Arno Bertogna

NSL Career: Newcastle KB, Wollongong City, APIA 228 (17) / 1979 - 1988

Socceroos Career: 4 (1) A Internationals / 9 (0) B Internationals

During the 1970s, Western Australian footballers began to make their mark on the national scene. Arno Bertogna was one of the most solid and reliable Australian defenders during the late 1970s and 1980s. Strong , composed and good on the ball - Bertogna could play in any central defensive role and was dominant in the air in both defensive and offensive situations.

Coming up through the junior ranks of Perth Azzurri, Bertogna made his first team debut at the age of 16 and won the Western Australian First Division and Top Four Cup in his debut season. After becoming a regular in the Azzurri side, Bertogna tried his luck in Europe, trialling with German Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt and English Second Division side Sheffield United. 

Bertogna struggled with the conditions in Europe and failed to earn a contract with either side before returning to Australia where he joined NSL club Newcastle KB in 1979. After making just 15 league appearances in his debut NSL season, and helping KB reached the NSL Cup Semi-Finals, Bertogna made his full international debut in a friendly win over Taiwan.

The Socceroos defender spent another season and a half at KB, becoming a star for the club before joining Wollongong City halfway through their inaugural 1981 season. In his second season at Wollongong, Bertogna played a crucial role in the side turning around their inconsistent debut season form, ultimately finishing third before the club reached the Play-Off Series Preliminary Final.

Bertogna moved to APIA for the 1983 season where he continued to prove himself as one of the best central defenders in the league and scored a personal best 3 goals. The following season, Bertogna scored the equaliser in regulation time in APIA's Northern Conference Minor Semi-Final victory over Marconi before the game ended in a penalty shoot-out where Bertogna converted his penalty to keep APIA alive in the contest as they defeated Marconi to progressed to the Northern Conference Preliminary Final.

Following an injury-interrupted 1985 season, Bertogna became one of the NSL's undisputed best centre-backs during the 1986 and 1987 seasons as part of one of the league's tightest defences. Bertogna captained the club to their first NSL Championship in 1987 before playing in the last Play-Off Series Grand Final before the league settled on a final series format to crown the champions, losing four-nil to St George.

APIA finished 11th out 14 in the 1988 season but went on to win the NSL Cup where Bertogna converted the first penalty in a penalty shoot-out against Brunswick in the final. Following the 1988 season, Bertogna decided to hang up his boots at just 29 years of age to focus on a career outside of football.