Less than 18 months into his reign as Australia’s Socceroos head coach, Ange Postecoglou struck gold when his re-generated team hoisted the 2015 Asian Cup in front of 75,000 delirious football fans at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.
It was Australian soccer’s finest moment, with victory coming in extra time to shut out South Korea 2-1. The history-making win clearly signalled that the new generation Socceroos had begun their emphatic march to international recognition.
Having guided his re-generated Australian team to its first-ever Asian Cup triumph and then passage to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Postecoglou stunned the football world, soon after the Socceroos qualified for the international tournament in Russia, by announcing he was stepping down from the position he’d occupied with glory since 2013.
As Australia’s most successful ever football coach, the Greek-born and Australian-raised mentor was widely applauded for the dignified and professional manner in which he exited his Socceroos role, reminding the public of the great honour he had been handed to oversee the national team.
From there, Ange explored his options overseas, venturing into the J-League and taking over the at the time, 12th place Yokohama F Marinos. In his stint in Japan, he managed to take the team from the bottom of the table to winning the premiership in 2019, becoming the first Australian manager to do so.
His success in Asia eventually led him to appointment as Manager of Celtic FC in Scotland, the most senior global appointment any Australian football coach has ever achieved at the time.
In his first year, he led Celtic back to a Scottish Premier League title, and into the Champions League. He found even greater success in his sophomore year, finishing victorious again, and securing a highly coveted treble, one of the most significant achievements in global football, winning all three domestic competitions (League Premiership, League Cup, Scottish Cup).
He entered the club as a relative unknown; however, was able to amass a cult-like following from Celtic’s dedicated and passionate fanbase.
This success on a global stage caught the attention of football clubs worldwide, and in June 2023, Ange was announced as the new manager for London-based powerhouse, Tottenham Hotspur. The move to London makes him the first Australian to take charge of a Premier League club, signing on for 4 years.
Ange continues to reach new heights, and looks to leave his footprint on Europe, bringing his exciting, pressing, attacking football to the most competitive league in the world.
Away from football, Ange Postecoglou is a successful author, keynote speaker and brand ambassador.
