Brisbane Roar FC facts for kids
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| Full name | Brisbane Roar Football Club | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Roar, Lions, The Orange | |||
| Founded | 1957 as Hollandia-Inala F.C. | |||
| Ground | Suncorp Stadium | |||
| Capacity | 52,500 | |||
| Owner | Bakrie Group | |||
| Chairman | Kaz Patafta | |||
| Head coach | Michael Valkanis | |||
| League | A-League Men | |||
| 2022–23 | 8th of 12 | |||
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Brisbane Roar Football Club is a professional soccer team from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. They play in the A-League Men, which is Australia's top soccer league.
The club started as Queensland Roar but changed its name to Brisbane Roar in 2009. The Roar has a great history in the A-League. They have won two Premierships and three Championships. They also hold the record for the longest unbeaten streak in the league, with 36 matches without a loss!
The team's main color is orange. This color shows their Dutch heritage. For the 2024–25 season, the Roar went back to their original orange and blue colors. This was to celebrate the A-League's 20th anniversary.
The team plays its home games at Lang Park in Milton. They have also used other stadiums, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bakrie Group has owned Brisbane Roar since 2011. The club has many fans, including groups like "The Den" and the "Roar Supporters Federation."
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About Brisbane Roar
The Brisbane Roar Football Club was formed in 1957. It was first called Hollandia-Inala by Dutch immigrants. Later, it became 'Brisbane Lions' and then 'Queensland Roar'. They played as Queensland Roar from the first A-League season in 2005–06 until 2008–09. Finally, they became 'Brisbane Roar'.
Since joining the A-League, the club has won two league Premierships and three Championships. They have also played in five AFC Champions League competitions.
The club has youth teams and a women's team. The youth team plays in the A-League Youth. The women's team plays in the A-League Women. Since 2014, the youth teams also play in the NPL Queensland. This helps young players get more game experience.
Club History
Early Years (1957–2004)
The club began as Hollandia F.C. in 1957. It was started by Dutch immigrants. In 1973, the club changed its name to Brisbane Lions. This was because all clubs had to use non-ethnic names.
The Brisbane Lions joined the National Soccer League (NSL) in 1977. They played there until 1988. After that, they played in the Brisbane Premier League. In the 1990s, the club changed its name again to Queensland Lions. This happened after a legal talk with the Australian rules football club, Brisbane Lions.
In 2004, Queensland Lions decided to join the new National A-League. They entered as Queensland Roar. The Lions then stopped playing their senior men's team in the local league.
Joining the A-League (2004)
Lions FC became a founding member of the A-League in 2004. They were called Queensland Roar. The club's office and training stayed in Richlands.
In June 2004, two groups from Brisbane wanted to join the new league. On November 1, 2004, the group led by Queensland Lions was chosen. On March 2, 2005, Queensland Roar FC was officially announced.
First A-League Seasons (2004–2009)
Miron Bleiberg was the first coach, starting in March 2005. He left in November 2006. Frank Farina, a former Australian national team coach, took over.
Farina helped the team improve. In the 2007–08 season, the Roar made it to the finals for the first time. They beat Sydney FC 2–0 in a semi-final. This game had a club record crowd of 36,221 fans. They lost to the Newcastle Jets in the next game. Farina also led them to the finals in 2008–09.
In October 2009, Farina was removed as coach. This was after he was arrested for drink driving. Assistant coach Rado Vidošić became the temporary coach.
Becoming Brisbane Roar (2009)
In 2009, the club officially changed its name to Brisbane Roar Football Club. This was because two other Queensland teams, Gold Coast United and North Queensland Fury, joined the A-League. This was the club's fifth name change!
The Postecoglou Years (2009–2012)
Ange Postecoglou became coach in the middle of the 2009–10 season. His first season was tough, with the team finishing second from last. But Postecoglou turned things around in the 2010–11 season. He changed many players and brought in a mix of young talent and experienced players.
Under his coaching, the team played an attacking style of soccer. They won the club's first Premiership and then the Championship in the 2011 A-League Grand Final. This was in front of a record 50,168 fans. The club then went on an amazing 36-match unbeaten run. This is an Australian sporting record!
In the 2011–12 season, they won their second straight Championship in the 2012 A-League Grand Final. This time, 50,344 fans watched. Postecoglou also led the Roar into the 2012 Asian Champions League.
Postecoglou left the club in April 2012. He was the most successful coach in the club's history.
Mulvey Era (2012–2014)
Rado Vidošić became coach after Postecoglou. But in December 2012, Mike Mulvey took over. Vidošić became the technical director. In the 2012–13 season, the Roar finished fifth. Striker Besart Berisha scored fourteen goals.
The 2013–14 season was great for the Roar. They won eight of their first ten games and became dominant Premiers. Players like Ivan Franjic, Luke Brattan, and Dimitri Petratos played very well. Former captain Matt McKay also returned. Brisbane won the Grand Final 2–1 in extra time against Western Sydney Wanderers.
Coaching Changes (2015–2025)
After Mulvey, Frans Thijssen was a temporary coach in 2015. Then, John Aloisi became head coach in May 2015. He led the Roar to third place in his first season. Aloisi was the longest-serving coach for the Roar. He left in December 2018.
Darren Davies was a temporary coach in 2019. Then, Robbie Fowler took over. He left in June 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Warren Moon became the next coach in 2020. He led the team to fourth place in his first full season. He was removed in February 2023.
After Moon, Nick Green was a temporary coach. Then, Ross Aloisi became head coach in May 2023. He led the team to their first Australia Cup final, but they lost to Sydney. Ross resigned in December 2023.
Several coaches took over for short periods, including Luciano Trani and Ben Cahn. In 2024, Ruben Zadkovich became interim coach. He later took the full-time role. The 2024–25 season started poorly, with the team not winning any of their first 12 games. Zadkovich left the club in May 2025.
On May 7, 2025, former Socceroo Michael Valkanis was announced as the new Head Coach.
Club Colors and Crest
Orange is the main color for Brisbane Roar. It shows the club's Dutch roots. For the 20th anniversary of the A-League Men season in 2024–25, the club returned to orange and blue. This was a way to remember their past.
The active supporters group, "The Den," has a popular song called 'Follow you for ever more'. They sing it at most games.
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| Roar's first kit |
How Club Colors Changed
In the first two seasons, the Roar wore orange home shirts with blue shorts and maroon socks. The orange and blue colors honored the club's Dutch origins.
Later, the home kit changed to orange with maroon sleeves and maroon shorts. Before the 2009–10 A-League season, the club's logo also changed. "Queensland" was removed, and "Brisbane" was added.
Before the 2011–12 A-League season, the club removed maroon from its kits. Black replaced it. The new home kit was orange with black diagonal shoulders. The away kit was mostly black with orange shoulders.
In 2014, Umbro started making the club's kits. Brisbane Roar also changed their logo to a more "traditional" shield shape. The new home kit was all orange with white details.
Club Anthem
Brisbane Roar does not have an official club anthem. This is often talked about by fans. The club has tried different songs, like Katie Perry's "Roar" and "You're the Voice" by John Farnham. But none of them stuck.
The supporters groups sing their own song, "Follow you for evermore."
Sponsors
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor (AL) | Shirt sponsor (AFC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005–2006 | Reebok | — | — |
| 2006–2007 | Jayco | ||
| 2007–2011 | The Coffee Club | ||
| 2011–2013 | Puma | The Coffee Club | |
| 2013–2014 | — | ||
| 2014–2015 | Umbro | Griffith University | |
| 2015–2016 | Steadfast | — | |
| 2016–2017 | 16Visa.com | ||
| 2017–2018 | Central Home Loans | — | |
| 2018–2021 | Actron Air | ||
| 2021–2022 | New Balance | ||
| 2022–2023 | Cars4Us | ||
| 2023–2024 | Outkast | ||
| 2024–2025 | Cikers Australia |
The Coffee Club, a cafe chain, was a main shirt sponsor for many years. They signed deals in 2007 and 2010. In 2011, they signed a $2 Million deal to be sponsors until at least 2015.
In 2011, Puma became the club's first kit manufacturer chosen by the club. They signed a three-year deal. In 2014, Umbro replaced Puma for the next four seasons.
Griffith University was the main sponsor for the 2015 AFC Champions League campaign. Steadfast became the main shirt sponsor for the 2015–16 A-League season. In 2018, ActronAir became the main partner. In July 2023, Outkast, a design and construction company, signed a 3-year deal as a major sponsor.
Stadium and Training
The Roar Men's Team usually plays at Lang Park in Milton. This stadium can hold 52,500 people. The club has played home games at five different stadiums in its history.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the club played games at Dolphin Oval. They returned to Brisbane for the 2023–24 season. They also played at Cbus Super Stadium during floods in 2011.
Women's games are played at Lang Park, Ballymore, and Perry Park Brisbane.
Biggest Crowds
The biggest crowd for a Roar game was 50,168 fans at the 2011 A-League Grand Final. This was the largest crowd for a soccer match in Brisbane at that time. This record was broken in the 2012 A-League Grand Final with 50,334 fans. The record was broken again in the 2014 A-League Grand Final with 51,153 fans.
Training Grounds
The Roar has moved between many training places. They used to train at Lions F.C. and then shared Ballymore Stadium with Queensland Rugby Union.
In 2016, Brisbane Roar announced plans for a permanent training center in Logan City. This $9 million Logan Metro Sports Park would also be for the club's academy, youth, and women's teams. In March 2018, the club officially opened this new center.
In October 2020, the Roar moved their training base to the Gold Coast Sports Precinct. In March 2023, the club announced they would return to Ballymore for training. However, they left Ballymore again in October 2023 due to concerns about the training field.
Club Connections
- Queensland Lions – This club founded the Roar. They still work together today.
- Academy Partners – The Roar works with local clubs for their Academy Preparation Program.
- East Coast Futsal Academy – A partnership with this academy helps young players aged 13–16.
Ownership
Current Owners (2011–Present)
The club is currently fully owned by Bakrie Group. In March 2011, the Football Federation Australia (FFA) took back the club's license. They funded the club until new owners were found.
On October 4, 2011, the Indonesian company, Bakrie Group, took over the club from the FFA. They bought 70% of the club for A$8 million. The FFA kept 30%. In February 2012, Bakrie Group bought the remaining shares, owning 100% of the club.
Past Owners (2004–2011)
Brisbane Roar was started and owned by Queensland Lions SC in March 2005. Queensland Lions owned most of the club until 2008. Later, a new group of Brisbane investors took over 100% ownership in 2009.
Fan Support
Brisbane Roar has a lot of fans. They usually have high attendance at their home games. By the end of the 2023–24 season, over 2.9 million fans had watched Roar home games. The average attendance was 11,656.
Brisbane has two main fan groups. "The Den" is the oldest and most active group. They sit in Bay 332 at Suncorp Stadium. The "Roar Supporters Federation" (RSF) was formed in 2016. This group gives a voice to all fans. In 2017, the RSF started "The Roar Corps" for the women's team.
There is also a large Facebook group called the Brisbane Roar Supporters Club (BRSC). It has nearly seven thousand members.
Mascots
The Brisbane Roar's mascots are Roary and Rosie. They are a Lion and Lioness. They are often at games and club events. Volunteers usually play the roles of Roary and Rosie.
Rivalries
The Roar does not have any big rivals right now. They used to have a rivalry with Gold Coast United. This was called the M1 Derby. It was named after the main highway between the two cities. But Gold Coast United stopped playing in 2012.
Players
First Team Squad
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Youth Players
These players have been part of the first-team squad for a game:
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Club Officials
Management Team
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Chairman & CEO |  Kaz Patafta |
| Vice-chairman | vacant |
| Director |  Faisal Arief Subandi |
| Helmi Rahman |
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| Director and company secretary | vacant |
| Sporting director | Shane Stefanutto |
Football Department
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| A-League Men Team | |
| Head coach | Michael Valkanis |
| Assistant coach |  Borja Lema |
| Head Goalkeeping coach |  Ruben Parker |
| Head Analyst |  Grijia Nektarios |
| Head of High Performance and Physiotherapy | Brad Moore |
| Head of Rehabilitation and Reconditioning | Vacant |
| Head of Strength and conditioning | Vacant |
| Kit and Equipment Officer | Lloyd Cabilan |
| A-League Youth Team | |
| Head coach | Karl Dodd |
| Assistant coach | Gabriel Hawash |
| A-League Women Team | |
| Head coach |  Alex Smith |
| Assistant coach | vacant |
| Team manager | vacant |
Captains Through the Years
Brisbane Roar has had eight captains in its A-League history. Matt McKay was captain twice.
| Dates | Name | Notes | Honours (as captain) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005–2006 | Chad Gibson |
First club captain, 14 games as Captain | |
| 2006–2007 | Stuart McLaren |
15 games as Captain | |
| 2007–2009 | Craig Moore |
44 games as Captain | Player of the Season both years |
| 2009–2012 |
Matt McKay |
First time as captain | 2010–11 A-League Premiership 2010–11 A-League Championship |
| 2012–2014 | Matt Smith |
Most successful captain, 37 games | 2011–12 A-League Championship 2013–14 A-League Premiership 2013–14 A-League Championship |
| 2014–2019 | Matt McKay |
88 games as Captain & most A-League appearances (272) | |
| 2019–2024 |  Tom Aldred |
First foreign captain, 104 games as Captain. Longest serving Captain. | Player of the Season 22-23 |
| 2024– |  Jay O'Shea |
Club Achievements
A-League Titles
Brisbane Roar
- A-League Men Championship
- Winners (3): 2011, 2012, 2014
- A-League Men Premiership
- Winners (2): 2010–11, 2013–14
- Runners-up (1): 2011–12
Domestic Cups
Brisbane Lions
- NSL Cup
- Winners (1): 1981
Brisbane Roar
- Australia Cup
- Runners-up (1): 2023
Brisbane Premier League
Brisbane Lions and Queensland Lions
- Brisbane Premier League
- Winners (7): 1987, 1990, 1991, 1996, 2002, 2003, 2004
- Brisbane Premier League Finals
- Winners (6): 1987, 1991, 1996, 2002, 2003, 2004
Club Records
Longest Unbeaten Run
Brisbane holds the Australian record for 36 games without a loss. This happened between September 18, 2010, and November 26, 2011. They also hold the A-League record for 16 away games without a loss.
Biggest Wins and Losses
- Biggest win: Brisbane Roar 7, Adelaide United 1 (October 28, 2011)
- Biggest defeat: 1–8 against Melbourne City (December 28, 2023)
Fastest Goals
- Fastest goal scored: Florin Berenguer scored after just 32 seconds against Wellington Phoenix (November 4, 2023). This is the fastest A-League Men's goal ever.
- Fastest goal conceded: Aaron Calver scored for Sydney after 40 seconds against Brisbane (March 29, 2019).
- Fastest hat-trick: 6 minutes, by Besart Berisha against Adelaide United (October 28, 2011).
Player Records
- Most appearances: Jack Hingert has played 304 games, passing Matt McKay.
- All-time top scorer: Besart Berisha scored 50 goals in 84 games between 2011 and 2014.
- Youngest player: Quinn MacNicol played his first professional game at 15 years and 216 days old (August 14, 2023). He became the youngest A-League player for Roar at 15 years, 8 months, and 13 days (October 27, 2023).
- Youngest goal scorer: Rylan Brownlie scored in the league at 16 years, 10 months, and 10 days old (December 28, 2023). Quinn MacNicol is the youngest goalscorer in all competitions at 15 years and 228 days (August 26, 2023).
- First father-son duo: Rylan Brownlie and his father, Royce Brownlie, became the first father-son duo to play for the Roar.
Coaching Record
- Most games coached: John Aloisi coached 95 A-League games between 2015 and 2018.
Hall of Fame
The Brisbane Roar Hall of Fame honors important players.
- Thomas Broich
In May 2017, Thomas Broich was the first player added to the Hall of Fame. He played 181 games for Roar from 2010 to 2017. He won many awards, including three A-League Championships. He is known as one of the greatest players in A-League history.
- Michael Theo
Michael Theo joined the Hall of Fame in May 2017. He played 159 games as a goalkeeper from 2010 to 2018. He won two Premierships and three Championships with the Roar. He also holds a record for not letting in a goal for 876 minutes!
- Matt McKay
Former captain and record appearance holder, Matt McKay, was added to the Hall of Fame in May 2019. He played 272 games for the Roar and won two Championships.
Academy
The Roar Academy helps young players develop. It has three main parts:
- Brisbane Academy
This part helps boys aged 14 to 19.
- Pre-Academy
This is for players aged 10 to 13. It works with other local clubs.
- Pathway for Girls
The Academy does not have a specific program for girls. Instead, Brisbane Roar works with Football Queensland to help girls develop their skills.
Images for kids
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Brisbane Roar supporters at an A-League match against Western Sydney in 2013
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See also
In Spanish: Brisbane Roar Football Club para niños
