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Marco Tilio

From Alfawiki
Marco Tilio
Born (2001-08-23) August 23, 2001 (age 25)
Hurstville, Sydney, Australia
OccupationProfessional soccer player
Known forWinger for Celtic and Australia national team

Marco Tilio (born 23 August 2001) is a professional Australian soccer player who operates as a winger. He currently represents Scottish Premiership side Celtic and is also a member of the Australia national team.

Early life

Tilio entered the world on 23 August 2001 in Hurstville, located in Southern Sydney. His parents are Michael and Melina Tilio. Soon after birth, he was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis, necessitating a month-long hospitalization. At just six weeks old, he was admitted again due to hydrocephalus and remained under neurosurgical supervision until his first birthday.

At age six, Tilio began his football journey by joining Enfield Rovers in the junior leagues. He subsequently transferred to Leichhardt Saints before becoming part of the youth setup at APIA Leichhardt, advancing from junior levels to their NPL youth squad in 2011. Following this, he moved on to Sydney Olympic and eventually earned a chance with his local professional club, Sydney FC.

2018–2020: Youth

Tilio became part of Sydney FC in October 2015 and signed his initial professional contract—a one-year scholarship deal—on 11 September 2018. He debuted in the National Premier Leagues NSW (NPL) senior competition on 10 March 2019, opening the scoring in a 2–1 victory over Hakoah Sydney City East FC. On 7 July, he netted two goals within a two-minute span to help secure a 3–1 win against Rockdale Ilinden FC. His performances contributed significantly to Sydney FC retaining their NPL status for the 2020 season following an important triumph over Sydney United 58 FC.

In November 2019, Tilio was selected for the Sydney FC Youth roster competing in the 2019–20 Foxtel Youth League. During this tournament, he recorded a hat-trick during an 8–3 win against Newcastle Jets FC Youth. In the final match, he scored twice as Sydney FC Youth defeated Melbourne Victory FC Youth 5–1 to claim the championship. Tilio concluded the league as the top scorer, earning the Golden Boot with a total of 11 goals.

2019–2020: Senior

Tilio made his professional debut on 21 May 2019 during an AFC Champions League fixture, which ended in a 4–0 defeat to Kawasaki Frontale at Jubilee Stadium. In September, he was elevated to Sydney FC’s senior squad alongside teammates Ryan Teague and Harry Van der Saag ahead of the 2019–20 A-League campaign. Veteran player Adam Le Fondre characterized Tilio’s early senior experiences as “a rollercoaster,” reflecting common challenges faced by emerging talents.

On 23 February 2020, Tilio marked his debut in the A-League by scoring a goal that contributed to a 3–1 victory over Central Coast Mariners, helping extend Sydney FC’s lead atop the league standings. After making six appearances and scoring once, he chose to leave Sydney FC on 7 September 2020 in pursuit of more regular playing time, turning down a contract extension proposed by coach Steve Corica.

Melbourne City

On 21 September 2020, Tilio secured a three-year contract with Melbourne City, promising increased opportunities within their first team. He was assigned jersey number 23 for the postponed 2020–21 A-League season, which began in early 2021 due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020–21: Achieving the Double

After Adrián Luna was suspended and Andrew Nabbout suffered an injury, Tilio made his first appearance for Melbourne City on 3 January 2021 against Adelaide United. On 5 April, he netted his inaugural goal just three minutes after entering as a substitute, securing a 3–2 victory over Wellington Phoenix. During his debut Melbourne Derby on 17 April, Tilio assisted twice and earned a penalty, playing a key role in Jamie Maclaren’s sixth league hat-trick as City triumphed 7–0—matching the record for the largest A-League win and leading to the resignation of Melbourne Victory’s coach Grant Brebner.

With Nabbout sidelined due to injury, Tilio gained increased opportunities in the starting lineup. On 22 May, he set up the decisive goal against Central Coast Mariners, helping Melbourne City claim their inaugural A-League Premiership Plate. He wrapped up the regular season with one goal and four assists in 20 appearances, starting eight times. In the A-League semi-final on 20 June, Tilio both assisted and scored twice in a 2–0 victory over Macarthur FC.

During the 2021 Grand Final, Tilio garnered media praise for an exceptional display of ball control that sustained Melbourne City’s offensive momentum. His efforts contributed to City’s 3–1 win over Sydney FC, securing their first-ever A-League Championship. He received the club’s Rising Star award and was nominated alongside teammate Connor Metcalfe for the Harry Kewell Medal.

2021–22: Consecutive Premiership Titles

On 20 October 2021, Tilio extended his contract with Melbourne City for two more years, committing until the 2023–24 season. Early in the campaign, his impact was limited, including an early penalty miss during an FFA Cup fixture against Hume City. Although substituted in some matches, he retained a starting role before the Christmas break and provided an assist in a 2–2 draw during the Melbourne Derby on 18 December.

Melbourne City exited the FFA Cup quarter-finals on 5 January 2022 following a penalty shootout defeat to Wellington Phoenix; Tilio missed the decisive spot-kick. Four days later, he scored his first goal of the season in a thrilling 3–3 draw with Western Sydney Wanderers. After returning from international duty, on 18 February he contributed two assists in a 3–0 victory over Newcastle, helping Melbourne City ascend to first place on the table. In the subsequent match versus Central Coast Mariners, Tilio was involved in a contentious VAR decision awarding City a penalty; he later scored the winning goal in a narrow 3–2 triumph. Football Australia later acknowledged officiating errors influenced the result.

On 2 April, coming off the bench, Tilio scored twice in a commanding 6–0 win against Wellington. On 18 April, he recorded two goals during his second appearance in the AFC Champions League, securing Melbourne City’s maiden continental competition victory with a 3–0 success over United City. He repeated this achievement on 30 April in his 50th match for City by scoring another brace in a similar 3–0 away win; nevertheless, despite an undefeated group stage run, the team narrowly missed progression to the knockout rounds.

Following his leadership in guiding City to their second successive Premiership,[1] Tilio scored an equaliser in the second leg of the semi-final against Adelaide United, pushing the match into extra time where Jamie Maclaren secured victory and a Grand Final spot against Western United. He participated in the final where Melbourne City fell 2–0 at AAMI Park before an audience of 22,495. Concluding his second breakout year under coach Patrick Kisnorbo, Tilio amassed eight goals and eight assists across all competitions. He received a second nomination for the Harry Kewell Medal but was bested by Toulouse midfielder Denis Genreau.

2022–23: Third successive championship

At the start of the 2022–23 A-League season, Tilio was left on the bench for Melbourne City's opening match against Western United. Coach Kisnorbo highlighted that representing the Socceroos did not automatically ensure playing time, emphasizing that Tilio needed to prove his worth. This approach continued in the following fixture versus Brisbane Roar, where Tilio only appeared as a late substitute after a teammate received a red card. Kisnorbo defended these tactical choices, focusing on team strategy and overall performance. Due to limited minutes in league play, his chances of World Cup selection were described as "hanging by a thread," though teammate Leckie urged him to maintain focus and continue working diligently.

In the subsequent three games, Tilio found the net against Wellington Phoenix and Perth Glory, helping secure a 2–2 draw and a commanding 4–0 victory. Although initially excluded from the final World Cup roster in November, he was called up a few days later. On 7 January 2023, Tilio earned Man of the Match recognition by scoring a solo goal and assisting Maclaren during a 4–0 triumph over Western United. He replicated this influence on 25 February against Sydney FC by scoring from distance and providing two assists in a 3–2 win. By March, having accumulated five goals and several assists, Tilio revealed his ambition to explore opportunities in European football following the season’s conclusion.

On 10 April, he netted twice in a 4–0 victory over Wellington Phoenix, further extending Melbourne City's lead atop the standings. In the final round on 28 April, Tilio again scored twice—including a decisive goal in the 93rd minute—to complete a 3–2 comeback against Western Sydney Wanderers, securing City’s third consecutive Premiership Plate, an unprecedented achievement in the league’s history. Additionally, he became the first player in A-League Men history to claim four consecutive titles, having previously won with Sydney FC during the 2019–20 season. His performances earned him an April nomination for Young Footballer of the Year.

During the semi-final, Tilio scored his 20th goal for Melbourne City in a 4–0 win (5–1 aggregate) over Sydney FC. His final appearance for City came on 3 June in the 6–1 Grand Final defeat to Central Coast Mariners at CommBank Stadium.

Celtic

On 30 June 2023, Tilio secured a five-year deal with Scottish club Celtic, completing a transfer reportedly exceeding £1.5 million.[2]

Melbourne City loan

On 1 February 2024, Tilio returned to the A-League Men on loan at Melbourne City for the remainder of the 2023–24 season.[3]

International career

Tilio’s international journey began with the Young Socceroos in 2019 when he competed in the 2019 AFF U-18 Youth Championship. At only 17 years old, he scored three goals in one match against Vietnam U-20s during the group phase.

On 22 July 2021, Tilio netted his inaugural goal for the Olyroos shortly after being substituted on in a 2–0 victory against Argentina.

Following Martin Boyle’s injury withdrawal, Tilio was named to Australia’s squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup on 20 November 2022.

Club

Appearances and goals categorized by club, season, and competition
Club Season League Domestic cup International Other competitions Overall
Division Appearances Goals Appearances Goals Appearances Goals Appearances Goals Appearances Goals
Sydney FC NPL 2019 National Premier Leagues NSW 16 5 — — — 16 5
Sydney FC 2018–19 A-League 0 0 0 0 1 0 — 1 0
2019–20 A-League 3 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 5 1
Total 3 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 6 1
Melbourne City 2020–21 A-League 22 2 — — — 22 2
2021–22 A-League Men 25 5 3 0 5 3 — 33 8
2022–23 A-League Men 29 10 2 0 — — 31 10
Total 76 17 5 0 5 3 — 86 20
Melbourne City NPL 2021 Victoria Premier League 2 2 1 — — — 2 1
Celtic 2023–24 Scottish Premiership 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Melbourne City (loan) 2023–24 A-League Men 4 1 — — — 4 1
2024–25 A-League Men 19 5 1 0 — — 20 5
Total 23 6 1 0 — — 24 6
Career aggregate 122 30 6 0 8 3 0 0 136 33

Honours

Melbourne City

Sydney FC

Celtic

Australia U20

Individual

External links

  1. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  2. ↑ This fee set a new record for an A-League player transfer, surpassing teammate Jordan Bos’s earlier mark that same month.
  3. ↑ His loan was extended by Melbourne City on 4 July for the subsequent campaign.
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