Frank Farina

NSL Career: Canberra City, Sydney City, Marconi, Brisbane Strikers 206 (102) / 1983 - 1998/99

Socceroos Career: 37 (10) A Internationals / 30 (4) B Internationals

The second footballer of Indigenous heritage (mother's side) to represent the Socceroos after Harry Williams, Farina was a ground-breaking star of Australian football during the 1980s and 1990s. The striker had pace to burn, skill to beat defenders, technique to score spectacular goals and was a clinical finisher.

Born in the "non-footballing" city of Darwin to an Italian father and Torres Strait Islander mother - Farina spent his formative years in Papua New Guinea before relocating to Cairns, Queensland - where he played junior football for Stratford and Edge Hill. Farina made his first-team debut in the Queensland Premier League as a 16 year old for Mareeba before being offered a scholarship to the AIS Soccer Program in Canberra.

While at the AIS, Farina was offered a contract in the NSL with Canberra City, where he scored in his debut in round one of the 1983 season as an 18 year old. Farina's strong form for Canberra earned him his first Socceroos cap in 1984 at the age of 20 , before signing for NSL giants Sydney City in 1985. Becoming a prolific goal scorer at the club, Farina helped City win the 1986 NSL Cup, scoring two goals deep in to extra time before making a $30,000 move to Marconi for the 1987 season. 

At Marconi, Farina took his game to another level, scoring 16 goals in 23 league games to win the NSL Golden Boot and won the player-voted Player of the Year award. Farina replicated his form in 1988, scoring 17 goals in 24 games (including finals) to win back-to-back NSL Golden Boot awards. Farina became only the second NSL player at the time to win two Player of the Year awards (1988 player-voted award) and helped Marconi win their first NSL Championship since 1979.

Farina's football journey then took him to Europe after the 1988 Seoul Olympics where Australia reached the quarter-finals (scored against Yugoslavia in the group stages). The striker became one of the most dangerous strikers in Belgium with Club Brugge - winning titles and becoming only the second Australian to win the golden boot award in a European league (after Eddie Krncevic) in his second season. 

The prolific striker then became the first Australian to play in Italy's Serie A, as one of Bari's three foreign players, breaking the transfer fee record for an Australian player in the process. Farina struggled to cement his spot at Bari however, getting loaned out to English First Division side Notts County before moving to France. After two seasons with Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, Farina joined Lille for a season before returning to the NSL to play for Brisbane Strikers.

Farina scored 20 goals in 30 league games for Strikers in his first season, helping the side to reach the finals series for the first time before staying on as player-coach for the 1996/97 season at the age of 32. Farina contributed on the pitch with 12 goals in 25 games, including the opening goal in the grand final in front of a NSL record crowd of 40,446 as Strikers became the first club from Queensland to win a NSL Championship. 

Farina spent another season as player-coach at Strikers before taking on the same role at Marconi for the 1998/99 season (made two appearances), and led the team to the minor semi-final before retiring as a player. A year later, Farina became the first Indigenous Australian to coach the Socceroos before going on to coach in the A-League and at international level in Oceania. Farina was selected at right wing/right forward in the FFA's Socceroos Team of the 1990s.