Victorian football royalty is set to descend on Frank Holohan Soccer Complex for a special cause. The inaugural Victorian Premier League (VPL) Legends Match will take place at 3pm on Saturday 2 September 2023.
The match is aimed at bringing together some of the biggest names in Victorian football and in doing so, raising money for the Very Special Kids children’s charity.
Very Special Kids provides holistic palliative care for children and young people with life-limiting conditions and tailored support for their families.
Event organiser Steven Topalović is no stranger to the VPL/NPL having amassed a total of 165 appearance in Victoria’s top tier since 2010.
An NPL Champion with Bentleigh Greens in 2015, Topalović also represented the likes of boyhood club Dandenong City, Richmond, South Melbourne, Dandenong Thunder, and Oakleigh Cannons with distinction before persistent knee injuries brought an end to his playing career at Eltham Redbacks this season.
Having played with a host of legendary players throughout his senior career, the 33-year-old decided to bring some of those names together for a match which promises to provide Victorian football audiences with a trip down memory lane. Headlining the match will be:
- 1 x A-League Champion and 3-time Socceroos goalkeeper Nathan Coe
- Former A-League player and Vanuatu international Mitch Cooper
- 1 x A-League Champion and ex-Melbourne City and Victory winger Mate Dugandžić
- Former A-League midfielder and 1999 FA Youth Cup winner Michael Ferrante
- Former Melbourne City and Western Sydney Wanderers midfielder Nick Kalmar
- 2014 Asian Champion and 2016 A-League Champion Iacopo La Rocca
- 1 x A-League Champion and 2013 VPL winner Rashid Mahazi
- 2011 Asian Footballer of the Year and 22-time Socceroo Saša Ognenovski
- 2 x A-League Champion and Melbourne Victory defender Steve Pantelidis
- 4 x national Champion and 6-time Socceroo Tom Pondeljak
- 2007 A-League Champion and former Socceroo Kristian Sarkies
- 2 x A-League Champion and 52-time Socceroo Carl Valeri
- 2 x A-League Champion and 2-time Socceroo Rodrigo Vargas
- 147 game A-League midfielder and current Hume City manager Cameron Watson
- 1 x NPL Champion and former Melbourne City winger Adrian Zahra
Others involved include a who’s who of VPL/NPL greats including: Adrian Chiappetta, Fernando de Moraes, Ricky Diaco, Stjepan Gal, Marino Gasparis, Tyson Holmes, John Honos, Ricky Hrehoresin, Andy Jerez, Alan Kearney, Ivan Klarica, Veton Korcari, Liam McCormick, Tomi Milardović, Alan Mulcahy, Jonathan Munoz, Steven Pace, Zoran Petrevski, Shane Rexhepi, Alex Rojas, Rudi Saglam, John Sapazovski, Enes Sivić, Matt Theodore, Davey van’t Schip, Andy Vargas, Daniel Višević, Wayne Wallace, Jack Webster, and Peter Zois.
The two teams will be coached by Socceroos legend and ex-South Melbourne coach Eddie Krnčević and ex-VPL Coach of the Year Michael Chatzitrifonos with Vitale Ferrante and Semi Sivić assisting the duo respectively.
“It’s a good opportunity to bring together a lot of familiar faces in the one place over a football match while also supporting a great charity” said Topalović who will also be donning the boots on 2 September.
“Very Special Kids is an amazing children’s charity who do so much good work for the kids and their families, and we wanted to use this event as a means of supporting them and the work they do and continue do”, he added.
Those wishing to donate to Very Special Kids ahead of the VPL Legends Match can do so via this link.