Lucas Neill facts for kids
Neill with Australia in 2007
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Lucas Edward Neill | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 9 March 1978 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Sydney, Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Defender | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1993 | Manly United | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1995 | AIS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–2001 | Millwall | 152 | (13) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2007 | Blackburn Rovers | 188 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2009 | West Ham United | 79 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | Everton | 12 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | Galatasaray | 39 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Al Jazira | 19 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2013 | Al Wasl | 4 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | Sydney FC | 3 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | Omiya Ardija | 9 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | Watford | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | → Doncaster Rovers (loan) | 4 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 510 | (23) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1997 | Australia U20 | 8 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | Australia U23 | 13 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–2013 | Australia | 96 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lucas Edward Neill is a famous Australian soccer player who used to play as a defender. He was born on March 9, 1978. Lucas spent nearly 15 years playing in England. He played for Australia in big tournaments like the 2006 FIFA World Cup and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He also played in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup and the 2011 AFC Asian Cup.
Lucas became the captain of the Australian national team, known as the Socceroos, in 2006. He captained the team a record 61 times before he retired. He played for many different clubs, including Millwall, Blackburn Rovers, West Ham United, and Everton. He also played for teams in Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, and Australia.
Contents
Early Life
Lucas Neill's father moved to Australia from Northern Ireland. His dad also played soccer for local clubs there. Lucas grew up in Manly, Sydney.
He went to Wakehurst Public School and St Augustine's College. Later, he received a soccer scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport in 1994.
Club Career
Millwall
Lucas joined Millwall in November 1995. He played his first game in February 1996. He stayed at Millwall for almost six years. During that time, he played 174 games and scored 13 goals.
In September 2001, Lucas asked to leave the club. He then signed with Blackburn Rovers.
Blackburn Rovers
Lucas played his first game for Blackburn in September 2001. He scored his first goal for them later that month. Fans at Blackburn Rovers liked Lucas a lot. He played as a right-back for over five years.
Blackburn won the 2001–02 Football League Cup in 2002. However, Lucas could not play in the final because he had already played in the cup for Millwall that season.
Lucas was known for his strong and competitive style of play. In 2003, he accidentally broke the leg of Liverpool player Jamie Carragher. This happened during a tackle in a game. Carragher was out of action for six months.
In August 2006, Lucas said he would not sign a new contract with Blackburn. His agent said Lucas felt it was time for a change. He left Blackburn and became less popular with their fans. When he returned to play against them in March 2007, some fans booed him.
West Ham United
In January 2007, Lucas chose to join West Ham United. He said he made the move for soccer reasons, not just money. Lucas played his first league game for West Ham in February 2007.
He became the team captain after Nigel Reo-Coker left. Lucas scored his only goal for West Ham in September 2008. At the end of the 2008–09 season, he left West Ham and became a free agent.
Everton
On September 17, 2009, Lucas joined his friend and national teammate Tim Cahill at Everton. He signed a one-year deal with the club. He was introduced to the fans during a Europa League game.
Lucas played his first game for Everton in the League Cup on September 23, 2009. He came on as a substitute in their 4–0 win. His first start in the Premier League was in October 2009.
Galatasaray
On January 13, 2010, Lucas agreed to join the Turkish team Galatasaray. He signed a one-and-a-half-year contract. He joined his Australian teammate Harry Kewell there.
Lucas played his first Turkish Super Lig game on January 24, 2010. He and Kewell left Galatasaray at the end of the 2010–11 season.
Al Jazira
On August 19, 2011, it was announced that Lucas had signed a one-year contract. He joined the UAE Pro League Club Al Jazira. He was released by the club in June 2012.
Al Wasl
In August 2012, Lucas signed a one-year contract with Al Wasl. In January 2013, he left Al Wasl.
Sydney FC
In February 2013, Lucas signed with Sydney FC in Australia. He played his first A-League game for Sydney FC on February 24, 2013. He played only four games during his time there.
Omiya Ardija
On August 18, 2013, Lucas signed with the Japanese team Omiya Ardija. He signed a four-month deal. In November 2013, his contract was not extended. He looked for another club but did not receive any offers from A-League teams.
Watford
On February 24, 2014, Lucas signed with Championship team, Watford. He played only one game for them. He was released in June 2014, which effectively ended his playing career.
Doncaster Rovers (loan)
Lucas moved to Doncaster Rovers on loan on March 26, 2014. He played four games for the club.
International Career
In October 1996, Lucas became one of the youngest players to play for the Australian national team. He was 18 years old when he played in a friendly game against Saudi Arabia. He also played for the Australian men's team, the Olyroos, at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.
On November 16, 2005, Lucas helped Australia qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He played the whole game and scored a penalty in a shootout against Uruguay. Australia won the shootout and Lucas was named Man of the Match.
Lucas played in all four of Australia's games at the 2006 World Cup. In a game against Italy, he was involved in a moment where the referee gave Italy a penalty kick. Italy scored and Australia was knocked out of the cup.
After the World Cup, Lucas became the 50th player to captain Australia on October 6, 2006. He made his debut as captain in a friendly game against Paraguay. He also captained Australia in an Asian Cup qualifying game against Bahrain.
In July 2007, during a game against Iraq, Lucas received a red card. In the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup, he missed a penalty in a shootout against Japan. This led to Australia being eliminated from the cup. Lucas played his 50th game for Australia in a World Cup Qualifier against Japan, which Australia won.
In June 2013, Lucas scored his first goal for Australia with a header. This was in a World Cup qualifying match against Jordan. It was his 91st game for Australia.
Towards the end of his international career, Lucas faced some criticism. This was because he was not playing regularly for a club team. He was still chosen as captain, even after being dropped by two clubs in the Middle East. Some people in the media and fans felt he should retire. Lucas responded by saying he still added value to the team.
On May 6, 2014, it was announced that Lucas would not be part of Australia's squad for the 2014 World Cup.
Personal Life
Lucas Neill has a son named Marcus. Marcus plays soccer at the Sunderland Academy. He also played at the Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers academies.
In May 2016, Lucas faced financial difficulties. In November 2023, he was found not guilty of hiding money during his bankruptcy proceedings. He shared that he was living in a rented house and his children had to change schools because he could no longer afford the fees. He also mentioned that at one point, the electricity in his house was cut off. Lucas said he is now coaching a local women's soccer team and working as a project manager for a digital company.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | Cups | Continental | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Millwall | 1995–96 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| 1996–97 | 39 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 4 | |
| 1997–98 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| 1998–99 | 35 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 6 | |
| 1999–00 | 31 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 1 | |
| 2000–01 | 24 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 2 | |
| 2001–02 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | |
| Total | 152 | 14 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 173 | 14 | |
| Blackburn Rovers | 2001–02 | 31 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 1 |
| 2002–03 | 34 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 45 | 0 | |
| 2003–04 | 32 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 2 | |
| 2004–05 | 36 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 1 | |
| 2005–06 | 35 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 3 | |
| 2006–07 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 26 | 1 | |
| Total | 188 | 5 | 29 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 227 | 8 | |
| West Ham United | 2006–07 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| 2007–08 | 34 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 0 | |
| 2008–09 | 34 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 1 | |
| Total | 78 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 88 | 1 | |
| Everton | 2009–10 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Galatasaray | 2009–10 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 1 |
| 2010–11 | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 29 | 0 | |
| Total | 37 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 47 | 1 | |
| Al Jazira | 2011–12 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 4 |
| Al Wasl | 2012–13 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 |
| Sydney FC | 2012–13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Omiya Ardija | 2013 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Watford | 2014 | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 |
| Doncaster Rovers (loan) | 2014 | 4 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 4 | 0 |
| Career total | 517 | 24 | 68 | 4 | 19 | 1 | 604 | 29 | |
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 1996 | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1998 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1999–2002 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2003 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2006 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2007 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2008 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 16 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 7 | 1 | |
| Total | 95 | 1 | |
- Score and result list Australia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after Neill goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 June 2013 | Docklands Stadium, Melbourne, Australia |  Jordan |
4–0 | 4–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Honours
Club Achievements
- Millwall
- Football League Second Division: 2000–01
- Blackburn Rovers
- Football League Cup: 2001–02
- Al Jazira
- UAE President's Cup: 2011–12
International Achievements
- Australia
- AFC Asian Cup: Runner-up in 2011
- OFC Nations Cup: Winner in 2004
- Australia U-20
- OFC U-19 Men's Championship: Winner in 1997
Individual Awards
- Millwall Player of the Year: 1996–97
See also
In Spanish: Lucas Neill para niños
