Brett Emerton facts for kids
Emerton with Sydney FC in 2012
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Brett Michael Emerton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 22 February 1979 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Bankstown, Sydney, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Right midfielder, right back | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gunners Soccer Club | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Macarthur Rams | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Marconi Stallions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996 | NSWIS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1997 | AIS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–2000 | Sydney Olympic | 94 | (16) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2003 | Feyenoord | 92 | (11) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2011 | Blackburn Rovers | 247 | (13) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2014 | Sydney FC | 57 | (7) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 390 | (47) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1995 | Australia U17 | 11 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1999 | Australia U20 | 16 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–2000 | Australia U23 | 25 | (7) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2012 | Australia | 95 | (20) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brett Michael Emerton (born 22 February 1979) is an Australian former professional footballer. He played for several clubs, including Sydney Olympic, Sydney FC, Feyenoord Rotterdam, and Blackburn Rovers. He also played for the Australian national team. Emerton was known for his amazing speed, great ball control, and creative play on the field. He could play as a wide midfielder or a defender.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting Out in Football
Brett Emerton grew up in Macquarie Fields, Australia. He started playing football at just five years old for Gunners Soccer Club. People even called him "the greyhound" because he was so fast! After that, he played for the Macarthur Rams.
Playing for Sydney Olympic
Emerton trained at the Australian Institute of Sport, which helps young athletes. He began his professional career with Sydney Olympic in August 1996. He quickly became known for his speed, stamina, and excellent ball skills. He played 94 games and scored 16 goals for the club. His talent started to get noticed by teams in Europe.
Moving to Feyenoord
After leading the Australian Olympic team (the Olyroos) at the Sydney Olympics, Emerton joined Feyenoord in the Netherlands in August 2000. He helped Feyenoord win the UEFA Cup in May 2002. This was a big European competition. He was also named the best player in Oceania in 2002. He played 111 games for Feyenoord and scored 11 goals.
Time with Blackburn Rovers
In July 2003, Emerton moved to England to play for Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League. This was a dream come true for him. He scored in his very first game, helping Blackburn win 5–1. His manager, Graeme Souness, called him a "top player" because of his clever moves.
In his first season, Emerton played in 37 league games. Blackburn had some tough seasons but managed to stay in the Premier League. Emerton was a key player, known for being able to carry the ball across the whole field. He signed new contracts in 2006 and 2008, showing how important he was to the team.
In January 2009, Emerton got a serious knee injury. This meant he missed the rest of the season. He worked hard to recover and returned to play in September 2009. He continued to score important goals for Blackburn, including one against local rivals Manchester United. He was even made captain for his final game with Blackburn in August 2011.
Returning Home to Sydney FC
On 25 August 2011, Emerton decided to return to Australia. He signed a three-year deal with Sydney FC, a top team in the A-League. He became the team's Vice-Captain. In his first game, he had a penalty kick saved, but he later scored his first goal for Sydney FC from a free kick.
In 2013, Emerton captained the A-League All Stars team in a special game against Manchester United. On 16 January 2014, Emerton announced he was retiring from professional football. He had been dealing with ongoing back problems.
International Career
Emerton also had a fantastic career playing for Australia's national teams.
Youth and Olympic Teams
He was the captain of the "Olyroos," Australia's Olympic football team, at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. He also played for Australia's Under-17 and Under-20 teams, winning championships with both.
Playing for the Socceroos
Emerton was a big part of the Australian national team, often called the Socceroos. He played in the team that beat England 3–1 in a friendly match in 2003, scoring the final goal.
He played a huge role when Australia qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. This was the first time Australia had reached the World Cup finals since 1974! Emerton played in all three group games. He also helped Australia qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He scored important goals in qualification matches against Qatar.
Emerton continued to play for Australia in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, where Australia finished as runner-up. He scored his 18th goal for his country in the semi-finals of that tournament. He captained Australia in a friendly game against New Zealand in 2011. His final international goal was a winner against Hong Kong in 2012. He played a total of 95 games for the Socceroos, scoring 20 goals.
Honours and Achievements
Brett Emerton won many awards and championships during his career:
Feyenoord
- UEFA Cup: 2001–02 (a major European club competition)
Australia National Team
- FIFA Confederations Cup: 3rd place in 2001
- AFC Asian Cup: Runner-up in 2011
- OFC Nations Cup: Won in 2000 and 2004 (a competition for teams in Oceania)
Australia Youth Teams
- OFC U-19 Men's Championship: Won in 1997
- OFC U-17 Championship: Won in 1995
Individual Awards
- NSL U21 Player of the Year: 1997–98 (best young player in Australia's league)
- Australian Sports Medal: 2000 (for his contribution to Australian sport)
- Oceania Footballer of the Year: 2002 (best player in the Oceania region)
- A-League All Stars: 2013 (chosen as one of the best players in the A-League)
See also
In Spanish: Brett Emerton para niños
