Create an experience with Ante Milicic

Ante Milicic is a former professional footballer & manager who played over 350 professional games across Australia, Croatia, Holland & Malaysia. The son of Croatian immigrants, Milicic grew up in Strathfield, a suburb in the Inner West of Sydney. 

Playing Career:

He played for a variety of sides in two stints in the National Soccer League. The first stint was played almost entirely for Sydney United, for whom he played as a junior, and which culminated in playing in their runner-up 1996/97 side. After that season he moved to NAC Breda in the Netherlands, and after 2 seasons there went to Croatia's NK Rijeka, where he was the club's top scorer in 2000/01 with 10 goals. On his return to the NSL in season 2001/02, he rejoined Sydney United for a brief stay, before moving to city rival Sydney Olympic during the same season. He would spend the rest of the season and the next playing there, including scoring the only goal of the 2001/02 Grand Final against Perth Glory. In the final he was awarded the Joe Marston Medal, delivering Sydney Olympic their second NSL title, as well as playing in the runner up side the following season against Perth Glory.

In the last season of the NSL in 2003–04 season, he moved to Parramatta Power, where he would again experience Grand Final defeat against the Perth Glory. After the NSL was disbanded, Milicic played in the Malaysian League for Pahang. It was widely felt that with the $1.5 million salary caps imposed on all A-League clubs, Milicic would not be able to be brought back to Australia. However, he joined the Newcastle United Jets and was the first player in the A-League to score a Hat-Trick in the game in round 11. In May 2006 Ante signed to transfer to rival A-League team Queensland Roar, where he played in 44 matches scoring 11 goals.

Milicic made 6 appearances for the Socceroos. 

Management Career:

Milicic was called up as an assistant coach to the Under 20s Young Socceroos team for the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt and Assistant in Under 20s World Cup in Colombia 2011. On 18 November 2009, it was announced that he would be joining Jesper Olsen as an assistant coach at new A-League franchise Melbourne Heart. After being passed over for the vacant manager position at Melbourne Heart, he joined his close friend Tony Popovic as the inaugural assistant coach of Western Sydney Wanderers FC. At the end of the 2013/14 A-League season, Milicic joined Ange Postecoglou as assistant coach of the Socceroos, Australia's national men’s football team. On 18 February 2019, Milicic was announced by the FFA as the interim head coach of the Australia Women's team, resigning from this position on 19 July 2020. On 15 May 2019, Milicic was announced as the inaugural head coach for new A-League club Macarthur FC. He was set to begin following his spell with Australia (Matildas). After two seasons with Macarthur, on 26 April 2022, Milicic informed the club that the 2021/22 season would be his last choosing to return to Croatia for family reasons.