Franco Parisi (soccer)

Franco Parisi
Born	(1983-05-03) May 3, 1983 Sydney, Australia
Occupation(s)	Football coach, former professional player
Years active	2000–2022 (player), 2023–present (coach)
Known for	Head Coach of APIA Leichhardt; over 300 appearances for APIA Leichhardt as a player

Franco Parisi (born 3 May 1983) is an Australian football coach and former professional player. He currently serves as the Head Coach of APIA Leichhardt, a club competing in the National Premier Leagues NSW. Widely regarded as a club icon, Parisi amassed over 300 appearances for APIA throughout his playing tenure.

Youth development

Parisi's football journey began at APIA Leichhardt in 1994, where he established a lasting affiliation with the club. In 2000, he spent time with the AIS before moving on to sign with Sydney Olympic.

Sydney Olympic

Making his debut for Sydney Olympic, Parisi scored twice in a match against Canberra Cosmos. After a season abroad at SC Telstar, he returned to Olympic for the 2002–03 campaign. Despite facing injury challenges, he concluded the season strongly and contributed to Olympic securing the Premiership. Subsequently, he transferred to local competitors Sydney United.

Sydney United

During the closing years of the National Soccer League, Parisi represented Sydney United. Although the team found it difficult to convert chances early on, Parisi managed to score his sole league goal in a 3–0 victory over Brisbane Strikers, also winning a penalty for his side.

Newcastle Jets

Parisi signed with the Newcastle Jets for the inaugural season of the A-League. He opened his scoring account in a 4–1 defeat to Perth Glory and later netted the decisive goal in the F3 Derby, securing a 1–0 win for Newcastle.

New Zealand Knights

Parisi had a brief tenure with the New Zealand Knights, appearing once for 14 minutes in a match against his former team Newcastle.

APIA Leichhardt

Seeking increased playing opportunities, Parisi joined APIA Leichhardt in 2007. After several demanding seasons, he reached peak form in 2010, helping APIA advance to the finals by scoring the opening goal in a stage win against Marconi.

On July 7, 2013, Parisi played a pivotal role in APIA’s first domestic cup triumph in over two decades by delivering a man-of-the-match performance that included a goal and two assists during the Waratah Cup. This achievement qualified APIA as one of the inaugural NSW clubs to participate in the newly established FFA Cup.

Throughout the 2015 season, Parisi scored twice in an important 4–4 draw with Blacktown Spartans, earning him Player of the Year accolades. In 2017, he was instrumental in securing APIA’s first premiership league title in three decades by contributing significantly during a 1–1 draw against Manly United. The team progressed to the semi-finals but ultimately fell short, losing the championship final on penalties.

On August 22, 2018, Parisi was key to APIA’s surprising 3–2 victory over Melbourne Victory in the FFA Cup, commending his squad’s depth and skill. Later that year, APIA finished as runners-up again after losing to Sydney Olympic in the Grand Final but captured another Waratah Cup championship.

In 2019, Parisi led APIA through commanding wins over Rockdale and Hakoah before clinching the championship by defeating Sydney United 2–1 after extra time, ending a title drought that had lasted sixteen years.

On December 7, 2021, Parisi featured in APIA’s 2–1 upset against Western Sydney Wanderers during the 2021 FFA Cup. In what would be his final season as a player, he made 25 appearances while APIA finished fifth and reached the finals series before being eliminated by Blacktown City.

International career

Parisi received his initial call-up to the Australian U-20 squad in 2001, making his debut appearance as a substitute during the second half against Japan. Although selected for the 2002 OFC U-20 Championship, he was unable to participate in the group matches due to injury. Once recovered, he featured in both final matches against Fiji, scoring in each game and playing a key role in securing Australia's qualification for the FIFA U-20 World Cup held in the United Arab Emirates. In October 2003, Parisi was included in the Australian U-20 roster for the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship.

Coaching career

Following the conclusion of the 2022 season, Parisi was named Head Coach of APIA, with club icon and former teammate David D'Apuzzo appointed as Assistant Coach.

Honours

Australia U-20

• OFC U-19 Men's Championship: 2002