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Mark Birighitti

Mark Romano Birighitti (born 17 April 1991) is an Australian professional footballer who most recently played as a goalkeeper for Scottish Championship side Dundee United.

Mark Birighitti
Birighitti playing for Adelaide United Youth in 2009
Personal information
Full name Mark Romano Birighitti[1]
Date of birth (1991-04-17) 17 April 1991 (age 33)
Place of birth Perth, Western Australia
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
ECU Joondalup
Perth
2006–2007 WA NTC
2007–2008 AIS
2008–2009 Adelaide United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008 AIS 18 (0)
2008–2012 Adelaide United 8 (0)
2012–2016 Newcastle Jets 77 (0)
2015 → Varese (loan) 4 (0)
2016–2017 Swansea City 0 (0)
2017–2018 NAC Breda 16 (0)
2018–2019 Melbourne City 0 (0)
2019–2022 Central Coast Mariners 79 (0)
2022–2024 Dundee United 26 (0)
2024 → Kilmarnock (loan) 0 (0)
International career‡
2007 Australia U17 3 (0)
2008–2011 Australia U20 33 (0)
2012 Australia U23 2 (0)
2013 Australia 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 9 June 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 November 2017

Born in Perth, Birighitti played youth football at the Australian Institute of Sport before making his professional debut for Adelaide United. In 2012, he moved to Newcastle Jets and spent time on loan to Italian club Varese in 2015. In 2016, Birighitti left Newcastle to again move to Europe, firstly with Swansea City and then NAC Breda. He returned to the A-League in 2018 with Melbourne City before moving to Central Coast Mariners a year later. He then signed for Dundee United in 2022.

Birighitti has played once for the Australian national team, at the 2013 EAFF East Asian Cup. He has also represented Australia's youth teams on many occasions, including at the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup and winning the 2010 AFF U-19 Youth Championship.

Club career

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Adelaide United

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Birighitti started his career at the AIS before moving to Adelaide United in 2008. He made his first team debut against Queensland Roar on 17 October 2008 helping Adelaide to a 1–0 win.[2] Aurelio Vidmar praised the young goalkeeper after the match saying "I think Birighitti played well he's got a really good future, he had big shoes to fill and I think he did an outstanding job tonight."[3]

His second successive A-League start came against Perth Glory at Hindmarsh Stadium after Adelaide's number one goalkeeper, 28-year-old Eugene Galekovic, was injured during the Asian Champions League match against FC Bunyodkor.[4] Despite conceding the match's first goal at the near post, Birighitti played his part in the 2–1 win taking Adelaide to the top of the league table.[5]

With Galekovic again ruled out with injury Birighitti started the second leg of the 2008 AFC Champions League Final against Gamba Osaka on 12 November 2008; Adelaide lost the match 2–0.[6] He injured his ankle after falling awkwardly in a training session on 17 December 2008 ruling him out of the remaining A-League 2008-09 season.[7]

Newcastle Jets

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On 17 January 2012 it was announced he had signed a two-year contract with A-League club Newcastle Jets starting post the 2012 AFC Champions League group stage.[8] He quickly became the first choice goalkeeper for the Newcastle Jets, edging out Ben Kennedy and Jack Duncan. In late 2013 he signed a contract extension with the Jets until the end of the 2015–16 season.[9]

On 24 March 2014, Birighitti flew to Germany to discuss a possible transfer to Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen.[10][11] After failing to secure a contract with Bayer Leverkusen he then came back to the Jets for the 2014–15 season.

In October 2015, Birighitti was involved in an on-field collision with Sydney FC striker Shane Smeltz. Birightitti suffered multiple broken teeth and required facial surgery after the incident.[12] He returned to action within weeks, missing only one A-League game.[13]

Loan to Varese

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On 27 January 2015, Birighitti joined Serie B club Varese on a six-month loan deal.[14] He made his league debut for Varese in a 1–0 away loss to Vicenza on 25 April 2015.[15]

Swansea City

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On 18 July 2016, Birighitti joined Premier League side Swansea City on a two-year deal.[16] After the 2016–17 season, Birighitti went on trial at Dutch side Willem II, following a lack of opportunities at Swansea.[17]

NAC Breda

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On 1 September 2017, Birighitti joined Eredivisie side NAC Breda on a two-year deal[18] and played the full 90 minutes in NAC Breda's first ever away win in a Eredivisie match against Feyenoord, in which he also stopped a penalty. He departed in the summer of 2018.

Melbourne City

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On 11 September 2018, Birighitti joined Australian A-League side Melbourne City on a three-year deal.[19] Playing the majority of the season as understudy to Eugene Galekovic, he negotiated a mutual release from the remainder of his contract.[20]

Central Coast Mariners

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In August 2019, Birighitti joined Central Coast Mariners on a one-year contract.[21]

Dundee United

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On 21 July 2022, it was announced that Birighitti had signed a two-year contract with Dundee United, subject to international clearance.[22] He made his first competitive start for his new club in their opening Scottish Premiership match against Kilmarnock which resulted in a 1–1 draw.[23] Birighitti made his European debut in a 1–0 win against AZ Alkmaar,[24] however, the second leg of the tie ended in a 7–0 Dundee United loss, knocking them out the competition.[25]

He went on an emergency seven-day loan to Kilmarnock in January 2024,[26] before being released by Dundee United at the end of the 2023-2024 season when his contract expired.[27]

International career

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Birighitti was selected to represent the Australian under-20 squad at the 2010 AFC U-19 Championship.

He made his debut for the senior Australian side in their final match of the 2013 EAFF East Asian Cup against China, a 4–3 loss.[28]

Career statistics

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As of 30 May 2023[29]
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
AIS 2008[30] Victorian Premier League 18 0 0 0 0 0 18 0
Adelaide United 2008–09[31] A-League 3 0 0 0 1 0 4 0
2009–10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2010–11[31] 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
2011–12[31] 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Total 8 0 0 0 1 0 9 0
Newcastle Jets 2012–13[31] A-League 22 0 0 0 0 0 22 0
2013–14[31] 23 0 0 0 0 0 23 0
2014–15[31] 6 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
2015–16[31] 26 0 1 0 0 0 27 0
Total 77 0 1 0 0 0 78 0
Varese (loan) 2014–15[32] Serie B 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
Swansea City 2016–17 Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
NAC Breda 2017–18 Eredivisie 15 0 1 0 0 0 16 0
2018–19 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Total 16 0 1 0 0 0 17 0
Melbourne City 2018–19 A-League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Central Coast Mariners 2019–20 26 0 3 0 0 0 29 0
2020–21 27 0 0 0 0 0 27 0
2021–22 26 0 5 0 0 0 31 0
Total 79 0 8 0 0 0 87 0
Dundee United 2022–23 Scottish Premiership 26 0 2 0 2[a] 0 30 0
Kilmarnock (loan) 2023–24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career total 228 0 12 0 3 0 243 0
  1. ^ Appearances in UEFA Conference League

Honours

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Australia U20

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Adelaide United FC (AUS) 3–0 Kuruvchi/Bunyodkor (UZB)" (PDF). 8 October 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 February 2009. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  2. ^ Forsaith, Rob (17 October 2008). "One goal enough for United". A-League. Archived from the original on 6 July 2007. Retrieved 29 December 2008.
  3. ^ "Cornthwaite heads Adelaide to victory over Roar". Adelaide United. 17 October 2008. Archived from the original on 14 April 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2008.
  4. ^ "Reds aiming to take ACL success into Glory match". Adelaide United. 24 October 2008. Archived from the original on 4 April 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2008.
  5. ^ Barrett, Steve (26 October 2008). "United go top". A-League. Archived from the original on 6 March 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2008.
  6. ^ "Gamba Osaka too good for Adelaide in ACL Final". Adelaide United. 11 December 2008. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2008.
  7. ^ "Injured Reds keeper to be sidelined for 6 weeks". Adelaide United. 18 December 2008. Archived from the original on 14 April 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2008.
  8. ^ "FourFourTwo". Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  9. ^ GARDINER, JAMES (4 October 2013). "Mark Birighitti to stay with Jets". Archived from the original on 10 August 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  10. ^ "Jets keeper heads to Germany".
  11. ^ "Jets keeper heads to Germany". 23 March 2014.
  12. ^ Somerford, Ben (17 October 2015). "Birighitti positive after nasty facial injury". FourFourTwo. Archived from the original on 28 October 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  13. ^ Somerford, Ben (13 November 2015). "Birighitti: I've suffered worse". FourFourTwo. Archived from the original on 28 October 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  14. ^ "Italian offer comes at right time for Mark Birighitti". The Herald. 26 January 2015. Archived from the original on 6 October 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  15. ^ Devey, Neil (29 April 2015). "WA keeper Birighitti impresses in Italy". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 1 June 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  16. ^ "Australian international bolsters Swans' keeper options". Swansea City A.F.C. 18 July 2016.[permanent dead link‍]
  17. ^ Somerford, Ben (28 April 2017). "Birighitti heads out on Dutch trial". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  18. ^ "Aussies abroad: Birighitti leaves EPL club". September 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  19. ^ "Birighitti answers City goalkeeper call and returns to A-League". Fairfax Media. 11 September 2018.
  20. ^ Lewis, Dave (30 July 2019). "Birighitti bound for Mariners after splitting with City". The World Game. SBS.
  21. ^ "Mariners pick up top keeper talent". FTBL. 1 August 2019.
  22. ^ "Dundee United sign Australian international Mark Birighitti for undisclosed fee". 21 July 2022.
  23. ^ Petrie, Andrew (30 July 2022). "Kilmarnock 1–1 Dundee United". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  24. ^ Herron, Lindsay (21 July 2022). "Mark Birighitti Dundee United European dream come true as he reveals Spanish superstar inspiration". Scottish Daily Express. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  25. ^ "AZ Alkmaar 7–0 Dundee United". BBC. 11 August 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  26. ^ "Birighitti joins Kilmarnock on seven-day emergency loan deal". Dundee United. 20 January 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  27. ^ "SQUAD UPDATE MAY 2024". Dundee United. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
  28. ^ Lynch, Michael (30 July 2013). "Socceroos down but young keeper grabs his chance". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  29. ^ Mark Birighitti at Soccerway
  30. ^ "2008 Victorian Premier League Results". Ozfootball. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  31. ^ a b c d e f g "Mark Birighitti (Newcastle Jets)". Ultimate A-League.
  32. ^ "Australia – M. Birighitti". Soccerway.
  33. ^ "AFF Under 19 YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP – AFF – The Official Website of the Asean Football Federation AFF – The Official Website of the Asean Football Federation". aseanfootball.org.
  34. ^ "A-League All Stars vs. Juventus 2 – 3". Soccerway. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  35. ^ "Glory star Castro wins Johnny Warren medal". Football Federation Australia. 26 April 2016.
  36. ^ "PFA reveals LUCRF Super A-League Team of the Season". 23 June 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  37. ^ "PFA reveals player-voted Austraffic A-League Men Team of the Season on eve of Grand Final". Professional Footballers Australia. 27 May 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  38. ^ "Dolan Warren Awards: Birighitti and Redmayne split Goalkeeper of the Year honours". A-League. 23 June 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  39. ^ Allan, Steve (27 May 2022). "Birra named A-Leagues' best". NBN Television. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
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