Biography
Who is Lucas Neill?
Early life and background
Lucas Edward Neill was born in Sydney, Australia. He attended Wakehurst Public School in Belrose and later St Augustine's College in Brookvale. His father had previously played for several clubs in Northern Ireland, including Linfield F.C. And Cliftonville F.C., before moving to Australia.
In 1994, Lucas began attending the Australian Institute of Sport on a football scholarship. This early training helped prepare him for a professional career in the sport. He grew up in the Manly area of Sydney, which remained his home throughout his youth.
Career in England
Lucas Neill spent nearly 15 years playing professional soccer in England. He began his path by joining Millwall on a free transfer in November 1995. He made his debut for the team in February 1996 against Luton Town. During his six years at The Den, he appeared in 174 matches and scored 13 goals for the club.
In 2001, he moved to Blackburn Rovers for an initial fee of £600,000. He held the right-back position there for over five years. During the 2003–04 season, he was involved in an incident that caused a leg injury to Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher. In 2007, he left Blackburn to join West Ham United. He later served as the team captain for the Hammers after Nigel Reo-Coker transferred to Aston Villa. His final English club was Watford, where he played briefly in 2014 before retiring.
International football
Lucas Neill debuted for the Australian national team in October 1996 during a friendly match against Saudi Arabia. He was the third-youngest player to debut for the squad at the time. He represented his country at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Also, he played for Australia in the 2007 and 2011 AFC Asian Cups.
On October 6, 2006, he was named the 50th captain of the Australian national team. By the end of his career, he held a record of 61 caps as captain. One of his most well-known moments occurred on November 16, 2005, when he helped Australia qualify for the 2006 World Cup by playing in the victory against Uruguay at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.
Global club career
Beyond his time in England, Lucas Neill played for clubs in Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, and Australia. In January 2010, he signed a contract with the Turkish side Galatasaray. He played alongside his international teammate Harry Kewell during his time in the Turkish Super Lig.
In 2011, he joined the UAE Pro League club Al Jazira. He later moved to Al Wasl in 2012 before returning to Australia to play for Sydney FC in 2013. He also had a short stint with the Japanese team Omiya Ardija later that year. His final professional appearances were in 2014 after a loan spell at Doncaster Rovers.
Birthday and age
Lucas Neill was born on March 9, 1978, which makes Lucas 48 years old today. That birthday falls under the Pisces sign. Lucas shares the date with 31 other famous people.
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