The end of the 2023-24 season has arrived and a number of Australian footballers have announced their retirements from professional football.

Here’s a list of the players who have hung up the boots, including A-Leagues legends, Socceroos and Matildas.

Alexandra Huynh

Huynh announced her retirement at the end of the A-League Women’s season, after a career that saw her ply trade right across the globe. The central defender started and finished her career at the Newcastle Jets, and played for the likes of Western Sydney Wanderers, Italian side Napoli and Danish outfit Fortuna Hjørring. Huynh also made one appearance for the Matildas in 2021.

Emma Checker

Checker closes the chapter on her professional career in April. The centre-back made 149 A-League Women appearances for the likes of Adelaide United, Canberra United, Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory, which are the 10th most in competition history. Checker also captained the Reds and City, was part of sides that took home two Championships and two Premierships and tallied eight caps for the Matildas, along with spending time playing in Korea, Sweden, France and Iceland.

Checker also worked for the PFA as a partnership and events coordinator, along with serving as a player delegate.

Natasha Rigby

Rigby calls time on her career, after a brilliant eight seasons with Perth Glory. The defender made 117 appearances with her home-state club and featured in both the 2017 and 2019 A-League Women’s Grand Finals. Rigby also served as the club’s captain from 2019 until her retirement at the end of last season, and became only the third Glory player to make 100 A-League Women appearances in November 2023. Off the pitch, Rigby played a huge role for her peers, serving on PFA’s 11-person Executive since November 2022.

Larissa Crummer

After over a decade at the highest level, Crummer announced her retirement in March 2024. Crummer called time on her career after Brann’s elimination from the UEFA Women’s Champions League at the hands of FC Barcelona. The 33-time Matilda started her professional career at Sydney FC, before playing for the likes of Melbourne City, Brisbane Roar, Newcastle Jets and Seattle Reign in the USA.

After a serious leg injury sidelined her for over a year in 2019, Crummer returned to the Roar in February 2021, where she was able to catapult herself back into the Matildas squad and then to Norwegian side Brann.

During her time in the A-Leagues, Crummer won the A-League Women Golden Boot in the 2015-16 season with City, as part of their double-winning side and also took home Young Player of the Year honours that campaign. She also scored four goals for the Matildas, and was called up for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, 2016 Olympics and 2018 Women’s Asian Cup.

Gema Simon

One of the A-League Women’s most decorated defenders, Simon, announced her retirement at the end of the season. The full-back made 151 appearances in the competition, playing primarily for the Newcastle Jets across three stints, where she started and finished her career. Simon also spent time at Melbourne Victory and overseas for the likes of Ottawa Fury, Suwon, Avaldsnes and Þróttur Reykjavík. Her brilliant club form was rewarded with 11 Matildas caps and a call-up to their 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup squad.

Danny Vukovic

Vukovic – of the greatest players in the history of the A-Leagues – announced his retirement shortly after leading Central Coast Mariners to an historic treble over the weekend. The goalkeeper started his career in October 2002 with the Parramatta Power in the National Soccer League, before going on to play for the likes of the Mariners, Wellington Phoenix, Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory.

Vukovic made the PFA Team of the Season an astonishing five times (including the 2023-24 iteration), was awarded Goalkeeper of the Year in the 2016-17 season and holds the record for the most clean sheets kept in A-League Men history. He’s also the only goalkeeper to ever score in the competition.

His performances down under earned him a move to Europe, where he starred for Belgian side Genk, before returning to the Mariners in 2022, following a stint with Dutch outfit NEC Nijmegen. Vukovic also made four appearances for the Socceroos and served as a backup at the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups, along with the 2017 Confederations Cup and 2019 Asian Cup.

Leigh Broxham

The A-Leagues games record holder, Broxham, brought to an end an amazing 18 year career at Melbourne Victory this season.

Broxham made over 450 competitive appearances for Victory, and a made a name for himself for his incredible leadership and versatility across midfield and defence. He was part of four Championships, three Premierships and two Australia Cups during his time at the club, and served as captain.

He has also been part of the PFA for over a decade, including his role as a player delegate to this very day and was named in the PFA Team of the Decade in 2019.

Milos Ninkovic

One of the A-Leagues’ greatest imports – Ninkovic – announced his retirement at the end of the season.

Ninkovic enjoyed a brilliant career here in Australia and abroad, playing for the likes of Dynamo Kiev, Red Star Belgrade, Evian, along with making 28 appearances for Serbia, before joining Sydney FC in 2015. The midfielder made an immediate impact, winning Three Premierships, Three Championships and an Australia Cup and was named five times in the PFA’s A-League Men Team of the Season.

Individually, he won the Johnny Warren Medal twice and the Joe Marston Medal in 2019, before finishing his career at Western Sydney Wanderers, where he spent two seasons.

Jason Hoffman

Newcastle Jets legend, Hoffman, announced his retirement prior to his 300th and final appearance in the A-League in April.

Hoffman made 220 appearances for the Jets, along with 80 for Melbourne City over a 17-year career in the A-Leagues. He retires as the most capped player in Jets history, and was part of their sole A-League Men Championship in the 2007-08 season.

Jake McGing

McGing announced his retirement this week after over 100 A-Leagues appearances for the likes of Central Coast Mariners, Brisbane Roar and Macarthur FC.

The defender finished his career with the Bulls – playing the final four years with the club from the area he grew up in.