Douglas Costa and Juan Mata head the list of the top-30 players for the 2024-25 A-League season
The A-League needed some star power to elevate the competition back to its heyday and two international veterans could be game changers.
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Two of the biggest international signings in recent A-League history come with formuisable reputations, but questions about their capacity to fire at the back-end of stunning careers at the top of the world game.
But they remain the standout figures ahead of the 2024-25 season which looms as a massive one for a competition which has been devoid of star power for too long, bogged down by financial woes and scandals which hit Macarthur last season.
A grand final re-match and a blockbuster Sydney derby open the new season this weekend and football expert MARCO MONTEVERDE has laid out who should be the competition’s best 30 players.
1. Douglas Costa (Sydney FC)
The mercurial Brazilian winger has made a habit of winning trophies wherever he plays around the world, with the former Juventus and Bayern Munich star’s decision to continue his career in Australia not only a coup for the Sky Blues, but also an A-League competition in desperate need of some star power.
How about that delivery from Douglas Costa 😮â€ðŸ’¨ðŸ”¥
— Isuzu UTE A-League (@aleaguemen) October 3, 2024
The Brazilian superstar expertly sets-up Patryk Klimala who puts @SydneyFC in the lead! 🙌
📺 Catch the AFC Champions League Two action on 10 Play now.#ACLTwopic.twitter.com/alJFO9LEvr
2. Juan Mata (Western Sydney Wanderers)
There is no doubting the class of the former Chelsea and Manchester United midfielder, but at 36, and having played 10 minutes of competitive football in the past 13 months, the Spanish star’s high ranking is purely on reputation. Still, his presence in the A-League is a huge boost for football in Australia.
3. Hiroki Sakai (Auckland FC)
The recruitment of Sakai is a huge coup for competition new boys Auckland FC, with the club’s ability to secure the services of the versatile Japanese defender even surprising coach Steve Corica. Sakai’s club career has included stints at Hannover and Marseille, while at international level, he has represented his nation at three World Cups and two Olympics.
Aye Aye, Hiroki Sakai 🫡 â°â°Hiroki Sakai has been appointed our captain for the 2024-2025 Isuzu UTE A-League season.
— Auckland FC (@fc_auckland) October 15, 2024
Get your tickets to watch Hiroki lead out the team for the VERY FIRST time this Saturday! pic.twitter.com/lsTVcHdokF
4. Zinedine Machach (Melbourne Victory)
The Frenchman, who was once on the books of Napoli, proved a handful for rivals in his first A-League season with a combination of skill, power and aggression that very nearly lifted the Victory to an A-League. “Zizou” now has the challenge of again dominating under the club’s new coach Patrick Kisnorbo.
5. Valere Germain (Macarthur FC)
The class of French striker Germain was underrated by many last season, however his value is well recognised by his Bulls teammates. With Ulises Davila no longer at the club, the former Monaco, Marseille and Montpellier marksman should deservedly grab more of the spotlight.
6. Joe Lolley (Sydney FC)
The English winger has been a revelation in his two years with the Sky Blues, and expect more of the same from him this season. While much will be made of his new teammate and fellow attacking weapon Douglas Costa, Lolley is set to be just as important to Sydney’s title chances.
7. Mikael Doka (Central Coast Mariners)
After a slow start, the Brazilian took the A-League by storm last season, playing a huge role in Central Coast’s superb achievement of winning the treble. With a host of players having since left the club, Doka’s contribution will be even more important if the Mariners are to win a third successive championship.
8. Jay O’Shea (Brisbane Roar)
The Irish midfielder has been a model of consistency and class since joining Brisbane in 2019, with his influence this season set to further grow after being named the club’s new captain following the departure of Tom Aldred. O’Shea’s experience and nous will be crucial to the Roar’s hopes of playing finals football.
9. Mathew Leckie (Melbourne City)
The Socceroos stalwart remains one of the A-League’s most influential players. When Leckie is fit and firing, City’s game lifts to another level. His ability to play in a variety of attacking roles will be even more important this season in a City team that no longer has the competition’s all-time leading goalscorer, Jamie Maclaren, to call on.
10. Brandon Borrello (Western Sydney Wanderers)
At his best, Borrello is one of the most dangerous players in the competition. However, his biggest battle in recent seasons has been his fitness due to injury. If the classy forward can maintain a clean bill of health, his influence on the Wanderers, and the Socceroos, will be significant.
11. Zach Clough (Adelaide United)
The English midfielder has become one of Adelaide’s most important players since arriving in the A-League in early 2022. His creativity and dead-ball nous will be crucial to the Reds’ hopes of success this season,
12. Nishan Velupillay (Melbourne Victory)
Fresh from scoring in his Socceroos debut, Velupillay’s confidence should be sky high heading into the season. A-League fans should enjoy watching the excellent winger while they can because there’s every chance he will move to an overseas club next year.
13. Alex Paulsen (Auckland FC)
Paulsen’s brilliance between the posts for Wellington last season earned him A-League All-Stars selection and a contract with English Premier League club Bournemouth. Having been loaned to Auckland FC, the star goalkeeper will be intent on maintaining his form.
14. Marco Tilio (Melbourne City)
Tilio, who was a member of the Socceroos’ 2022 World Cup, has a point to prove this season after returning to the A-League and Melbourne City on loan from Celtic. Injuries have been a problem in the past 12 months, but at his best, Tilio is among the competition’s elite wingers.
15. Roderick Miranda (Melbourne Victory)
With Damien Da Silva having left the Victory, there will be even more expectation on Roderick to marshal the Melbourne club’s defence this season, and the Portuguese centre-back has shown that he’s up to the task. He’s a leader on and off the park.
16. Brian Kaltak (Central Coast Mariners)
Kaltak has been superb in the heart of Central Coast’s defence for the past few years, and with more players having left the club in the off-season, the Vanuatu international will need to again if the Mariners are to have any hope of emulating their recent feats.
17. Adam Taggart (Perth Glory)
In a Glory side that struggled last season, Taggart was a shining light with a 20-goal haul that earned him the A-League’s Golden Boot award. With the Glory expected to improve this season, the striker and club captain is likely to again be near the top of the scoring chart.
18. Anas Ouahim (Sydney FC)
Ouahim’s performances in pre-season trials and Sydney’s AFC Champions League Two matches suggest that the Germany-born, former Morocco under-23 international midfielder is going to play a huge role in the Sky Blues’ potential success this season.
19. Kosta Barbarouses (Wellington Phoenix)
The evergreen New Zealand international shows few signs of slowing down despite the fact he will be 35 in February. The attacking weapon will be important to the Phoenix’s chances of again contending for the A-League title.
20. Aziz Behich (Melbourne City)
Back at Melbourne City after his loan spell with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr, the Socceroos left-back will captain City this season. His experience and leadership will be vital as City seek to return to the summit of the A-League.
21. Hiroshi Ibusuki (Western United)
Despite scoring plenty of goals for Adelaide United last season, Ibusuki didn’t seem to be an important part of the Reds’ future plans, and as a result, has made the move to Western United, who can only benefit from the presence of the Japanese striker.
22. Alex Rufer (Wellington Phoenix)
Rufer is the heart and soul of the Phoenix midfield, and won’t take a backwards step to anybody in the A-League in his bid to guide Wellington to the title.
23. Bart Vriends (Adelaide United)
The Dutch defender brings a wealth of Eredivisie experience with him to the Reds, who were in desperate need of a player of Vriends’ ilk in their backline.
24. Patryk Klimala (Sydney FC)
Polish striker Klimala reportedly needed some convincing to come to the A-League, but now that he’s here, expect the former Celtic and New York Red Bulls marksman to bang in plenty of goals for Sydney FC.
25. Luke Brattan (Macarthur FC)
He might be 34, but Brattan, who moved from Sydney to Macarthur in the off-season, remains one of the A-League’s most talented and ferocious midfielders, as evidenced by Tony Popovic calling him into the Socceroos squad.
26. Daniel Arzani (Melbourne Victory)
Arzani’s ability to change the course of a game with one pass or a piece of exquisite skill hasn’t diminished. Hopefully his relationship with new Victory coach Patrick Kisnorbo improves some recent tension between the pair.
27. Kosta Grozos (Newcastle Jets)
The new captain of the Jets is one of the competition’s most underrated midfielders. His influence in the centre of the park will be key to Newcastle’s hopes of moving up the ladder this season.
28. Jason Geria (Melbourne Victory)
One of the A-League’s most consistent performers, Geria’s value has been rightly recognised by new Socceroos coach Tony Popovic, who gave the experienced defender his first cap in eight years.
29. Neicer Acosta (Brisbane Roar)
Suggestions are that the 21-year-old Ecuadorean winger could be a revelation for a Brisbane Roar side desperate to move up the A-League ladder after a couple of forgettable years.
30. Nikos Vergos (Melbourne Victory)
The Victory’s new Greek striker showed in the Australia Cup that he knows how to find the back of the net as he kept Bruno Fornaroli out of the starting side.
Originally published as Douglas Costa and Juan Mata head the list of the top-30 players for the 2024-25 A-League season
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