Football: One Kiwi makes A-League Team of the Decade

Shane Smeltz has been named in the A League Team of the Decade. Photo / Getty

All White Shane Smeltz, Thomas Broich and Besart Berisha headline the PFA's A-League Team of the Decade, leaving no room for Italian legend Alessandro Del Piero in the starting line-up.

Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) has announced what it says are the competition's most influential players over the last 10 years.

Those named won 25 championships between them.

The team, all of whom were eligible by virtue of spending at least two seasons in the A-League, was voted on by over 400 former and current A-League players.

The starting XI includes two-time player of the year Broich, along with fellow Johnny Warren Medal winners Smeltz and Carlos Hernandez, as well as all-time leading scorer Archie Thompson.

However, Del Piero - arguably the biggest signing in A-League history - only made it to the bench.

Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat was rewarded for his career as a fierce defender by receiving more votes than any other player and being named the team's skipper.

His former mentor - two-time championship-winning coach and Socceroos boss Ange Postecoglou - was voted coach of the decade.

"To be nominated by my peers, both past and present, is extremely humbling and something that I take great pride in," Muscat said.

"I would like to thank Melbourne Victory for giving me the opportunity to return to Australia back in 2005. I have nothing but respect for everyone who has been associated with the club and I look forward to what the future holds."

PFA chief executive Adam Vivian hailed the team and said all of them had made an enormous contribution to the success of the A-League.

"To have won 25 A-League championships between them highlights just how big their contribution has been, and the impact they have made," he said.

"They, and their peers, have worked tirelessly over the past 10 seasons to build a competition that offered very few guarantees into one that is now one of the biggest success stories of Australian sport for the past 10 years."

Selected by the PFA's A-League members past and present, players were asked to vote for their starting 11 in a 4-3-3 formation, along with five substitutes, a coach and referee of the decade.

THE PFA A-LEAGUE TEAM OF THE DECADE

Goalkeeper: Eugene Galekovic

Defenders: Cassio, Kevin Muscat (C), Patrick Zwaanswijk, Ivan Franjic

Midfielders: Matt McKay, Carlos Hernandez, Thomas Broich

Forwards: Archie Thompson, Besart Berisha, Shane Smeltz

Substitutes: Michael Theo (GK), Adama Traore, Mark Milligan, Steve Corica, Alessandro Del Piero

Coach: Ange Postecoglou

Referee: Strebre Delovski

- AAP