Melbourne Victory FC facts for kids
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| Full name | Melbourne Victory Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Big V Boys in Blue Dark Blues Victory The Vuck |
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| Short name | MVFC | ||
| Founded | 1 November 2004 | ||
| Ground | AAMI Park | ||
| Capacity | 30,050 | ||
| Owner | Melbourne City F.C | ||
| Manager | Patrick Kisnorbo | ||
| League | A-League Men | ||
| 2022–23 | 11th of 12 | ||
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Melbourne Victory Football Club is a professional soccer team from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. They play in the top men's league in Australia, called the A-League Men. Melbourne Victory joined the league in its very first season in 2005–06. They were the only team from Victoria at that time.
Melbourne Victory is one of the most successful clubs in the league. They have won four A-League Championships, three A-League Premierships (meaning they finished first in the regular season), one Pre-Season Challenge Cup, and two Australia Cups. They are the only club to have won all four of these major trophies in modern Australian soccer. The team has also played in the AFC Champions League seven times. In 2016 and 2020, they reached the Round of 16, but were knocked out by the team that eventually won the tournament.
The club's main home ground is the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, also known as AAMI Park. This stadium has seats for 30,050 fans and is located in the heart of Melbourne. In the past, Victory has also played games at other stadiums like Olympic Park Stadium, Docklands Stadium, and Kardinia Park.
Melbourne Victory has many fans across Melbourne and Victoria. They have big rivalries with other teams: Melbourne City (known as the Melbourne Derby), Sydney (The Big Blue), Adelaide United (The Original Rivalry), and Western United (the Westgate Derby). The club's top goal scorer ever is Archie Thompson, who scored 97 goals. Leigh Broxham has played the most games for the club, with 405 appearances.
Contents
Club History
How it Started (2004–2005)
After Australia's first national soccer league ended, Melbourne Victory Football Club was created on November 1, 2004. It was one of eight founding clubs in the new A-League. The club was set up as a public company, with Geoff Lord as the first chairman. Other business people from Melbourne also helped fund the club. They managed to raise $4.5 million, but the league required $5 million. So, Football Federation Australia (the main soccer body) provided the extra $500,000 to help the club get started.
Ernie Merrick was the first coach. He signed Kevin Muscat as the first captain and Archie Thompson as a key player. Both became legends for the club. Melbourne Victory's first official game was on July 22, 2005, against Newcastle Jets. It was a 1-1 draw. Their first home win was on July 30, 2005, when they beat Perth Glory 3-0 at Olympic Park.
Early Success with Coach Merrick (2005–2011)
The first A-League season (2005–06) was a bit tough for Victory, but it showed what was possible. In the 2006–07 season, the team, led by captain Kevin Muscat and coach Ernie Merrick, won their first league premiership and championship. This also meant they qualified for their first AFC Champions League. A famous moment was when Archie Thompson scored five goals in the 6-0 grand final win against Adelaide United. This game was played in front of a record crowd of 55,436 fans. This big win and an earlier argument between Muscat and Adelaide's coach helped start the strong rivalry between the two clubs.
The 2007–08 season was not as good, as Victory missed the finals. They had many injuries and found it hard to play in the AFC Champions League for the first time. However, new players like Carlos Hernández, Matthew Kemp, and Tom Pondeljak joined, which made the team stronger for the next few years.
The 2008–09 season brought more success. Victory won the last A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup in 2008, finished first in the league, and won the championship again by beating Adelaide United in the grand final. This game had the second-largest crowd for an A-League grand final, with 53,273 fans. In the 2009–10 season, Victory almost won the league again but lost to Sydney FC in the grand final on penalties. This was the last grand final for coach Ernie Merrick and captain Kevin Muscat.
New Leaders and Rebuilding (2011–2013)
After the 2010–11 season, the first president, Geoff Lord, left the club. Anthony Di Pietro, who was already a shareholder, became the new president. The first CEO, Geoff Miles, also left, and Richard Wilson took his place. Coach Ernie Merrick was also let go after the team lost 5-1 to Gamba Osaka in the AFC Champions League. Mehmet Duraković and later Jim Magilton became coaches for the 2011–12 season.
Kevin Muscat retired as a player and immediately became an assistant coach. The club made a big signing by bringing in Australian soccer star Harry Kewell. There was a lot of excitement for the 2011–12 season, but the team struggled and missed the finals. This was due to older players, a new coaching team, and Kewell's high demands. However, the club learned from this. They signed Mark Milligan and Adama Traoré, who became important players. They also signed Lawrence Thomas, who later won many championships.
The 2012–13 season was much better. The club hired Ange Postecoglou as coach, who had won many titles with Brisbane Roar. He changed many players, bringing in 15 new ones, including Gui Finkler and Nathan Coe. Victory finished third in the league, a big improvement from eighth the season before.
Coaching Changes (2013–2014)
Coach Ange Postecoglou was in his second year with the club when he was offered the job to coach the Australian national team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He left the club just before a game against his old team, Brisbane Roar, on October 25, 2013. Victory did not get any money for his early departure.
Muscat's Time as Coach (2013–2019)
Kevin Muscat became the head coach, making him the first former player and captain to lead the team. His time as coach brought back the club's earlier success. His first season (2013–14) had some tough moments, with controversial referee decisions affecting key games.
The 2014–15 season saw many new players join, including Besart Berisha, Carl Valeri, and Mathieu Delpierre. These players helped the team achieve great things. In March 2015, the club announced its "Team of the Decade," which included coach Kevin Muscat. Captain Adrian Leijer left the club, and Mark Milligan became the interim captain. After six years, Victory finished first in the league and then beat Sydney FC 3-0 in the grand final.
The next two seasons had mixed results, but the team stayed strong. In the 2015–16 season, they won the 2015 FFA Cup and reached the Round of 16 in the Asian Champions League for the first time. Captain Mark Milligan left and Carl Valeri took over as captain. The 2016–17 season saw the team finish second in the A-League but lose to their rivals, Sydney FC, in the grand final.
The 2017–18 season ended in glory, even though it had a difficult start. Key players like Marco Rojas and Nick Ansell were sold, but Rhys Williams and Leroy George joined and became very important. Coach Kevin Muscat faced criticism, but the team found its form late in the season. They finished fourth and then beat Adelaide United in the elimination final. In the semi-final, they faced Sydney FC away from home. Despite being seen as underdogs and losing a key player to injury, Victory won 3-2 in extra time. Terry Antonis scored the winning goal in the 117th minute, which was later named the club's goal of the season.
Victory then traveled to Newcastle to play Newcastle Jets in the grand final. This game was controversial because Victory scored an early goal that replays showed was offside, but it was allowed to stand due to a temporary failure of the video assistant referee (VAR) system. Victory won 1-0. This win made Victory the club with the most A-League championships and the first team to win a grand final after finishing fourth in the regular season. After the grand final, six players left the club, including Besart Berisha.
For the 2018–19 season, Muscat brought in new players, including World Cup stars Keisuke Honda and Ola Toivonen. The team finished third but lost badly to Sydney FC in the semi-final (6-1). After this, Muscat resigned, ending his 14 years at the club as a player, captain, assistant manager, and head coach.
After Muscat (2019–2021)
After Muscat left, Marco Kurz, a former coach of Adelaide United, was hired in June 2019. Many players left, including captain Carl Valeri, who retired. Eight new players joined, and Ola Toivonen was named captain.
In January 2020, after only six months, Kurz was dismissed because the team was not performing well. Assistant coach Carlos Pérez Salvachúa took over, but he also left in May 2020 to return to Europe. Another assistant coach, Grant Brebner, then became the caretaker manager and later the permanent coach.
Brebner's time as coach was the worst in the club's history. He was sacked in April 2021 after two big losses to local rivals Melbourne City (6-0 and 7-0). Steve Kean became the interim coach. Victory finished 12th, which was their lowest position ever, earning them the "wooden spoon" (last place).
Popovic's Time (2021–2024)
On April 22, 2021, the club announced that Tony Popovic would be the new manager starting from the 2021–22 season. On February 5, 2022, Victory won the 2021 FFA Cup by beating Central Coast Mariners 2-1. This was Popovic's first trophy with the club.
Before the 2022–23 A-League Men season, the club signed Nani, a famous player from Manchester United and the Portugal national team. He joined on a two-year contract. Nani played his first unofficial game against Manchester United at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, in front of 74,157 fans.
In December 2022, the league announced that the A-League Grand Finals for 2023, 2024, and 2025 would be held in Sydney. This decision upset many fans. During a game against Melbourne City on December 17, 2022, fans protested by throwing flares onto the field. The game was stopped, and the club faced serious penalties from Football Australia. These included a large fine of $550,000 AUD and bans on organized fan support for the rest of the season. The club also stated they would stop recognizing active supporter groups.
The first half of the 2022–23 season was the worst in the club's history, with only 12 points from 14 matches. They were at the bottom of the ladder. The club signed several new players in January to try and improve. Melbourne Victory finished the season in 11th place, avoiding the wooden spoon in the last game.
The 2023–24 season was much better. Victory finished third in the league. They beat Melbourne City in the Elimination Finals and Wellington Phoenix in the semi-finals to reach the Grand Final. However, they lost 3-1 to the Central Coast Mariners, finishing as runners-up. After this loss, Tony Popovic left the club.
Kisnorbo's Time (2024 - Present)
Patrick Kisnorbo was officially appointed as Melbourne Victory's head coach on June 25, 2024, with a three-year deal. Before Kisnorbo joined, many players left the club, including Salim Khelifi, Chris Ikonomidis, and Jake Brimmer. New players like Josh Rawlins, Reno Piscopo, and Nikos Vergos were signed. Australian goalkeeper Mitch Langerak also joined.
Kisnorbo's time started well, with the team going undefeated in pre-season games and reaching the Australia Cup final. However, they lost 1-0 to Macarthur in the final, marking their second major final loss in the same year.
Team Colors and Badge
Melbourne Victory's colors are navy blue, white, and silver. These colors represent the traditional sports colors of Victoria. The home uniform is usually all navy blue with a white "chevron" (a V-shape) design. This "big V" symbol is well-known and linked to Victorian sports. The away uniforms often reverse these colors, with white shirts and navy blue V-shapes.
Currently, the home kit has a navy blue shirt with a chevron that fades from white to navy blue. It is worn with navy blue shorts and socks. The away kit is all white, with a design on the shirt that looks like the club's home stadium, AAMI Park.
A special kit was made for the 2008 AFC Champions League because Asian soccer rules require player numbers on the front of the uniform. In 2010, Melbourne wore a special "seatbelt" shirt for a charity event to promote road safety. Adidas became the club's official uniform maker in 2011. Some of their away kits caused controversy, like a bright yellow one and another that looked too similar to rival team Sydney FC's colors.
Club Sponsorship
On December 5, 2005, South Korean electronics company Samsung became the club's main sponsor. Their logo was on the front and back of the uniforms. Later, KFC became a sleeve sponsor. In 2009, Intralot took over as the main sponsor. Then, in 2011, Adecco Group became the major sponsor, with their logo on the front of the playing strip. Adidas also signed a five-year deal to make the club's kits.
Club Songs
Melbourne Victory has several popular songs that fans sing during games:
- "Stand By Me" by Ben E. King: Fans sing this as the team enters the field, holding their scarves up.
- "Seven Nation Army" by The White Stripes: The chorus is chanted after a goal, with fans waving their scarves. It's also used for player chants.
- "Victory The Brave": This song, based on "Scotland The Brave," is played after every home win.
- "Freed from Desire" by Gala: In 2022, fans voted for this song to be played after home wins, following "Victory The Brave."
Stadiums
Melbourne Victory currently plays most of its home games at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, known as AAMI Park.
Olympic Park Stadium
The club first played its home games at the 50-year-old Olympic Park Stadium during the 2005–06 A-League season. This stadium had seats only on the sides, with standing areas at the ends. The average crowd was 14,158, which was 77% of its capacity. The great atmosphere at this stadium helped promote Melbourne Victory and the league. Because of this success and for safety reasons, the club decided to move its home games to Docklands Stadium from the 2006–07 season. Olympic Park Stadium was used occasionally until it closed in 2009.
Docklands Stadium
On September 2, 2006, Melbourne Victory played its first game at the 56,000-seat Marvel Stadium against Sydney FC, winning 3-2. A large crowd of 39,730 attended, making the move a big success. The club then moved almost all its home games to this stadium. The average attendance for the 2006–07 season rose to 27,728, much higher than any other A-League team.
Marvel Stadium was the club's main home ground until the new Melbourne Rectangular Stadium was finished in 2010. In 2016, the club agreed to keep playing some big matches at Marvel Stadium for another 10 years. However, this agreement ended in July 2021, and the club decided to play all future home matches at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.
Melbourne Victory celebrated their 2006–07 and 2008–09 premiership and championship wins at Marvel Stadium.
Melbourne Rectangular Stadium
Before the 2006–07 season, the club planned to move to a new stadium. This new stadium, AAMI Park, was originally planned to hold about 20,000 fans. However, Victory wanted a larger stadium. On May 23, 2007, the club announced it would be a founding tenant of the new stadium, which would now hold up to 30,050 fans.
Today, AAMI Park is where the club's main operations are, and where most of the senior team's home matches are played. It also hosts some games for the youth and women's teams. Melbourne Victory holds the record for the highest attendance at a soccer match at this stadium. This record was set in the 2015 A-League Grand Final on May 17, 2015, when 29,843 fans watched Melbourne win its third title. The club also celebrated its 2014–15 premiership and 2015 FFA Cup wins at this venue.
Kardinia Park
On August 22, 2007, the club played its first competitive game at Kardinia Park, also known as GMHBA Stadium, in Geelong.
On February 15, 2014, Melbourne Victory had to play an Asian Champions League qualifying game at Kardinia Park because AAMI Park and Marvel Stadium were not available.
Before the 2014–15 season, Melbourne Victory agreed to play one home game a year at Kardinia Park for three seasons. This deal was later extended until the end of the 2018–19 season.
Fan Support
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In 2007, Melbourne Victory had the largest fan base in Australia. Their fans are known for their strong passion and creating a great atmosphere, especially the "North End" active support group.
In January 2011, there were some issues with fan behavior, including a protest where fans left the North Terrace empty to show their unhappiness with police presence and banner bans. In February 2011, Victoria Police expressed concerns about fan behavior, including anti-social actions and the use of flares.
On December 17, 2022, during a game against Melbourne City, there was significant crowd disruption. Flares were thrown onto the pitch, leading to the game being stopped. This resulted in serious penalties for Melbourne Victory from Football Australia, including large fines and restrictions on organized fan support.
Team Rivalries
- Melbourne City (Melbourne Derby): This is Melbourne Victory's local rival. Melbourne City joined the league in 2010 (then called Melbourne Heart). The rivalry became very intense, especially after an incident in 2011 involving Victory captain Kevin Muscat. In the 2020-21 season, Melbourne City beat Victory 6-0 and then 7-0. A game on December 17, 2022, was stopped due to fan behavior, including flares being thrown. This led to the club facing penalties.
- Sydney FC (The Big Blue): Sydney FC is Melbourne's main rival from another state. This rivalry is strong because Melbourne and Sydney are Australia's two biggest cities. Games between these teams are often very competitive. The rivalry grew when Sydney beat Melbourne for the league premiership in 2010 and then won the grand final. However, Victory got revenge in 2015 by winning both the premiership and grand final against Sydney. In 2018, Victory beat Sydney in a thrilling semi-final, but Sydney got their revenge in 2019 with a big 6-1 win.
- Adelaide United (The Original Derby / The Original Rivalry): This rivalry also comes from the strong competition between Victoria and South Australia in other sports. There have been incidents between fans and players. A famous moment was when Adelaide's coach, John Kosmina, had an argument with Victory captain Kevin Muscat in 2006–07. Victory and Adelaide played each other in the 2007 and 2009 Grand Finals, with Melbourne winning both.
- Western United (The Westgate Derby / The Battle of the Bridge): This is a newer rivalry, as Western United joined the league in 2019. Despite being new, games between these teams are often exciting and dramatic. In their first five meetings, Western United had four wins and one draw against Victory. However, on May 28, 2021, Melbourne Victory finally broke their losing streak against Western United with a big 6-1 win.
Players
First Team Squad
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Youth Players
These are players who have been part of the first-team squad for Melbourne Victory.
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Club Management
| Period | Chairman |
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| 2005–2011 |  Geoff Lord |
| 2011–2023 | Anthony Di Pietro |
| 2023– | John Dovaston |
Melbourne Victory Football Club is owned by a public company called 'Melbourne Victory Ltd'. Many smaller shareholders from Melbourne own parts of the company. These include Anthony Di Pietro, the Biasin family (owners of Metricon), and a private investment firm called 777 partners. Even though there are many owners, the club is not run to make a profit for shareholders.
When the A-League started, the club struggled to raise enough money to join. So, Football Australia helped by investing about $500,000, giving them a 10% share in the club. Since then, the club has become very successful. Its value has grown from $19.2 million AUD in 2014 to $50 million AUD in 2022.
Team Staff
Current Technical Staff
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Director of Football | John Didulica |
| Football Operations Manager | Paul Trimboli |
| Head Coach | Patrick Kisnorbo |
| Assistant Head Coach | Arthur Diles |
| Goalkeeping Coach |  Davide Del Giovine |
| Strength and Conditioning Coach | Scott Smith |
| Equipment Manager |  Guido Chayan |
| Football Analysis | Michael Mantikos |
| Sports Science | Wes Clarke |
| Doctor | Martin Strikker |
| Doctor | Krishant Naidu |
| Head of Physiotherapy | Nino La Scala |
| Physiotherapist | Rees Thomas |
| Academy Director |  Paulo Cardoso |
| NYL Coach | Joe Palatsides |
| NYL Assistant Coach | Vincenzo Ierardo |
| NYL Development Coach |  Grant Brebner |
| NYL Goalkeeping Coach | Peter Zois |
| NYL Lead Physiotherapist |  Michael O'Brien |
| NYL Assistant Physiotherapist | Jordan Cook |
| Women's Head Coach |  Jeff Hopkins |
Source:
Board Members
- Chairman: John Dovaston
- Managing Director: Caroline Carnegie
- Director: Donald Dransfield
- Director: Carl Valeri
- Director: Kerry Anne Smith
Coaching History
| Manager | Time as Coach | Games Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win % | Trophies Won | Notes |
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| Ernie Merrick |
2004–2011 | 170 | 74 | 41 | 55 | 43.53 | 2 A-League Championships 2 A-League Premierships |
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| Mehmet Durakovic |
2011–2012 | 19 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 21.05 | ||
| Kevin Muscat |
2012 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 | Caretaker Coach | |
 Jim Magilton |
2012 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 16.67 | ||
| Ange Postecoglou |
2012–2013 | 32 | 15 | 7 | 10 | 46.88 | ||
| Kevin Muscat |
2013–2019 | 214 | 105 | 45 | 64 | 49.07 | 2 A-League Championships 1 A-League Premiership 1 FFA Cup |
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 Marco Kurz |
2019–2020 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 26.67 | ||
 Carlos Pérez Salvachúa |
2020 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 33.33 | Caretaker Coach | |
| Grant Brebner |
2020–2021 | 26 | 5 | 3 | 18 | 19.23 | Caretaker then Head Coach | |
| Steve Kean |
2021 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 20.00 | Caretaker Coach | |
| Tony Popovic |
2021–2024 | 92 | 38 | 27 | 27 | 41.30 | 1 FFA Cup | |
| Patrick Kisnorbo |
2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
* Italic means caretaker head coach.
Team Captains
| Dates | Name | Notes | Trophies Won (as captain) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 May 2005 – 16 February 2011 | Kevin Muscat |
First club captain. He was the first person to win a premiership and championship as both a player, captain, and manager for the same club in A-League history. | 2006–07 A-League Premiership 2008–09 A-League Premiership 2006–07 A-League Championship 2008–09 A-League Championship 2008 A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup |
| 16 February 2011 – 17 September 2013 | Adrian Leijer |
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| 17 September 2013 – 23 June 2015 | Mark Milligan |
First club captain who was also an Australian "marquee" player (a high-profile player). | 2014–15 A-League Premiership 2014–15 A-League Championship 2015 Joe Marston Medal |
| 23 June 2015 – 22 May 2019 | Carl Valeri |
2015 FFA Cup 2017–18 A-League Championship |
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| 1 October 2019 – 31 May 2020 |  Ola Toivonen |
First foreign club captain. | |
| 31 May 2020 – 7 Nov 2021 | Leigh Broxham |
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| 7 November 2021 – 9 July 2023 | Josh Brillante |
2021 FFA Cup | |
| 11 October 2023 - Current | Roderick Miranda |
Club Achievements
Melbourne Victory has won many important titles in Australian soccer.
Domestic Trophies
A-League
- A-League Men Championship (Grand Final Winners)
- Winners (4): 2007, 2009, 2015, 2018
- Runners-up (3): 2010, 2017, 2024
- A-League Men Premiership (Regular Season Winners)
- Winners (3): 2006–07, 2008–09, 2014–15
- Runners-up (3): 2009–10, 2016–17, 2021–22
Cups
- Australia Cup
- Winners (2): 2015, 2021
- Runners-up (1): 2024
- A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup
- Winners (1): 2008
Winning Combinations (Doubles)
- Doubles (Winning the A-League Premiership and Championship in the same season)
- A-League Premiership and A-League Championship (3): 2006–07, 2008–09, 2014–15
Notable Players
Many talented players have played for Melbourne Victory over the years. Here are some of them:
- Australia
- Danny Allsopp
- Terry Antonis
- Nathan Coe
- Jason Davidson
- Thomas Deng
- Eugene Galekovic
- Harry Kewell
- Robbie Kruse
- Mitchell Langerak
- Adrian Leijer
- Mark Milligan
- Kevin Muscat
- Mitch Nichols
- Tom Pondeljak
- Simon Storey
- Michael Theo
- Lawrence Thomas
- Archie Thompson
- James Troisi
- Carl Valeri
- Leigh Broxham
- Rodrigo Vargas
- Joshua Brillante
- Nicholas D'Agostino
- Danny Vukovic
- Tom Rogić
- Other Countries
Besart Berisha- Marcos Flores
Guilherme Finkler- Fred
Pablo Contreras
Carlos Hernández
Callum McManaman
Matthieu Delpierre- Damien Da Silva
Adama Traoré
Keisuke Honda
Leroy George- Kosta Barbarouses
- Marco Rojas
Daniel Georgievski- Grant Brebner
- Rai Marchán
- Ola Toivonen
Surat Sukha
Fahid Ben Khalfallah
Team of the Decade
Images for kids
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Melbourne Victory logo
See also
In Spanish: Melbourne Victory Football Club para niños
- Melbourne Victory FC (W-League)
- Melbourne Victory FC Youth
