Following the 2024-25 A-Leagues season, several players have announced their retirements from professional football after storied careers in Australia.
They join players who had also hung up the boots, including a host of A-Leagues legends and Matildas, who also retired prior to the season commencing.
Let’s take a look at the recent retirees, and the impact that they had in the A-Leagues.
Featured images: Sports Press Photo
Scott Neville
Neville announced his retirement from professional football midway through the 2024-25 A-League Men season, just prior to playing his 300th and final game.
The versatile defender became the 11th player in competition history to bring up the milestone in January, after a brilliant career playing for the likes of Perth Glory, Newcastle Jets and Western Sydney Wanderers before finishing up at Brisbane Roar.
Neville’s performances during the 2021-22 campaign also saw him earn a place in the A-Leagues All Stars team, where he went toe-to-toe against FC Barcelona in Sydney.
He’s since continued his career semi-professionally with Eastern Suburbs in NPL Queensland.
Elise Kellond-Knight
Kellond-Knight closed the chapter on her storied professional career last year after over 15 years playing at the highest level.
She made more than 100 A-League Women appearances throughout her career, playing for the likes of Brisbane Roar, Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory, where she was recognised as a two-time winner of the PFA Women’s Footballer of the Year in 2011 and 2015. The midfielder also played a key part in the Brisbane side that won three pieces of silverware during her tenure at the club, helping the Roar secure the 2008-09 double and the 2010-11 Championship.
The Australian football legend also has 115 caps for the Matildas, appearing at three FIFA Women’s World Cups, two Summer Olympic Games and starred en route to the Matildas winning the 2010 AFC Asian Cup.
Now, Kellond-Knight serves as the Deputy Chair of the PFA and has continued her career semi-professionally with Avondale in Victoria’s second tier – the Victorian Premier League Women’s.
Javi Lopez
Lopez brought the curtain down on an almost two-decade long professional career in Australia and his native Spain.
The versatile defender arrived at Adelaide United in 2020, following over a decade playing in La Liga for Espanyol where he made over 250 appearances and captained the club in the Spanish topflight.
In his five seasons at the Reds, Lopez immediately endeared himself among the Reds faithful and his peers, and also earned a place in the PFA Team of the Season during the 2021-22 season. Lopez retired after taking his tally to exactly 100 appearances for the Reds at the end of the 2024-25 season.
Annalie Longo
Longo announced her retirement following the end of the 2024-25 A-League Women season, bowing out after a fantastic career both at club and international level. The midfielder started her A-Leagues career at Sydney FC in 2012, before joining Melbourne Victory where she helped the side win the 2020-21 Championship.
Longo finished her professional career at Wellington Phoenix, calling time on her career following two seasons with the club and an appearance in the PFA A-League Women Team of the Season.
Her time in the A-Leagues was also intertwined with a storied national team career with New Zealand. Longo made 133 appearances for the Football Ferns and was part of five FIFA Women’s World Cup squads, including the most recent iteration in 2023 after battling back from a serious knee injury in time for the tournament.
Isaias
Isaias joined fellow countryman, Javi Lopez, in retirement at the conclusion of the A-League Men season.
The Spanish midfielder retires as Adelaide United’s all-time appearance leader, making 289 appearances across two stints at the club where he established himself as a Reds legend.
The 38-year-old helped the Reds secure their first pieces of A-Leagues silverware in 2016, famously scoring a magnificent free-kick in the 3-1 victory over Western Sydney Wanderers in the Grand Final and winning the Joe Marston Medal for his best afield performance on the night.
Isaias would also win Adelaide’s top gong – the Aurelio Vidmar Medal – four times during his time at the Reds and play a key role in the Reds winning two FFA Cups in 2014 and 2018.
Beattie Goad
Goad announced her retirement from football in December last year after 75 appearances in the A-League Women.
The versatile midfielder was part of Championship success at both Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory, before heading overseas to study at Stanford University. Goad would continue to play football in the US College system at Stanford and at the conclusion of her university degree jetted off to Europe to play in both Germany and Spain.
Her performances abroad saw her receive her first Matildas cap and would go on to make another two appearances for the national team, before returning home to Australia in 2022 with Victory.
After two-and-a-half seasons with Victory, Goad called time on her professional career, opting to focus on her career outside of football.
Jamie Young
Young retired from professional football after a tenure that saw him establish himself as one of the premier A-Leagues shot-stoppers of the last decade.
After almost a decade playing in England, Young joined Brisbane Roar in 2014, where he went on to receive Goalkeeper of the Year honours in 2018, along with two Gary Wilkins Medals for his performances in the Sunshine State.
Young – who also made three appearances in the PFA Team of the Season – would finish his professional career in Victoria with both Western United and Melbourne City, helping the former win their inaugural A-League Men Championship after a remarkable string of performances during the finals series.
After announcing his retirement from the professional game with 228 league appearances to his name in February, Young has continued his career in NPL Victoria with Dandenong Thunder.
Clare Polkinghorne
Polkinghorne bowed out after a fantastic career in December last year, finishing her time in the game as Australia’s most capped footballer.
The defender made 169 appearances for the Matildas, which included appearances at an astonishing five FIFA Women’s World Cups, five Asian Cups and three Summer Olympics Games’. Her endeavours at international level were matched by a fantastic club career both here and abroad, winning two Julie Dolan Medals in 2012-13 and 2017-18, along with helping Brisbane Roar win four pieces of silverware during her time at the club.
Polkinghorne was recognised for her efforts in the game with the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in January, for “service to football”, just over a month after she played her final national team game in Geelong and against Chinese Taipei.
Keeley Richards
Richards announced her retirement at the conclusion of the 2024-25 A-League Women season, after spending time at both Canberra United and Brisbane Roar.
The goalkeeper started her career with Canberra in 2020 where she made 20 appearances for the side from the capital, before joining her hometown club in 2023.
Richards would go on and make ten appearances for the Roar, playing her final game against Melbourne Victory in April.
Jacob Dowse
Dowse announced his retirement from football after a string of serious injuries.
The 24-year-old persevered through several serious knee injuries during his junior career to earn his first professional contract in 2022 with Perth Glory, after impressing for Broadmeadow Magic in the Northern New South Wales NPL and earning a trial with the club out west.
Dowse made 17 appearances for Perth and contributed five assists throughout the 2022-23 season, impressing with his impressive crossing ability, before returning home to joining Newcastle Jets at the conclusion of the season.
However, Dowse would go on to make only one Australia Cup appearance for the Jets as yet another knee injury marred his time in the Hunter, taking to socials in May to announce his retirement from the game.
Lauren Keir
Keir called time on her professional career before the start of the 2024-25 season, after making 50 appearances for both Canberra United and most recently, Western Sydney Wanderers.
The defender started her career in 2018 with the side from the capital, making 34 appearances for the club and was an ever-present member of their squad throughout the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.
Keir would then join Western Sydney in 2022 where she continued her career for two more seasons before announcing her retirement in September.
Mariel Hecher
Hecher joined teammate Keeley Richards in announcing her retirement prior to Brisbane Roar’s final game of the season.
After impressing with NPL Queensland side Lions FC, the Brazilian attacker joined the Roar in the 2020-21 season and went on to make 49 appearances for the club, along with scoring four goals and tallying four assists.
Hecher also served as the club’s vice captain during the 2023-24 season, after returning from a serious knee injury which saw her miss the majority of the previous campaign.
