Michael Zullo

Michael Zullo

Personal information
Full name	Michael Anthony Zullo
Date of birth	11 September 1988 (1988-09-11)
Place of birth	Brisbane, Australia
Height	1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Playing position	Left back
Club information
Current club	Utrecht
Number	5
Youth career
	Brisbane City
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2005–2007	Brisbane Strikers	45	(11)
2007–2010	Brisbane Roar	53	(2)
2010–	Utrecht	18	(0)
National team‡
2008	Australia U-23	6	(1)
2009–	Australia	9	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23:09, 5 December 2011 (AEST). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 16:47, 16 November 2011 (UTC)

Michael Zullo (born 11 September 1988) is an Australian football (soccer) player who plays for Utrecht in the Dutch Eredivisie.

Club career

After being signed by the former Brisbane Roar coach Frank Farina on a two year contract, Zullo played five of the six opening games of the season, coming on as a substitute. On his first eleven debut against Wellington Phoenix, his sixth appearance for Queensland, he scored in the opening minutes of the game and set up a first half added-time goal for fellow youngster and close friend Robbie Kruse. He previously played in the Brisbane Premier League for the Brisbane Strikers During a match against Sydney FC, Zullo limped off the field with a torn thigh muscle which ruled him out for 6 weeks.

At the end of the 2008-09 season, Zullo received offers from Dutch Eredivisie clubs FC Groningen and NEC Nijmegen but declined both offers and cited his preference to stay in the A-League for another season.

On 2 April 2010, along with fellow Roar players, Thomas Oar and Adam Sarota, Zullo joined Dutch side Utrecht on a three-year deal, in a collective transfer deal rumoured to be worth in excess of AU$1.8 Million. He made his debut for Utrecht in a 1-1 draw with NEC Nijmegen on 28 February 2011, coming off the bench on the 81st minute.

International career

Due to outstanding form since making his debut for Brisbane Roar, Zullo was called-up for the first time for the Australia national under-23 football team before their qualifier against Iraq, in which they won 2-0.

He was also a train-on player with the national U-17 squad, the Joeys, at 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Peru.

On 28 January 2009, Zullo made his full international debut, coming on as a substitute in a 0-0 draw with Indonesia in the group stage of qualifying for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup.

Personal life

Zullo has a younger brother, Julian, who appeared in Season 3 of football talent show Football Superstar on Australian television channel Fox8.

Career statistics

Statistics accurate as of 15 August 2011

Club	Season	Division	League			Cup			Europe			Total
			Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists
Brisbane Roar	2007-08	A-League	17	1	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	19	1	2
	2008-09	A-League	23	1	5	2	1	0	0	0	0	25	2	5
	2009-10	A-League	13	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	13	0	1
	Brisbane Roar total		53	2	7	4	1	0	0	0	0	57	3	7
FC Utrecht	2010-11	Eredivisie	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	0	0
	2011-12	Eredivisie	12	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	13	0	1
	Utrecht total		18	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	19	0	1
Career total			71	2	8	5	1	0	0	0	0	76	3	8

External links

• Brisbane Roar profile
• FFA - Olyroo profile
• First Goal against Wellington Phoenix on YouTube