2024 A-Leagues All Stars Men game

The 2024 A-Leagues All Stars Men match marked the fourth occurrence of the A-Leagues All Stars Game, hosted at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on 24 May 2024. During this event, the All Stars competed against the English football club Newcastle United as part of the Global Football Week Melbourne celebrations.

Pre-match

In March 2024, it was announced by the A-Leagues that the All Stars Men would take on Newcastle United at Marvel Stadium on 24 May, just days before the 2024 A-League Men Grand Final. For the first occasion, an A-Leagues All Stars Women match was arranged to follow immediately after, featuring Arsenal. Additionally, Newcastle United played against Tottenham Hotspur at the Melbourne Cricket Ground two days prior. The event’s official kit supplier was confirmed as Kappa.

Squads

Initially, the A-Leagues All Stars Men roster comprised between 23 and 26 players chosen by the coaching team, later narrowed down to a squad of 18 to 20 players with a cap of four representatives per club. Fan voting resulted in Nestory Irankunda and Daniel Penha being selected as the first two members. On 14 May, Patrick Kisnorbo was appointed head coach, supported by assistants Robert Stanton and Mark Milligan, while Michael Theo took on goalkeeping coaching duties.

A preliminary list of 13 players was released on 15 May; however, Penha withdrew due to personal circumstances. Following the conclusion of season semi-finals on 20 May, Kisnorbo incorporated eight additional players from Sydney FC and Wellington Phoenix, finalizing a squad of 21 participants. Newcastle United’s head coach, Eddie Howe, announced a 29-player squad for their Australian fixtures, which included only one Australian player, Garang Kuol.

For this fixture, Howe predominantly selected Newcastle’s under-21 reserve and academy players, with veteran Kieran Trippier appearing on the bench after several first-team members were rested. Kuol made his unofficial starting appearance in this match. Notably, none of Newcastle’s players had previously started a Premier League game before this encounter.

Newcastle United squad

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Details



GK	1	Template:Country data NZL Template:Namespace detect showall Alex Paulsen	Template:Suboff
DF	17	Template:Country data AUS Template:Namespace detect showall Ben Garuccio	Template:Suboff
DF	4	Template:Country data ENG Template:Namespace detect showall Scott Wootton
DF	8	Template:Country data BRA Template:Namespace detect showall Marcelo	Template:Suboff
DF	23	Template:Country data AUS Template:Namespace detect showall Rhyan Grant
MF	32	Template:Country data AUS Template:Namespace detect showall Angus Thurgate	Template:Suboff
MF	26	Template:Country data IRL Template:Namespace detect showall Jay O'Shea	Template:Suboff
MF	18	Template:Country data NZL Template:Namespace detect showall Ben Old	Template:Suboff
MF	7	Template:Country data AUS Template:Namespace detect showall Mathew Leckie	Template:Suboff
MF	14	Template:Country data AUS Template:Namespace detect showall Nicolas Milanovic	Template:Suboff
FW	22	Template:Country data AUS Template:Namespace detect showall Adam Taggart	Template:Suboff
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Post-match

The men's fixture attracted criticism because Newcastle United selected a squad predominantly composed of youth academy players, with an average age of just 19.5 years, as their senior squad members were absent due to international commitments. Manager Eddie Howe explained that factors such as travel demands, injury prevention, and the recent conclusion of the 2023–24 Premier League season influenced the decision to rest first-team players. Newcastle reportedly covered 16,914 km traveling from Heathrow to Melbourne only three days after their season ended. Commentators including Kieran Trippier and Alan Shearer voiced disapproval over the scheduling, particularly given its proximity to major tournaments like the 2024 Copa América and UEFA Euro 2024. Supporters perceived the weakened lineup as showing a lack of respect toward the A-League and its local fanbase. The club is said to have received a seven-figure sum for participating in the matches.

In response to concerns regarding player health, The Football Association has contemplated implementing regulations to prohibit overseas friendlies immediately following the season’s end, potentially mandating a five-week rest period for English players. The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) were reportedly cognizant of these challenges. This match marked the A-League Men's inaugural victory in an A-Leagues All Stars Game, having previously suffered defeats against Manchester United, Juventus, and Barcelona. The event drew a crowd of 42,000 attendees following the women's fixture.

Although senior players were absent, Howe regarded the match as an important developmental opportunity for younger players competing against experienced opposition. All Stars coach Patrick Kisnorbo commended his team’s commanding performance while recognizing Howe’s rationale. Kisnorbo suggested that future All Stars encounters might feature opponents from Asia rather than European clubs to reduce scheduling difficulties.