FACTBOX-Soccer-Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer (original) (raw)

SYDNEY, Sept 7 (Reuters) – Factbox on goalkeeper Mark

Schwarzer, who became the first Australian to win 100

international caps in the 3-0 friendly win over Lebanon on

Thursday:

Born: Oct. 6, 1972 in Sydney

CLUB CAREER

Schwarzer started his soccer career at Sydney club Marconi

Stallions before moving to Germany in 1994 to play for Dynamo

Dresden and Kaiserslautern.

He moved to England in 1996 with Bradford City before making

the switch to Premier League side Middlesbrough a year later.

In 2004, he helped the club win their first major trophy

when they beat Bolton Wanderers to lift the League Cup.

He spent 11 years at the Riverside and played 467 games

before leaving in 2008 and joining Premier League rivals Fulham

on a free transfer.

In his first season at Craven Cottage he was named

Supporters’ Player of the Year.

Continues to defy his age with strong performances and the

penalty saving specialist kept his 140th Premier League clean

sheet last season.

INTERNATIONALS

Came through the ranks of Australian soccer, representing

the under-17 and under-20 sides before playing the first of his

100 matches against Canada in an Olympic qualifier in 1993.

He came off the bench to fill the void left by first choice

Robbie Zabica, who was sent off, and made his first start for

the Socceroos in the return leg. The match went to a penalty

shootout and Schwarzer saved two spot kicks as Australia

prevailed.

In 2005, he wrote his name into national folklore by saving

two Uruguayan penalties in a playoff as Australia qualified for

the World Cup finals for the first time in 32 years.

Although he was dropped for one group match at the finals in

Germany a year later, his performances helped Australia to their

best finish at a World Cup when they progressed to the round of

16 for the first time.

Played all three matches at the 2010 World Cup finals in

South Africa and also took part in two Asian Cups and two

Confederations Cups for his country.

In 2010, Schwarzer was named Australia Footballer of the

Year.

Had one of his easier nights in the Australia goal on

Thursday when he won his 100th cap in a 3-0 friendly win over

Lebanon and is targeting a third World Cup final appearance in

Brazil in 2014.

(Compiled by Damian Gill. Editing by Patrick Johnston)

Originally Published: September 6, 2012 at 1:00 AM CDT