFA Cup
The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a Typography, typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a star (heraldry), heraldic star.
Computer scientists and Mathematici ...
, where the club advanced through to the semi-finals before being eliminated by eventual winners
CSKA Moscow. Their league performance that year was in stark contrast to their UEFA Cup form, as they were forced in to a play-off to retain their Serie A status by finishing 18th in the league. Bresciano and Grella were excused from the
2005 Confederations Cup by then-Australian manager
Frank Farina to allow them to take part in the play-off against
Bologna
Bologna ( , , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. It is the List of cities in Italy, seventh most populous city in Italy, with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nationalities. Its M ...
— Parma went on to win the tie and remained in Serie A for the following season. Both players returned to the Australian squad in September 2005, now under the direction of
Guus Hiddink, for
World Cup qualification playoff against the
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands, also known simply as the Solomons,John Prados, ''Islands of Destiny'', Dutton Caliber, 2012, p,20 and passim is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 1000 smaller islands in Melanesia, part of Oceania, t ...
, followed by a friendly against
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...
where Bresciano scored the first of Australia's five goals. After playing the first leg of the
CONMEBOL – OFC World Cup qualification play-off against
Uruguay
Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...
on 12 November, Bresciano scored the only goal in the second leg four days later. The 1–0 win levelled the playoff 1–1 on aggregate after
extra time
Overtime (OT) or extra time (ET) is an additional period of play to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw where the scores are the same. In some sports, this extra period is played only if the game is required t ...
and the Socceroos won the ensuing
penalty shoot-out
The penalty shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to pe ...
to advance to the World Cup.
Parma recovered well in the
2005–06 season with Bresciano playing the majority of games, finishing a respectable 10th by season's end in May 2006 (later rising to seventh and a UEFA Cup place after the
''Calciopoli'' findings). Bresciano described their resurgence as physically finding their form. Despite starting poorly, the team went from "strength to strength" as the season went on, with Bresciano himself becoming mentally tougher for the experience.
2006 World Cup
Buoyed by his strong club season, Bresciano played in Australia's opening game of the
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international Association football, football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which had won the right to FIFA World Cup hosts ...
, being substituted before the team went on to score three goals and defeat
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
. He came on as a substitute in the second game against
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
and, in the third Group Stage game, was instrumental in the 79th-minute goal scored by
Harry Kewell against
Croatia
Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
. The goal resulted in a 2–2 draw, a result securing Australia's place in the second round. Against
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
, Bresciano was judged to be in a scoring position in the 50th minute when fouled by
Marco Materazzi, the Italian receiving a red card. Italy went on to win after being awarded a penalty in the dying minutes of the game, eliminating the Socceroos. After being identified as a key player for Australia, Bresciano's overall performance at the tournament failed to live up to expectations, described by a
Football Australia
Football Australia is the sports governing body, governing body of Soccer in Australia, soccer, futsal, and beach soccer within Australia, headquartered in Sydney. Although the first governing body of the sport was founded in 1911, Football Au ...
writer as ''
'
''solid without being spectacular,'' although his role as a set-piece-specialist was highlighted.
Palermo and Asian Cup
Shortly after the end of the World Cup, Bresciano was signed by Palermo on a four-year contract, and made regular first team appearances in the
Serie A
The Serie A (), officially known as Serie A Enilive in Italy and Serie A Made in Italy abroad for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Italy and the highest tier of the Italian football league system. Establish ...
and
Europe
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
. In October 2006 Bresciano scored what some – including Socceroos Assistant Coach
John Kosmina – have described as the greatest goal ever scored for Australia in a full international match. In an
Asian Cup qualification match against
Bahrain
Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, is an island country in West Asia. Situated on the Persian Gulf, it comprises a small archipelago of 50 natural islands and an additional 33 artificial islands, centered on Bahrain Island, which mak ...
,
Mile Sterjovski received a cross-field pass which was played first-time back into the penalty area, Bresciano reacting quickly to turn his body horizontally and strike the ball on the volley into the net. The goal drew comparisons to his first goal for Palermo in Serie A, two months earlier, against
Reggina on the opening day of the
2006–07 season. Bresciano was on the pitch on 2 February 2007, when
violence broke out outside the stadium in the
Catania
Catania (, , , Sicilian and ) is the second-largest municipality on Sicily, after Palermo, both by area and by population. Despite being the second city of the island, Catania is the center of the most densely populated Sicilian conurbation, wh ...
-Palermo match. He was affected by tear gas as it drifted into the stadium and afterwards described the incident as "completely terrifying". He scored his ninth international goal against
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
in March 2007. A hamstring injury suffered in May caused him to miss the final round match for Palermo, Australia's friendly against
Uruguay
Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...
on 2 June and hampered his preparations for the
2007 AFC Asian Cup. However, he recovered in time for a warmup match against
Singapore
Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
and played all of Australia's first two Asian Cup matches. He was substituted in the second half against
Thailand
Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
and the quarter-final against
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
before the Socceroos' elimination on penalties.
The Sydney Morning Herald
''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, Australia, and owned by Nine Entertainment. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuous ...
rated the 71 minutes played against Japan as his best performance of the tournament, after average displays in the early matches.
Bresciano returned to the national team in February 2008 for Australia's opening
World Cup qualification match against
Qatar
Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is a country in West Asia. It occupies the Geography of Qatar, Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it shares Qatar–Saudi Arabia border, its sole land b ...
, starting the match and scoring the Socceroos third goal. He also played a full 90 minutes in the second group match away to
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
. The new campaign also saw Bresciano change squad numbers, wearing 18 in the two qualifiers, as opposed to his traditional 23 which he wore for the majority of his Socceroo career.
To England and back
On return from Australia's Asian Cup exit, Bresciano became a transfer target for
Premier League
The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
club
Manchester City
Manchester City Football Club is a professional association football, football club based in Manchester, England, that competes in the Premier League, the English football league system, top flight of Football in England, English footbal ...
.
After confirmation from new Palermo manager
Stefano Colantuono that he would be leaving Palermo for Manchester, the clubs agreed to a four-year contract with a transfer price of £5 million and he began training with the City squad. ''"I needed a new challenge and I wanted to get the excitement factor back into my game,"'' Mark stated in confirming his desire to play in England, also citing the chance to play under
Sven-Göran Eriksson as a big reason for seeking to make the switch. However, talks between the two clubs broke down in finalising the move, with the timing of the transfer fee given as the primary issue – as City sought to delay payment – and Bresciano returned to Palermo to rejoin their pre-season preparations. As the transfer deadline passed and the deal was put off indefinitely, Bresciano continued training with Palermo. He came off the bench for their opening-day loss to
Roma, and remained a regular selection under new manager
Francesco Guidolin, although more commonly from the substitute bench.
He came off the bench in the first match of the 2008–09 season to score a goal, although Palermo lost 3–1 to Udinese. He then established himself back in the starting line-up following the appointment of new head coach
Davide Ballardini, playing both as a winger and a
deep-lying forward for the ''rosanero'', and also managing to score both goals in Palermo's second seasonal away win, a 2–0 to
Sampdoria on 18 January 2009.
Lazio
On 3 July 2010, it was confirmed that Bresciano had signed for
Lazio
Lazio ( , ; ) or Latium ( , ; from Latium, the original Latin name, ) is one of the 20 Regions of Italy, administrative regions of Italy. Situated in the Central Italy, central peninsular section of the country, it has 5,714,882 inhabitants an ...
on a two-year contract. Bresciano scored his first goal for Lazio in the Coppa Italia third round win over Serie B outfit Portogruaro on 27 October 2010.
Al-Nasr
On 9 August 2011, it was announced he had signed a contract with
UAE Pro League side
Al-Nasr Dubai for free.
Al-Gharafa
On 6 August 2012, Bresciano joined
Qatar Stars League side
Al-Gharafa on a three-year contract. He unilaterally breached the contract with Al-Nasr in order to finalize the transfer.
On 4 October 2013,
[ Bresciano was suspended for four months and fined €1,377,000] after the manner in which he transferred to Al-Gharafa from Al Nasr, putting serious doubt into his chances for a third World Cup. On 8 January, Bresciano was cleared to play for the Socceroos in the 2014 World Cup. The ban was ended on 3 February 2014.[ Bresciano and Al-Nasr jointly appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to overturn the penalties imposed on both parties, however this appeal was dismissed.][
]
Style of play
Bresciano was one of Australia's most talented footballers and had a renowned eye for goal. He usually played his football on the left side of midfield but could also play as a forward, behind the strikers, and in a central or right midfield role. Bresciano was a versatile player who often assisted in both attack and defence and was also a set-piece specialist.
Bresciano was also popular for his "Spartacus" goal celebration, that involves the player stopping in the position from where he shot from, clenching his fists by his side and raising his chin. He stands still, usually until mobbed by his teammates coming to celebrate the goal.
Personal life
Name
Bresciano's correct first name is Mark and not, as is often reported, "Marco". Interviewed for the TV documentary The Away Game, he said "In Australia, it's Marco. In Italy, it's Mark. Work that one out. My birth certificate says Mark. But I'm named after my grandfather Marco. I like Marco but not Mark-O. I prefer Mark".
Family
Bresciano's father is Italian (from Viggiano, Basilicata
Basilicata (, ; ), also known by its ancient name Lucania (, , ), is an administrative region in Southern Italy, bordering on Campania to the west, Apulia to the north and east, and Calabria to the south. It has two coastlines: a 30-kilometr ...
) and his mother Croatian (from Antonci, in Istria
Istria ( ; Croatian language, Croatian and Slovene language, Slovene: ; Italian language, Italian and Venetian language, Venetian: ; ; Istro-Romanian language, Istro-Romanian: ; ; ) is the largest peninsula within the Adriatic Sea. Located at th ...
). His younger brother Robert currently plays for Fawkner Blues in the Victorian Premier League. He married his childhood sweetheart Renée Capitanio in May 2006 in Heidelberg
Heidelberg (; ; ) is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, fifth-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, and with a population of about 163,000, of which roughly a quarter consists of studen ...
, Melbourne
Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
, after proposing to her at the Romeo and Juliet House in Verona
Verona ( ; ; or ) is a city on the Adige, River Adige in Veneto, Italy, with 255,131 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region, and is the largest city Comune, municipality in the region and in Northeast Italy, nor ...
. In February 2007, the couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Alessia and in May 2009, the couple welcomed their second child, a daughter named Montana.
Football Australia
From October 2019 to April 2024, Bresciano was on the board of Football Australia
Football Australia is the sports governing body, governing body of Soccer in Australia, soccer, futsal, and beach soccer within Australia, headquartered in Sydney. Although the first governing body of the sport was founded in 1911, Football Au ...
, the governing body for the sport in Australia. In April 2024, he resigned from the board whilst still remaining on the Football Development Committee.
In January 2024, it was reported that Bresciano was part of a consortium to purchase Perth Glory with Pelligra Group. The sale of the club to Pelligra Group was confirmed on 16 February 2024, however Bresciano's involvement is yet to be determined as he remained on the Football Australia board.
Career statistics
Club
''Cup'' includes domestic cups, promotion/relegation playoffs and NSL/ VPL Finals series
International career
:Source:
International goals
:''Scores and results list Australia's goal tally first.''
Honours
Australia
*FIFA Confederations Cup
The FIFA Confederations Cup was an international association football tournament for men's national teams, held every four years by FIFA. It was contested by the holders of each of the six continental championships ( AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBO ...
: 3rd place, 2001
The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...
*AFC Asian Cup
The AFC Asian Cup is the primary association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), determining the continental champion of Asia. It is the second-oldest c ...
: 2015
2015 was designated by the United Nations as:
* International Year of Light
* International Year of Soil __TOC__
Events
January
* January 1 – Lithuania officially adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas, and becomes ...
; runner-up, 2011
The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
*OFC Nations Cup
The OFC Men's Nations Cup, known as the OFC Nations Cup before the 2024 OFC Men's Nations Cup, 2024 edition, is the primary association football competition contested by the senior list of men's national association football teams, men's natio ...
: 2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
Australia U20
* OFC U-19 Men's Championship: 1998
1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''.
Events January
* January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...
References
External links
*
OzFootball profile
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bresciano, Mark
1980 births
Living people
Australian people of Croatian descent
Australian people of Italian descent
Sportspeople of Italian descent
Australia men's international soccer players
Olympic soccer players for Australia
Serie A players
Carlton SC players
Empoli FC players
Parma Calcio 1913 players
Palermo FC players
Brunswick Juventus FC players
Al-Nasr SC (Dubai) players
Al-Gharafa SC players
National Soccer League (Australia) players
Serie B players
Qatar Stars League players
SS Lazio players
Australian Institute of Sport soccer players
Soccer players from Melbourne
Australian expatriate men's soccer players
Expatriate men's footballers in Italy
Expatriate men's footballers in the United Arab Emirates
Expatriate men's footballers in Qatar
Australian expatriate sportspeople in Italy
Australian expatriate sportspeople in the United Arab Emirates
Australian expatriate sportspeople in Qatar
AFC Asian Cup–winning players
UAE Pro League players
Men's association football midfielders
Men's association football wingers
Australian men's soccer players
People educated at Marcellin College, Bulleen
Footballers at the 2000 Summer Olympics
2001 FIFA Confederations Cup players
2004 OFC Nations Cup players
OFC Nations Cup–winning players
2006 FIFA World Cup players
2007 AFC Asian Cup players
2010 FIFA World Cup players
2014 FIFA World Cup players
2015 AFC Asian Cup players
People from the City of Banyule
21st-century Australian sportsmen