Angelo Costanzo

NSL Career: Adelaide City, Marconi 223 (3) / 1995/96 - 2003/04

Socceroos Career: 6 (1) A Internationals

Developing his craft by playing alongside the league's greatest defensive pairing in Milan Ivanović and Alex Tobin, Angelo 'Chocca' Costanzo became one of the toughest and most skilled defenders in the NSL during the late 1990s and early 2000s and continued to show his class during the early era of the A-League.

Beginning his junior career at Salisbury United, Costanzo later joined Salisbury East for a year and then moved to Azzurri (Blue Eagles). Costanzo returned to Salisbury United in 1993 when the club competed in the South Australian Division One and joined the first team at the age of 16. Costanzo spent two seasons at Salisbury where he developed in to a talented sweeper and won the league's player of the year award at just 18 years of age before joining NSL club Adelaide City, whom older brother Fortunato had represented in the mid-1980s.

The Foundation SA Premier League Player of the Year made 14 starts in 27 league games for City during the 1995/96 season, making his NSL debut at the age of 19. City's established defence, that included Socceroos Milan Ivanović and Alex Tobin, saw Costanzo initially play as a full-back and midfielder and helped the side reach the preliminary final (lost four-one to Marconi).

Over the next three seasons, Costanzo became a regular in the side while learning the art of defending from Ivanović and Tobin and played in three consecutive elimination finals. With Ivanović hanging up his boots at the start of the 1999/00 season, the door was opened for Costanzo to move in to City's sweeper role where he partnered Tobin in the centre of defence and helped the side qualify for the finals series for the eleventh season in a row (NSL record).

After making his name as top defender at City, Costanzo joined Marconi for the 2000/01 season and formed a strong defensive partnership with former Socceroos defender Dominic Longo. Costanzo scored his first league goal in his 135th NSL appearance and helped Marconi qualify for the finals series in his first season at the club.

Costanzo's form for Marconi earned him his first Socceroos call-up, coming off the bench in a friendly against Colombia. Costanzo continued to perform for Marconi during the 2001/02 season despite the club failing qualify for the finals series and following his first significant injury early in the 2002/03 season, the classy defender returned to form during the second half of the season and attracted interest from Europe. 

Gerry Collins, who was the coach of Scottish club Patrick Thistle in 2003, saw similarities between Costanzo and Ranger's Italian star Lorenzo Amoruso and tried to bring the Australian to the club, but a deal couldn't be agreed upon. After the final NSL season (2003/04), Costanzo had a short stint at SA club Campbelltown before signing for Adelaide United for the inaugural A-League season.

In the first four seasons of the A-League, Costanzo was one of the best defenders in the league and played in United's losing 2006/07 A-League Grand Final to Melbourne Victory and 2008 Asian Champions League Final loss to Gamba Osaka. Age caught up to the defender as he missed United's A-League Finals Series in 2008/09 before moving to Newcastle Jets, where he retired at the end of the 2009/10 season. Costanzo played one season in the FFSA Premier League with Adelaide Cobras before hanging up his boots at the age of 34. 

Costanzo returned to Adelaide United as youth team coach following the conclusion of his playing career and later coached his son Domenic at NPL SA side Croydon Kings. Angelo and son Domenic became the first father-son duo to represent Adelaide United, although Domenic failed to make a first team appearance during his time at the club.