Brendon Santalab reveals his anguish after grand final penalty shootout miss

Brendon Santalab had hoped to end his A-League career on a high and says it will take some time to get over his missed spot-kick in the grand final penalty shootout.

A dejected Brendon Santalab after his penalty miss. Picture: AAP

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Brendon Santalab spent the 24 hours after Perth Glory’s A-League grand final loss in a state of torment over his missed spot-kick in the penalty shootout.

Santalab’s heart had been set on going out on a high, dropping the curtain on his two-decade career with a first championship under long-time mentor Tony Popovic.

But despite the countless highlights over the years, the 36-year-old will take some time to get past his final kick of a professional football, a failed attempt at a “Panenka” that allowed his old Western Sydney teammate Andrew Redmayne to make the easiest of saves and Sydney FC to seal the title with the following spot-kick.

Sydney FC Andrew Redmayne celebrates after saving Brendon Santalab’s penalty. Picture: AAP

In the moments that followed, his fellow Glory players rallied around, attempting to console the inconsolable.

Retiring Sky Blues skipper Alex Brosque made a beeline for his former teammate and said he was so sorry his career had to end this way.

“It just showed the great man Brosquey is to come up to me after the game and be sad at the same time as he’s overjoyed with the win,” an emotional Santalab said.

“I just probably need some days to recover mentally.

“When you have played for that long and you end your ­career this way, it’s pretty hard to take.

“Wrong decision at the wrong time. Obviously with Redders being my teammate before he probably had it in the back of his mind that I’ve done it before and took the chance to stay in the middle.

“It’s something I’ll always look back on and regret, but I’m also proud of the career I’ve had.

“I thank my teammates, and apologies to the fans and my coach and my teammates and everyone involved at Perth Glory.

“Some of the best players in the world have missed penalties, and I’m unfortunately on that list of big moments where players have missed.”

Santalab has been trying to stay off social media since the match, his voice cracking in tears describing how he’s already bore the brunt of some angry fans.

“The support from a lot of fans, obviously there’s been some nasty things along the way last night and this morning which is all part of football and the life we live,” he said.

“I understand that’s a part of football and people are disappointed and they’re passionate about the game," he said.

“But there’s more to life than someone missing a penalty.”

Santalab (left) is consoled by Glory teammate Jason Davidson. Picture: AAP

Santalab hasn’t yet spoken to Popovic.

“It’s a bit fresh,” he said.

“I need things to settle down a little bit before I go face to face with the boss.

“When I missed I thought about the boss straight away, and letting him and my teammates down was really hard to take.

“He’s been a mentor and a real role model for me over the last six or so years. I feel for the boss because he really deserved the grand final after the season we had. I’m sure he’ll get it one day.”

Santalab will now enter the next chapter, moving to Melbourne to play with Dandenong City alongside Carl Valeri and under Ante Moric, with whom he played at Sydney United in the early 2000s.