Football Superstar
| Company type | Reality television program |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Australia |
Key people | Lee Furlong (host), Brian McFadden (host), Kris Smith (host from season 3) |
| Products | Reality TV show |
Football Superstar is an Australian reality TV program broadcast on FOX8. The series, initially hosted by Lee Furlong and Brian McFadden, saw Kris Smith take over from McFadden in its third season. Its primary aim was to uncover emerging male football (soccer) players between the ages of 16 and 21. Across three seasons, the champions were Adam Hett, Luke Pilkington, and Liam McCormick.
Season One (2008)
The first season aired from 19 June to 7 August 2008, consisting of 8 episodes. It was presented by Brian McFadden alongside former Australian women’s footballer Amy Taylor. Adam Hett from Perth emerged as the winner after defeating Evan Christodoulou in the finale. As part of his prize, Hett signed with Australian club Sydney FC and joined their squad for the 2008–2009 campaign in the 8-team A-League National Youth League, under coach Steve O'Connor. He also earned a one-year sports scholarship at Macquarie University. The production received joint funding from Kellogg's Nutri-Grain and FOXTEL, with Mindshare Australia's Adam Ross playing a key role in its inception.
Contestants
(Ages at the time of broadcast)
Eliminated
- Aleksander Milisavljevic, 17, Sydney
- Oscar Sanchez, 17, Adelaide, South Australia
- Christopher Roulston, 17, Brisbane, Queensland
- Rhys Giovenali, 17, Sydney
- Tom Cullen, 16, Perth
- Carlo Coelho, 17, Perth
- William Dixon, 18, Melbourne
- Alexander Sopina, 18, Sydney
- Calum O'Connell, 19, Perth
- Zachary Tung, 19, Brisbane, Queensland
- David Price, 19, Perth
- Corey Slevin, 19, Brisbane, Queensland
Finalists
Winner
- Adam Hett, 17, Sydney, NSW
Season Two (2009)
The second installment was announced in March 2009 and offered a contract with Melbourne Victory for participation in season five of the A-League. Luke Pilkington won this series. Eligibility was limited to Australian permanent residents aged between 16 and 20. Hosting duties were shared by Lee Furlong and returning host Brian McFadden.
Trials were conducted across major mainland capital cities starting on 22 March in Perth and concluding on 19 April in Melbourne. Prospective contestants submitted audition forms accompanied by videos before attending single-day trials. From each trial event, ten players progressed to a weekend training camp held in Melbourne. Subsequently, fifteen participants were chosen for an intensive month-long training camp fully funded by the show. This camp included competitive matches and communal living arrangements under the supervision of Melbourne Victory staff.
At every phase of selection, both objective assessments and subjective judgments were applied.
Contestants
(Ages noted as at start of broadcast)
Eliminated
- Kynon Melling, 18, Perth, Western Australia
- Michael Marchi, 20, Adelaide, South Australia
- Thomas Renzi, 19, Mount Gambier, South Australia
- Daniel Mitwali, 17, Sydney
- John Lazaridis, 20, Melbourne
- Tom Cullen, 16, Perth
- Trent Wood, 19, Perth
- Matthew Heath, 19, Brisbane, Queensland
- Gilly Buckley, 20, Sydney
- Sebastian Petralito, 20, Brisbane, Queensland
- Steven Topalovic, 18, Melbourne
- David McMurray, 19, Sydney
Finalists
Winner
- Luke Pilkington, aged 19, representing Canberra, ACT
Season Three (2010)
On 7 March 2010, Foxtel announced the renewal for a third season during the Melbourne Victory versus Sydney FC match. The grand prize consisted of a contract with Brisbane Roar. Auditions commenced in late March. The program resumed in June with Furlong returning as co-host alongside Kris Smith, a former rugby athlete and model. The head coach role was filled by Brisbane Roar manager Ange Postecoglou. The contract winner for this season was Liam McCormick.
Eliminated
(Ages noted at the start of the broadcast)
- Jeremy Walker, 16, from Taroona, Tasmania (Ep. 3)
- Nicholas Krousoratis, 16, from Templestowe, Victoria (Ep. 3)
- Phillipe Bernabo-Madrid, 18, from Mawson, ACT (Ep. 4)
- Jesse Fuller, 19, from Bunbury, Western Australia (Ep. 4)
- Ahmed Yakoub, 19, from Modbury, South Australia (Ep. 4)
- Alessandro Stazio, 18, from Sandringham, Victoria (Ep. 5)
- Jesse McDonnell, 17, from Lennox Head, New South Wales (Ep. 5)
- Jared Austin, 19, from Albany Creek, Queensland (Ep. 6)
- Ian Kamau, 18, from Magill, South Australia (Ep. 6)
- Elias Tsintzas, 19, from Northcote, Victoria (Ep. 6)
- Julian Zullo, 19, from West End, Queensland (Ep. 7)
- Troy Ruthven, 19, from Menai, New South Wales (Ep. 7)
Finalists
- Devon Gibson, 18, hailing from Casuarina, Western Australia
- Aaron Turner, 18, originating from Elizabeth Grove, South Australia
Winner
- Liam McCormick, age 18