Mark Bresciano facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mark Bresciano

Bresciano with Australia in 2006
Personal information
Full name	Mark Bresciano
Date of birth	(1980-02-11) 11 February 1980 (age 45)
Place of birth	Melbourne, Australia
Height	1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder / Winger
Youth career
1986–1996	Bulleen Lions
1997	AIS
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1995–1997	Bulleen Lions	9	(4)
1997–1999	Carlton	28	(6)
1999–2002	Empoli	80	(17)
2002–2006	Parma	123	(19)
2006–2010	Palermo	107	(12)
2010–2011	Lazio	20	(0)
2011–2012	Al Nasr	17	(10)
2012–2015	Al-Gharafa	51	(3)
Total		435	(71)
International career
1997	Australia U17	5	(5)
1998–1999	Australia U20	7	(0)
1998–2000	Australia U23	15	(0)
2001–2015	Australia	84	(13)
Medal record Representing  Australia Men's Association football FIFA Confederations Cup Third 2001 South Korea-Japan AFC Asian Cup Winner 2015 Australia Runner-up 2011 Qatar OFC Nations Cup Winner 2004 Australia OFC U-20 Championship Winner 1998 Samoa
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Mark Bresciano (born 11 February 1980) is an Australian former professional soccer player. He was known for playing as a midfielder.

Mark was born in Melbourne, Australia. He started his youth football career with Bulleen Lions. Later, he joined the National Soccer League team Carlton. In 1999, he moved to Italy to play for Empoli. This began a twelve-year period playing in Italy.

In 2002, Mark joined Serie A club Parma. He also played for Palermo and SS Lazio. From 2011, he spent the last four years of his career in the Middle East. He played for UAE Pro League team Al Nasr and then Qatar Stars League club Al-Gharafa. He retired from playing in 2015.

Bresciano had a long and successful career playing for Australia. He played in 84 matches and scored 13 goals for his country. He took part in three FIFA World Cup tournaments and two AFC Asian Cups, winning one of them. He was also part of the team that won the 2004 OFC Nations Cup. His important goal against Uruguay in the 2006 World Cup qualification play-off helped Australia reach the World Cup for the first time in 32 years. Before playing for the senior team, he also represented Australia at various youth levels. This included the 2000 Summer Olympics and the 1999 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Mark Bresciano's Early Career

Starting in Australia

Mark Bresciano grew up in Rosanna, Melbourne. He began playing football in his local area. In 1995, at just 15 years old, he joined the first team of Victorian Premier League side Bulleen Lions.

In 1997, he scored four goals in four games for Bulleen. This helped his team reach the 1997 VPL grand final. Mark also played for the Australian Schoolboys team that toured the United Kingdom in 1996. He scored five goals for Australia's Under-17 team in 1997.

After high school, Mark joined the Australian Institute of Sport. Here, he met up with his childhood friend Vince Grella. Both players then signed with the new National Soccer League (NSL) club Carlton for the 1997–98 season.

Mark made his NSL debut in Round 17 and played every game after that. Carlton finished second and reached their first grand final, which they lost. He stayed with Carlton for the 1998–99 season. During this time, he also played for Australia's Under-20 and Under-23 teams.

Moving to Italy

Like many Australian players, Mark wanted to play in Europe to improve his game. Mark and Vince Grella moved to Italy in 1999. They joined Empoli, a team that had recently been moved down to Serie B. They both became regular players for the team.

In his third year at Empoli, Mark scored 10 goals. He helped Empoli finish fourth, which meant they were promoted back to the top league, Serie A. Mark and Vince also played for the Australian Under-23 team. They played in friendly matches in Europe before the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

Mark was part of the team for the Sydney Olympics. The next year, he was called up to play for the "Socceroos". On 1 June 2001, Mark played his first game for Australia. It was a Confederations Cup match against France.

Playing for Parma and the Socceroos

Goal Scoring Success

In the summer of 2002, Mark joined Parma. This was a big move for him. He said it was a "big change in every way" because Parma was a large club. Even though he had some injuries, he played 24 games in the 2002–03 season. This helped Parma finish fifth and qualify for the UEFA Cup.

For the 2003–04 season, Mark aimed to score five goals. He did even better, scoring eight goals in 33 games. This was the most goals scored by any midfielder in the Serie A that year. Mark also became a regular player for the Socceroos. He scored important goals, including a winning free-kick against New Zealand.

Parma's fifth-place finish meant they played in the UEFA Cup. They reached the semi-finals before being knocked out. Mark and Vince Grella were allowed to miss the 2005 Confederations Cup to help Parma stay in Serie A. They played in a special play-off match against Bologna, which Parma won.

World Cup Qualification Heroics

In September 2005, Mark returned to the Australian squad. They were playing in the World Cup qualification play-off against the Solomon Islands. He also scored the first goal in a friendly match against Jamaica.

On 16 November 2005, Mark scored the only goal in the second leg of the World Cup play-off against Uruguay. This 1–0 win made the total score 1–1. The Socceroos then won a penalty shoot-out to qualify for the World Cup.

Parma had a good season in 2005–06, finishing 10th. Mark played in most of their games. He felt that the team became "mentally tougher" through the season.

Mark Bresciano at the World Cup and Asian Cup

2006 FIFA World Cup

Mark Bresciano played in Australia's first game of the 2006 FIFA World Cup against Japan. Australia won that game. He came on as a substitute in the second game against Brazil.

In the third group game against Croatia, Mark helped set up a goal for Harry Kewell. This goal led to a 2–2 draw, which meant Australia moved to the next round. Against Italy, Mark was fouled, and an Italian player received a red card. Italy still won the game with a late penalty, which ended Australia's World Cup journey.

Palermo and Asian Cup Success

After the World Cup, Mark signed a four-year contract with Palermo. He played regularly for them in Serie A and in European competitions. In October 2006, Mark scored a goal against Bahrain in an Asian Cup qualification match. Many people, including the Socceroos Assistant Coach, called it one of the greatest goals ever scored for Australia.

He scored his ninth international goal against China in March 2007. A hamstring injury in May meant he missed some games. However, he recovered in time for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup. He played in Australia's first two Asian Cup matches. Australia was knocked out of the tournament after losing to Japan on penalties.

Mark returned to the national team in February 2008. He started Australia's first World Cup qualification match against Qatar and scored the third goal. He also played the full 90 minutes in the second group match against China.

Later Career and Retirement

Moving to the Middle East

After his time at Palermo, Mark became a target for Premier League club Manchester City. He wanted a new challenge and to play in England. However, the transfer did not happen, and Mark returned to Palermo.

He continued to play for Palermo, often as a winger or a deep-lying forward. He scored both goals in Palermo's 2–0 win against Sampdoria in January 2009. On 3 July 2010, Mark signed a two-year contract with Lazio. He scored his first goal for Lazio in a cup match in October 2010.

On 9 August 2011, Mark signed with UAE Pro League team Al-Nasr Dubai. Then, on 6 August 2012, Bresciano joined Qatar Stars League side Al-Gharafa. He played for Al-Gharafa for three years.

In October 2013, Mark faced a suspension related to his transfer to Al-Gharafa. However, he was cleared to play for the Socceroos in the 2014 World Cup. The ban ended in February 2014. Mark played his last professional game in 2015.

Mark Bresciano's Playing Style

Mark Bresciano was known as one of Australia's most talented footballers. He had a great ability to score goals. He usually played on the left side of the midfield. However, he could also play as a forward, behind the main strikers, or in central or right midfield.

Mark was a very flexible player. He often helped both in attack and defence. He was also very good at taking set-pieces, like free kicks and corners.

Mark was also famous for his "Spartacus" goal celebration. After scoring a goal, he would stop in the position he shot from. He would clench his fists by his side and raise his chin. He would stand still until his teammates came to celebrate with him.

Personal Life

Family and Background

Bresciano in 2009.

Mark Bresciano's first name is Mark, not "Marco," as it is sometimes reported. He explained that his birth certificate says Mark, but he was named after his grandfather Marco.

Mark's father is Italian, and his mother is Croatian. His younger brother, Robert, also plays football. In May 2006, Mark married his childhood sweetheart, Renée Capitanio. They had their first daughter, Alessia, in February 2007. Their second daughter, Montana, was born in May 2009.

Involvement with Football Australia

From October 2019 to April 2024, Mark Bresciano was on the board of Football Australia. This is the main group that runs soccer in Australia. In April 2024, he stepped down from the board. However, he is still part of the Football Development Committee.

In January 2024, there were reports that Mark was part of a group looking to buy Perth Glory. The sale of the club was confirmed in February 2024. Mark's exact role in the new ownership is still being decided.

Career Statistics

Club Performance

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.

No	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	7 September 2003	Madejski Stadium, Reading, England	Jamaica	1–0	2–1	Friendly
2	30 March 2004	Loftus Road, London, England	South Africa	1–0	1–0	Friendly
3	21 May 2004	Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney, Australia	Turkey	1–1	1–3	Friendly
4	29 May 2004	Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, Australia	New Zealand	1–0	1–0	2004 OFC Nations Cup
5	26 March 2005	Stadium Australia, Sydney, Australia	Iraq	1–1	2–1	Friendly
6	9 October 2005	Craven Cottage, London, England	Jamaica	1–0	5–0	Friendly
7	16 November 2005	Stadium Australia, Sydney, Australia	Uruguay	1–0	1–0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
8	11 October 2006	Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney, Australia	Bahrain	2–0	2–0	2007 AFC Asian Cup qualification
9	24 March 2007	Yuexiushan Stadium, Guangzhou, China	China	2–0	2–0	Friendly
10	6 February 2008	Docklands Stadium, Melbourne, Australia	Qatar	3–0	3–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
11	19 November 2008	Bahrain National Stadium, Manama, Bahrain	Bahrain	1–0	1–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
12	15 August 2012	Easter Road, Edinburgh, Scotland	Scotland	1–0	1–3	Friendly
13	11 June 2013	Docklands Stadium, Melbourne, Australia	Jordan	1–0	4–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours and Achievements

Australia

• FIFA Confederations Cup: 3rd place in 2001
• AFC Asian Cup: Won in 2015; Runner-up in 2011
• OFC Nations Cup: Won in 2004

Australia U20

• OFC U-19 Men's Championship: Won in 1998

See also

In Spanish: Mark Bresciano para niños