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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | 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) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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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Honours
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Brett Michael Emerton (born 22 February 1979) is a famous Australian former professional footballer. He was known for his amazing speed, great ball control, and creative play on the field. Brett could play in different positions, like a wide midfielder (someone who plays on the side of the field) or a defender (someone who stops the other team from scoring).
He played for several big clubs during his career, including Sydney Olympic and Sydney FC in Australia. He also played for international teams like Feyenoord Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Blackburn Rovers in England. Brett also proudly represented his country as part of the Australia national team.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting His Journey
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 of how fast he was! After that, he played for the Macarthur Rams.
Playing for Sydney Olympic
Brett joined Sydney Olympic in 1996. He was part of the Australian Institute of Sport, which helps young athletes become professionals. While at Sydney Olympic, he showed off his speed and energy. He played 94 games and scored 16 goals, which caught the eye of teams in Europe.
Moving to Feyenoord
After leading the "Olyroos" (Australia's Olympic football team) at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Brett moved to the Netherlands. He joined Feyenoord in 2000.
In 2002, he helped Feyenoord win the UEFA Cup, a big European competition. Even though he couldn't play in the final game, it was a huge achievement for his team. That same year, he was named the best footballer in Oceania! He played 111 games for Feyenoord and scored 11 goals.
Time with Blackburn Rovers
In 2003, Brett joined Blackburn Rovers in England's top league, the Premier League. He had always dreamed of playing there. He even scored a goal in his very first game for the team! His manager, Graeme Souness, called him a "top player."
Brett played many games for Blackburn Rovers. He helped them avoid being moved down to a lower league and even reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup. In 2006, he signed a new contract, showing how important he was to the team. His manager, Mark Hughes, said Brett could "carry the ball from one end of the field to the other."
In 2009, Brett had a tough injury to his knee, which meant he missed a lot of games. But he worked hard and came back to play again later that year. He continued to score important goals for Blackburn, including one against his local rivals, Manchester United. He even captained the team in his final game for them in 2011.
Returning Home to Sydney FC
In 2011, after 11 years playing overseas, Brett decided to return to Australia. He signed a three-year deal with Sydney FC, a big team in the A-League. He became the team's Vice-Captain.
In his first game for Sydney FC, he had a penalty kick saved, but he soon scored his first goal from a free kick. In 2013, he was the captain for the A-League All Stars team in a special game against Manchester United.
Sadly, in 2014, Brett announced he was retiring from professional football. This was because of ongoing problems with his back.
Playing for Australia (International Career)
Brett Emerton was a very important player for Australia's national football teams.
Youth and Olympic Teams
He captained the "Olyroos," Australia's Olympic football team, at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. He also played in the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup, where Australia surprised everyone by beating France!
World Cup Dreams
Brett was a key part of the Australian team that tried to qualify for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Later, he helped Australia make it to the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. This was a huge moment, as it was the first time Australia had reached the World Cup finals since 1974! Brett played in all three group games.
He continued to play for Australia in the qualifiers for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, scoring important goals against Qatar. He also scored a late winning goal against Oman in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.
Later International Games
In 2011, Brett even captained Australia in a game against New Zealand. He scored his 18th goal for his country in the semi-finals of the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. His last international goal was a winning goal against Hong Kong in 2012. He played a total of 95 games for the Australian national team, scoring 20 goals.
Achievements and Awards
Brett Emerton won many awards and trophies throughout 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-20 Championship: Won in 1997 (for players under 20)
- OFC U-17 Championship: Won in 1995 (for players under 17)
- Individual Awards
- NSL U21 Player of the Year: 1997–98 (best young player in Australia's old 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)
Images for kids
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Emerton with Sydney FC in 2012
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Emerton at the Sydney Football Stadium in 2010
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Brett Emerton playing for Blackburn Rovers
See also
In Spanish: Brett Emerton para niños
