Today, Wednesday 6 November 2024, marks 20 years since the great Johnny Warren sadly passed away.

Known as ‘Captain Socceroo’ for his relentless passion to grow football in Australia, Warren was a genuine visionary of the game and left a lasting legacy behind.

Warren passed away in November 2004 after a long battle with cancer, but his memory lives on for everything he did to grow the beautiful game in his roles as player, coach, administrator, writer and broadcaster.

The legendary Socceroo earned 42 caps for his country across nine years of international football, captaining Australia 24 times.

And it was in 1967 where, at just 24 years of age, he had the privilege of skippering the Aussies for the first time, in what was our first-ever international trophy in war-torn Vietnam.

Seven years on, in 1974, he was a key member of the squad which secured Australia’s passage to a maiden FIFA World Cup Finals appearance in West Germany.

While the curtain closed on Warren’s career shortly after the tournament, his role as a fierce advocate of the game was only just getting started.

And this is where the iconic ‘Captain Socceroo’ label developed, when Warren – through his work at ABC and SBS – inspired the next generation of Australian football fans and fought for the advancement of the game we all love.

Not many would know Warren much better than Andy Paschalidis, who worked alongside him for 11 years at Australian Soccer Weekly and SBS, sharing the commentary booth for many memorable moments and presenting the famous ‘On the Ball’ program.

Upon leaving the broadcaster, Paschalidis fondly remembered the heartfelt, passionate and characteristic farewell that Warren delivered.

“When I made that decision to join the pay-TV revolution, he [Warren] made a speech at my farewell show,” Paschalidis said in 2020.

“I was really sad I had to make that decision but Johnny turned around and said, ‘Andy, we wish you nothing but the best. You’re going into a new frontier to spread the football gospel to a new audience.’”

Paschalidis also proudly recalled accompanying Warren as he was awarded the FIFA Centennial Medal of Honour in what would prove to be the final year of his life.

He believes it was worthy recognition for a man who impacted the lives of many within the Australian footballing community for the better, but transcended it and achieved reach far beyond.

“There was just a presence about John,” Paschalidis continued.

“When he spoke everyone listened. It didn’t matter if you were a football fan or not; the non-football people that would gravitate to John.

“He made football cool to the non-football people.”

Johnny Warren was one in a million – a phenomenal man who we and all those within Australian football will never forget.

Warren’s dedication to growing Australian football was like no other – he was determined to see the Australian national team reach the upper echelons of the game and achieve consistent success.

He famously uttered the words ‘I told you so’ just weeks before his death in 2004, after devoting 50 years of his life to football in Australia, on what he wanted his legacy to be.

That is, to see a world where football was loved by Australians far and wide and the Socceroos would once again qualify for the FIFA World Cup.

Of course, they would do so just over a year after his passing, in that memorable penalty-shootout victory against Uruguay.

Craig Foster represented the thoughts of the nation that night when he shouted the name Johnny Warren, as Australia secured their place in football’s most prestigious competition ahead of the 2006 edition.

Tweet: https://twitter.com/Socceroos/status/1329967769048248322

Now, 20 years since his passing, Captain Socceroo’s slogan rings truer than ever, as the Australian Men’s National Team look to secure their passage to a sixth consecutive FIFA World Cup in 2026.

Career Highlights

Cap number: 183

Appearances: 42

Position: Midfielder

Clubs played for: Canterbury-Marrickville, St. George-Budapest

Club Career

In a 12-year career with St George Budapest, Warren and his club were NSW state league champions on three occasions. He also won a premiership and two state cups.

In his last ever appearance for the club, Warren scored the match-winning grand final goal in the 1974 Grand Final against Sydney City Hakoah. Fittingly, while player-manager for the team, Warren subbed himself off.

International Career

Having made his international debut in November 1965 against Cambodia, Warren went on to make 42 appearances for Australia, scoring six goals.

In 1967, he skippered the Socceroos for the first time against New Zealand and wore the captain’s armband a total of 24 times.

Warren was also part of the first ever Socceroos squad to go to a FIFA World Cup in 1974 in West Germany. In their opening match against East Germany, Warren and the Socceroos would earn themselves respect globally with a strong showing.

Unfortunately, a foot injury that he couldn’t recover from meant that Warren missed the remaining group games against West Germany and Chile.

Post-playing Career

Warren spent a few years coaching and spent his last year at St George as player-manager. After helping to found Canberra City, Warren was head coach of the side for two years from 1977-1978. He also ran his own training camps in Canberra and Sydney for over a decade.

While coaching with Canberra, Warren spent his time promoting the game anyway he could, whether it be radio, newspaper, or TV. He worked as a commentator, analyst, and pundit for many years with the ABC and SBS.

His infectious passion for the game made him the face of the sport and the unofficial spokesperson for football and its long fight for mainstream acceptance. Warren’s commitment to the game at every stage of his career, has left a long-lasting legacy for football in Australia.