Adrian Zahra
Encyclopedia
Adrian Zahra is an Australia
n football (soccer) player who plays for Melbourne Heart in the A-League
. He started his senior career with Melbourne Knights in the Victorian Premier League, before signing with the Heart in 2010 – one of many Heart players to come through the Victoria
n leagues up to the top tier of Australian football. He made world-wide headlines in early 2011 after becoming the victim of an infamous Kevin Muscat
tackle.
in the youth system of Melbourne Knights before progressing to the senior side for the 2007/08 season. He played nearly every game for the Knights in 2008 off the bench, but was soon loaned out to Western Suburbs SC
in 2009 in the league below, the Victorian State League Division 1
. In 2010, Zahra returned to the Knights and capped off a sensational year with the club by receiving the 2010 Victorian Premier League U21 Player of the Year Award.
on 14 July 2010, which Heart lost 2-0. Melbourne Heart went on to sign Zahra midway through their inaugural 2010-11 A-League season on a short-term contract upon the completion of the 2010 Victorian Premier League season. His contract was originally four weeks in length. He made his début for the Heart in October 2010, in the first ever Melbourne derby
. After an impressive extended trial period, in which he scored two goals for Heart, he was signed by the club in December for an extra two years, his contract starting at the beginning of the 2011–12 season.
Zahra continued his excellent run in his first season with the Heart, starting almost every game after his debut, but his season was cut short after an infamous incident during the third Melbourne derby
on 22 January 2011. He was the victim of a sickening tackle from Melbourne Victory's Kevin Muscat
late in the game, which made world-wide headlines. As a result, Zahra sustained a serious knee injury in his right leg. The tackle earnt Muscat a direct red card, his second consecutively, and a subsequent 8-match ban. Zahra, after limping to the side of the pitch, had to be carried down the tunnel, past the away bay from which he received a rapturous applause from the Yarraside. He missed the remainder of the season due to the injury. Surgery was still required on his knee, however reports in the off-season show his recovery to be going very well and ahead of schedule. He is due to be back for the pre-season, a very large improvement from initial fears of being out for twelve months.
and Maltese
descent. He attended high school at Penola Catholic College
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n football (soccer) player who plays for Melbourne Heart in the A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
. He started his senior career with Melbourne Knights in the Victorian Premier League, before signing with the Heart in 2010 – one of many Heart players to come through the Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
n leagues up to the top tier of Australian football. He made world-wide headlines in early 2011 after becoming the victim of an infamous Kevin Muscat
Kevin Muscat
Kevin Muscat is an Australian football player who currently plays for Victorian State League Division 1 side Sunshine George Cross and is assistant coach of Melbourne Victory...
tackle.
Melbourne Knights
Zahra started his career being coached by Billy VojtekBilly Vojtek
Billy Vojtek is a retired Croatian Australian footballer. He migrated to Australia with his family as a child, he would go on to become one of the leading players in Australia during the 1960s and 70s...
in the youth system of Melbourne Knights before progressing to the senior side for the 2007/08 season. He played nearly every game for the Knights in 2008 off the bench, but was soon loaned out to Western Suburbs SC
Western Suburbs SC
Western Suburbs Football Club is an Australian football club from Sunshine, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The club was formed in 1965, and currently play in the Victorian State League Division 1...
in 2009 in the league below, the Victorian State League Division 1
Victorian State League Division 1
The Victorian State League Division 1 is the second tier association football competition in Victoria, Australia, and the third nationally, including the A-League...
. In 2010, Zahra returned to the Knights and capped off a sensational year with the club by receiving the 2010 Victorian Premier League U21 Player of the Year Award.
2010–11 season
While still with Melbourne Knights, Zahra made a trial appearance for new A-League side , in an exhibition match against Premier League team EvertonEverton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
on 14 July 2010, which Heart lost 2-0. Melbourne Heart went on to sign Zahra midway through their inaugural 2010-11 A-League season on a short-term contract upon the completion of the 2010 Victorian Premier League season. His contract was originally four weeks in length. He made his début for the Heart in October 2010, in the first ever Melbourne derby
Melbourne derby
The Melbourne Derby is currently the only intra-city local derby in Australia's premier Association football competition, the A-League, between the two Melbourne teams in the competition, Melbourne Victory and Melbourne Heart. It is the A-League's first intra-city derby, and although only one...
. After an impressive extended trial period, in which he scored two goals for Heart, he was signed by the club in December for an extra two years, his contract starting at the beginning of the 2011–12 season.
Zahra continued his excellent run in his first season with the Heart, starting almost every game after his debut, but his season was cut short after an infamous incident during the third Melbourne derby
Melbourne derby
The Melbourne Derby is currently the only intra-city local derby in Australia's premier Association football competition, the A-League, between the two Melbourne teams in the competition, Melbourne Victory and Melbourne Heart. It is the A-League's first intra-city derby, and although only one...
on 22 January 2011. He was the victim of a sickening tackle from Melbourne Victory's Kevin Muscat
Kevin Muscat
Kevin Muscat is an Australian football player who currently plays for Victorian State League Division 1 side Sunshine George Cross and is assistant coach of Melbourne Victory...
late in the game, which made world-wide headlines. As a result, Zahra sustained a serious knee injury in his right leg. The tackle earnt Muscat a direct red card, his second consecutively, and a subsequent 8-match ban. Zahra, after limping to the side of the pitch, had to be carried down the tunnel, past the away bay from which he received a rapturous applause from the Yarraside. He missed the remainder of the season due to the injury. Surgery was still required on his knee, however reports in the off-season show his recovery to be going very well and ahead of schedule. He is due to be back for the pre-season, a very large improvement from initial fears of being out for twelve months.
Personal life
Zahra is of ItalianItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Maltese
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
descent. He attended high school at Penola Catholic College
Penola Catholic College
Penola Catholic College is a co-educational secondary college, located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The Patron of the college is Mary MacKillop...
.
External links
- Adrian Zahra video press interview on The World Game (SBS)
- Heart TV interview with Adrian Zahra interview with Zahra on Melbourne Heart's official YouTube channel