Steve Corica facts for kids
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Corica playing for Sydney FC in 2008
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Stephen Christopher Corica | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 24 March 1973 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Innisfail, Queensland, Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Innisfail United | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990 | AIS | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1995 | Marconi Stallions | 103 | (14) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | Leicester City | 16 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–2000 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 100 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2001 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 43 | (14) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2004 | Walsall | 73 | (9) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2010 | Sydney FC | 106 | (23) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 441 | (67) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1989 | Australia U-17 | 2 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1991 | Australia U-20 | 6 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1996 | Australia U-23 | 7 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–2006 | Australia | 32 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | Sydney FC Youth | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Sydney FC (caretaker) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2023 | Sydney FC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024– | Auckland FC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stephen Christopher Corica (born on March 24, 1973) is an Australian soccer manager and a former player. He is known for being a very skilled attacking midfielder during his playing days. He played for the Australian national team more than 30 times. He also led Sydney FC to win two major titles in one season.
After he stopped playing in 2010, he became a coach. He worked as an assistant coach and youth coach at Sydney FC. In May 2018, he became the Head Coach for Sydney FC. He was Sydney FC's longest-serving manager. During his time as coach, he helped the team win one A-League premiership, two championships, and one Australia Cup. In December 2023, Corica became the first-ever manager for the new A-League team, Auckland FC.
Contents
Steve Corica's Playing Career
Starting His Football Journey
Steve Corica began playing football in his hometown of Innisfail, Australia. In 1990, he joined a special program for talented young players at the Australian Institute of Sport.
Playing for Marconi Stallions
After his time at the Institute, Corica joined Marconi-Fairfield. This team played in the National Soccer League, which was Australia's top league back then. In his first season, he started only three games. But he quickly became a regular player in the years that followed. In the 1992–93 season, he helped Marconi win the grand final. He was also named the Under 21 Player of the Year. In 1995, Corica decided to move to Europe to continue his football career.
Time in England: Leicester City and Wolves
Corica signed with Leicester City in England in 1995. He played his first game for the club on August 12, 1995, and even scored a goal in a 2–1 win. In February, Corica moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers, also known as Wolves. He played for Wolves for four and a half seasons. During this time, he played over 100 games for the club.
Playing in Japan and Back to England
In 2000, Corica left Wolves and moved to Japan. He played for J1 League team Sanfrecce Hiroshima for two seasons. After that, he returned to England and joined Walsall. In September 2004, he left Walsall.
Returning Home to Sydney FC
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After playing abroad for 10 years, Corica decided to come back to Australia. He joined the new A-League club, Sydney FC. His start with Sydney FC was a bit rough, as he was sent off in his third game. But he quickly made up for it by scoring two goals in his next match.
Corica played a very important role for Sydney FC. He helped the team reach the Grand Final in the first-ever A-League season. In that final, he scored the only goal in Sydney FC's 1–0 win against the Central Coast Mariners. This goal helped his team win the first A-League Championship.
He continued to play for Sydney FC in the following seasons. He was a key player in their 2007 Asian Champions League campaign, scoring four goals. On April 1, 2008, he signed a new one-year contract to stay with Sydney FC. He became Sydney's top goalscorer, passing the previous record of 14 goals. He also became the third player to play 100 professional games for the club.
On February 11, 2010, Steve Corica announced that he would retire from professional football at the end of that season. In his final season, he helped Sydney FC win the Premiership. He had to leave his last game early due to a hamstring injury. This injury meant he needed surgery and officially ended his playing career.
Steve Corica's International Career
Steve Corica is special because he represented Australia at every youth level (Under-17, Under-20, Under-23) and also for the senior national team. He was the first Australian player to do this!
He played for Australia in the FIFA U-17 World Championship in 1989. He also played in the FIFA World Youth Championship in 1991, where Australia reached the semi-finals. Corica also played in two Olympic Games football tournaments: in Barcelona in 1992 and in Atlanta in 1996. He was part of a group of talented Australian players often called the "Golden Generation."
On April 16, 1993, Corica played his first game for the senior national team. He went on to play over 40 games for Australia and scored 6 goals. He also played in the 1997 and 2001 Confederations Cups.
Steve Corica's Managerial Career
Coaching Sydney FC Youth Teams
After retiring as a player, Corica became a coach for the Sydney FC National Youth League team in the 2010–11 season. In July 2011, he became one of the Assistant Coaches for the main Sydney FC team. In 2012, Corica even took over as a temporary coach for Sydney FC for a short time.
From 2013 to 2015, Corica was the Head Coach of the Sydney FC National Youth League team again. He led them to win the Championship in one season. From 2015 to May 2018, he worked full-time as an Assistant Coach for the Sydney FC A-League team.
Coaching Sydney FC's Senior Team
2018–19 Season
On May 16, 2018, Steve Corica became the Head Coach of Sydney FC's senior team. His first season as coach was very successful. Sydney FC almost won the league, and then they went on to beat Perth Glory in the 2019 A-League Grand Final to become champions!
2019–20 Season
Corica continued to bring success to Sydney FC in the next season, which was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sydney FC won the league by a good margin, setting a new record for the club. The final games of the season were played without fans in the stadiums due to the pandemic.
Sydney FC then won their semi-final match against Perth Glory. They went on to defeat Melbourne City 1–0 in the 2020 A-League Grand Final. This win, thanks to a goal in extra time, gave Sydney FC their record-breaking fifth A-League finals trophy.
2020–21 Season
Due to travel restrictions from the pandemic, Corica could not make many changes to the team. However, some popular players returned. The season was again affected by the pandemic, and the club even pulled out of the 2021 AFC Champions League.
Sydney FC played well and almost won the Premiers Plate again, finishing second by just two points. The 2021 A-League Grand Final was a rematch against Melbourne City, but this time Melbourne City won 3–1.
2021–22 Season
In the 2021–22 season, Sydney FC had a tough start and struggled to win games consistently. The team qualified for the 2022 AFC Champions League group stage but did not win any games there. When they returned to Australia, their poor form continued, and they missed out on the finals series for the first time in six years.
2022–23 Season
Even though the club had its worst season in years, Corica was given a two-year extension on his contract. The team moved back to the newly rebuilt Sydney Football Stadium. The season had some challenges, including popular players leaving the club. Corica brought in new players like Robert Mak and Joe Lolley.
Sydney FC had a disappointing start to the season. The team struggled to find consistent form. A big low point was a 4–0 loss to their rivals, Western Sydney Wanderers. This result led to many fans wanting Corica to step down as coach.
2023–24 Season
Corica started his sixth season as Sydney FC coach strongly. He led the team to win the 2023 Australia Cup, beating Brisbane Roar 3–1 in the final. New player Fábio Gomes scored two goals in that match.
However, on November 7, 2023, it was announced that Corica had left Sydney FC. This happened after the team lost their first three games of the 2023–24 season without scoring any goals.
Coaching Auckland FC
Six weeks after leaving Sydney FC, Steve Corica was announced as the first manager for the new A-League team, Auckland FC. He started this role for the 2024–2025 season. He joined his former Sydney FC teammate, Terry McFlynn, who became the club's Director of Football.
Corica was named A-League Coach of the Year at the 2025 Dolan Warren Awards. This was to recognize his great season leading Auckland FC to win the Premiership.
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Marconi Stallions | 1990–91 | National Soccer League | 17 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 17 | 0 |
| 1991–92 | 17 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 17 | 2 | ||
| 1992–93 | 27 | 4 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 27 | 4 | ||
| 1993–94 | 24 | 4 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 24 | 4 | ||
| 1994–95 | 18 | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 18 | 3 | ||
| Total | 103 | 13 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 103 | 13 | ||
| Leicester City | 1995–96 | First Division | 16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 18 | 2 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 1995–96 | First Division | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 18 | 0 |
| 1996–97 | 36 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | – | – | 42 | 2 | ||
| 1997–98 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1998–99 | 31 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 33 | 2 | ||
| 1999-00 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 16 | 1 | ||
| Total | 100 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | – | – | 110 | 5 | ||
| Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 2000 | J1 League | 21 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | – | – | 25 | 6 |
| 2001 | 22 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 25 | 12 | ||
| Total | 43 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | – | – | 50 | 18 | ||
| Walsall | 2001–02 | EFL Championship | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 13 | 3 |
| 2002–03 | 41 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | – | 46 | 4 | ||
| 2003–04 | 19 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 23 | 2 | ||
| 2004–05 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 73 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | – | – | 82 | 9 | ||
| Sydney FC | 2005–06 | A-League | 21 | 5 | 4 | 1 | – | – | 5 | 3 | 30 | 9 |
| 2006–07 | 18 | 3 | 5 | 0 | – | – | 6 | 4 | 29 | 7 | ||
| 2007–08 | 20 | 4 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 22 | 4 | ||
| 2008–09 | 21 | 4 | 3 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 24 | 4 | ||
| 2009–10 | 26 | 7 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 26 | 7 | ||
| Total | 106 | 23 | 14 | 1 | – | – | 11 | 7 | 136 | 31 | ||
| Career total | 441 | 66 | 28 | 4 | 14 | 1 | 11 | 7 | 494 | 78 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 1993 | 4 | 0 |
| 1994 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1995 | 6 | 1 | |
| 1996 | 2 | 0 | |
| 1997 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1998 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1999 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2000 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2001 | 10 | 2 | |
| 2002 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2003 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2006 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 32 | 5 | |
- Scores and results list Australia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Corica goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 July 1993 | Nijmegen, Netherlands |  NEC Nijmegen |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 15 February 1995 | Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney, Australia |  Japan |
2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 3 | 9 February 2000 | Estadio Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile |  Chile |
1–1 | 1–2 | Friendly |
| 4 | 19 June 2000 | Papeete, Tahiti |  Cook Islands |
13–0 | 17–0 | Oceania Nations Cup |
| 5 | 28 February 2001 | Nemesio Camacho Stadium, Bogotá, Colombia |  Colombia |
1–3 | 2–3 | Friendly |
| 6 | 14 April 2001 | BCU International Stadium, Coffs Harbour, Australia |  Fiji |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Managerial statistics
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Sydney FC (caretaker) |  |
12 November 2012 | 27 November 2012 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.00 |
| Sydney FC | |
16 May 2018 | 7 November 2023 | 180 | 86 | 37 | 57 | 47.78 |
| Auckland FC |  |
14 March 2024 | Present | 26 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 57.69 |
| Total | 206 | 98 | 46 | 62 | 47.57 | |||
Honours and Achievements
As a Player
With Sydney FC
- A-League Premiership: 2009–10
- A-League Championship: 2006, 2010
- Oceania Club Championship: 2004–05
With Marconi Stallions
- NSL Championship: 1992–1993
With Australia National Team
- FIFA Confederations Cup: 3rd place, 2001
- OFC Nations Cup: 2000
- AFC–OFC Challenge Cup: runner-up 2001
Individual Awards
- Sydney FC Member's Player of the Year: 2006–07, 2007–08
- NSL Papasavas Medal (U-21): 1992–93
- PFA A-League Team of the Decade: 2005–2015
- Sydney FC Hall of Fame: 2015
Special Achievements
- First A-League Finals goalscorer: Sydney FC v Adelaide United – February 12, 2006
- First A-League Grand Final goalscorer: Sydney FC v Central Coast Mariners – March 5, 2006
- First AFC Champions League goalscorer: Sydney FC v Shanghai Shenhua – March 7, 2007
As a Manager
With Sydney FC
- A-League Premiership: 2019–20
- A-League Championship: 2019, 2020
- Australia Cup: 2023
With Auckland FC
- A-League Premiership: 2024-25
See also
In Spanish: Steve Corica para niños
