Twenty-seven years ago, two players who would go on to have significant impacts on Australian football made their international debuts.
On the 16th of April 1993, Steve Corica and Stan Lazaridis debuted for the Socceroos against Kuwait in a friendly match in Singapore.
The match finished 1-0 to Australia with Paul Trimboli scoring the winner in the 14th minute, but the real story would be the debuts of 21-year-old Corica and 20-year-old Lazaridis.
Both of whom would have very respectable careers in the green and gold and become fantastic ambassadors for Australian football.
Steve Corica
Corica, who was once deemed too lightweight to survive the bumps and bruises of top-flight professional football, went on to make 32 appearances over 13 years as a Socceroo.
That fateful night in Singapore marked more than just a debut for the midfielder, as he became the first player to be capped at all four levels (as an under-17 Joey, under-20 Young Socceroo, under-23 Olyroo and a Socceroo).
Born into an Italian migrant family in far north Queensland, he had a continental style that excited fans with his ability to control the ball at speed and run at defenders.
As part of the ‘Golden Generation’, Corica also featured in several non-A internationals and scored six goals for his country.
He had a distinguished club career with Marconi Stallions, Leicester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Walsall and Sydney FC.
After a five-year absence from the national team, he was one of eight Sydney players called up for the Asia Cup qualifier against Kuwait on the 16th of August 2006.
The match proved to be his last as a Socceroo and fittingly his career ended the same way it started, with another win against Kuwait.
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Stan Lazaridis
Lazaridis was a left-side specialist who played 60 matches for the Socceroos over 13 years.
His international debut against Kuwait helped kickstart an illustrious club career which would see him make over 260 appearances in the English Premier League for West Ham and Birmingham.
'Laza', as he is affectionally known, was a part of the Socceroos side which lifted the OFC Nations Cup in 2000.
He also appeared in four World Cup campaigns and of course, helped snap the 32-year drought by ensuring the Socceroos featured in the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.
He was on the bench for all four matches at the ’06 tournament, including the memorable win over Japan in the first group match but unfortunately, that was the peak of his involvement as he did not make a single appearance.
The sight of him tearing down the left-wing is what made him one of the most reliable and popular players to wear the green and gold.
Having been inducted into the FFA Hall of Fame in 2010, his contribution to Australian football is one that will not be forgotten.
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