43 Facts About Mark Viduka

Mark Antony Viduka is an Australian former soccer player who played as a centre forward.

Mark Viduka captained the Australia national team to the Round of 16 at the 2006 FIFA World Cup which remains their best ever performance to date.

In 1993, Viduka started his professional career in Australia for Melbourne Knights and became an Australian international in June of the following year.

The grandstand at Knights' Stadium, home of the Knights, was renamed the "Mark Viduka Stand" in his honour and paid for with his transfer money.

In 1995, Mark Viduka moved to Croatia to play with Croatia Zagreb.

Mark Viduka spent three-and-a-half seasons with the club, helping it to win three doubles in Croatia between 1996 and 1998.

Mark Viduka was part of the Croatia Zagreb team that reached the third round of the UEFA Cup in 1997 and went on to make his UEFA Champions League group stage debut with the club a year later.

Mark Viduka won the Best Foreigner Footballer Award in the Croatian League in his time at Zagreb.

Mark Viduka was regarded as a skilled player, with Josip Simunic noting his ability to hold the ball up well and bring other players into the game.

Mark Viduka left after his first full season at the club.

Mark Viduka was sold to Middlesbrough in the summer of 2004 as United's financial difficulties deepened.

Mark Viduka played an important part in helping the club reach the League Cup quarter final, FA Cup semi final and UEFA cup final.

Mark Viduka helped to spearhead a European campaign which saw the club overturn a three-goal deficit in the quarter and semi final second legs of the competition to proceed to the final.

Middlesbrough eventually lost in the final to Sevilla on 10 May 2006, a result which Mark Viduka has since said took him four months to get over.

Mark Viduka joined north-east rivals Newcastle United on a free transfer on 7 June 2007.

Mark Viduka remains Middlesbrough's top goalscorer at the Riverside, and regularly features in Middlesbrough fan polls for top XI Riverside era players.

In signing for Newcastle, Mark Viduka became manager Sam Allardyce's first signing at the club.

Mark Viduka's contract was for two years, with the option of a third year.

Mark Viduka made his return to the first team after six months out injured at former club Middlesbrough, coming on for Martins as a substitute on 29 November 2008.

Match referee Howard Webb ruled that Kevin Nolan impeded goalkeeper Mark Viduka Schwarzer disallowing the goal.

Mark Viduka was available to be selected to Australia, Croatia and Ukraine due to his origins, and he began his international career with Australia in a friendly series against South Africa at the age of 18 in June 1994.

Mark Viduka scored his first international goal in October 1997 in the 23rd minute of a friendly game against Tunisia.

In 1996, Mark Viduka joined the Olyroos as they competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Mark Viduka scored Australia's second goal in the 63rd minute with a clever back flick past the goalkeeper.

Mark Viduka featured in the two World Cup qualifiers against Iran in 1997.

Mark Viduka was a part of the Australia team that competed in the 1997 Confederations Cup.

Mark Viduka assisted Paul Agostino with the first goal of the game.

Mark Viduka appeared in friendly matches against Hungary and Czech Republic in 2000.

That same here Mark Viduka joined the Olyroos in the 2000 Olympic Games in his home country of Australia.

In 2003, Mark Viduka scored his third international goal in a friendly against Ireland.

Mark Viduka began captaining Australia in September 2005 in place of the injured Craig Moore, the regular captain.

Mark Viduka scored 2 goals on the occasion including a spectacular bicycle-kick goal.

Mark Viduka would go on to score a third goal only to be denied a hat-trick after being ruled offside.

Mark Viduka thrived under Guus Hiddink's tenure as coach of the national squad and led Australia as it qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany over a two-leg qualifier against Uruguay.

Mark Viduka would go on to miss his penalty, however Australia went on to win the shootout anyway.

Mark Viduka took the spot kick, only to hit the top bar.

Mark Viduka then led Australia into the second round, where they lost their round of 16 match to Italy.

Mark Viduka considered retiring from international competition after the 2006 World Cup, citing increasing family commitments as the primary reason.

Subsequent to that loss, question marks hang over whether Viduka will continue his international career.

Mark Viduka missed World Cup Qualifiers against Qatar, Bahrain and Japan, even though fully fit and asked to play by then-Socceroos manager Pim Verbeek.

Mark Viduka was a huge AC Milan fan as a kid as he grew up watching Marco van Basten, Frank Rijkaard and Ruud Gullit.

Mark Viduka has been a member of Melbourne City FC since its inaugural season.

Mark Viduka is affectionately referred to by his nicknames "V-Bomber" and "Big Dukes" in Australia.