Steven Lustica
Steven Lustica | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 12, 1991 Australia |
| Occupation | Professional soccer player |
| Known for | Central midfielder in soccer |
Steven Lustica (; born 12 April 1991) is an Australian professional soccer player who operates primarily as a central midfielder.
Gold Coast
Lustica joined Gold Coast United on 24 April 2009, having caught the attention of assistant coach Paul Okon during his tenure as under-18s coach at the Australian Olympic Youth Festival.
He made his first senior appearance on 19 September 2009, entering the match as a substitute in the 88th minute against Central Coast Mariners.
Hajduk Split
On 8 June 2011, Lustica secured a four-year deal with Croatian side Hajduk Split. He made his debut in a friendly against F.C. Barcelona on 23 July 2011 and played his first league match in the Prva HNL on 13 August 2011 versus NK Istra, where he provided an assist contributing to a 3–0 away victory. Lustica scored his inaugural goal for Hajduk on 5 June 2011 in a standout performance against NK Varazdin, also registering an assist and earning man of the match honors.
Dugopolje (loan)
On 25 January 2012, Lustica was loaned out to Croatian second division club NK Dugopolje for the remainder of the 2011–12 season. During his loan spell, he appeared in ten matches, netted one goal, and played a key role in Dugopolje’s promotion to the top tier by clinching the 2. HNL title by a single point over NK Pomorac Kostrena. Following the campaign, Lustica returned to Hajduk Split.
Brisbane Roar (loan)
Lustica was loaned to Australian A-League outfit Brisbane Roar on 26 January 2013 until the conclusion of the 2012–13 A-League season. Reuniting with former coach Mike Mulvey, he was instrumental in Brisbane’s resurgence, helping them lose only two of their last ten regular-season games and secure a spot in the Finals after a slow start. Although Brisbane expressed interest in extending his stay, Hajduk Split opted not to release him, leading to his return to Croatia in June 2013. Over his loan tenure, Lustica scored twice across twelve appearances.
Adelaide United
In September 2013, Hajduk Split consented to release Lustica, enabling him to sign a one-year contract with Adelaide United for the 2013–14 season. His performances earned him recognition, including selection in the Team of the Week during Round 13.
Departure from Adelaide United
Lustica’s spell at Adelaide was short-lived. On 29 January 2014, he sought early termination of his contract to rejoin Brisbane Roar. Despite ongoing negotiations for a contract extension and reports of a preliminary agreement, no formal deal materialized. While Brisbane was eager to acquire him immediately, Adelaide initially declined. After Lustica failed to attend training sessions, coach Josep Gombau publicly stated that he was no longer welcome at the club. Subsequently, Lustica’s contract was terminated on 2 February 2014.
Return to Brisbane Roar
Lustica re-signed with Brisbane Roar on 4 February 2014, committing until the end of the 2015–16 season. He marked his return by scoring against Newcastle Jets in a commanding 4–0 victory and made significant contributions throughout the campaign, including recording a hat-trick in a dominant 6–1 win over Central Coast Mariners. In that season, Lustica featured in 25 matches, scoring five goals and assisting twice.
He kicked off the following season by scoring in a 2–1 triumph over Wellington Phoenix. Brisbane Roar extended a new contract offer to him in December 2015.
Western Sydney Wanderers
On 23 May 2016, Lustica committed to a two-year deal with the Western Sydney Wanderers. This adaptable midfielder is particularly recognized for his striking goal against the English Premier League club Arsenal in July 2017. After making 35 appearances in all competitions, Lustica left the club on 30 June 2018 to explore opportunities back in Europe.
Inter Zaprešić
Following his departure from Western Sydney Wanderers in June 2018, Lustica signed with Croatian side Inter Zaprešić in July of the same year. He opted against accepting an offer from Romanian top-division team FC Botoșani.
Personal life
Lustica possesses Croat ancestry and is related to former Hajduk Split player Slavko Luštica, who was a cousin of his grandfather Božidar.
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Gold Coast United | 2009–10 | A-League | 2 | 0 | – | – | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2010–11 | A-League | 2 | 0 | – | – | 2 | 0 | |||
| Total | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Hajduk Split | 2011–12 | Croatian First Football League | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| 2012–13 | Croatian First Football League | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2013–14 | Croatian First Football League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| Total | 22 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 27 | 1 | ||
| Dugopolje (loan) | 2011–12 | Croatian Second Football League | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 | 1 | |
| Brisbane Roar (loan) | 2012–13 | A-League | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 2 |
| Adelaide United | 2013–14 | A-League | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | 15 | 1 | |
| Brisbane Roar | 2013–14 | A-League | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 | 0 | |
| 2014–15 | A-League | 22 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 5 | |
| 2015–16 | A-League | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | 22 | 1 | ||
| Total | 54 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 57 | 6 | ||
| Western Sydney Wanderers | 2016–17 | A-League | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 2 |
| 2017–18 | A-League
16 || 0 || 2 || 1 || colspan="2" | – || 18 || 1 | |||||||||
| Total | 23 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 30 | 3 | ||
| NK Inter Zaprešić | 2018–19 | Croatian First Football League | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 9 | 0 | |
| FC Qizilqum Zarafshon | 2019 | Uzbekistan Super League | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | 14 | 1 | |
| Western United | 2019–20 | A-League | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 | 1 | |
| 2020–21 | A-League | 20 | 1 | – | – | 20 | 1 | |||
| 2021–22 | A-League Men | 26 | 5 | 2 | 0 | – | 28 | 5 | ||
| 2022–23 | A-League Men | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 15 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24 | A-League Men | 15 | 0 | – | – | 15 | 0 | |||
| Total | 84 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 88 | 7 | ||
| Career total | 225 | 20 | 17 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 248 | 22 | ||
Player
Sydney FC Youth
- National Youth League Premiership and Championship: 2008–09
Gold Coast Youth
- National Youth League Championship titles: 2009–10, 2010–11
- National Youth League Premiership title: 2010–11
Dugopolje
- Croatian Second Football League winner: 2011–12
Brisbane Roar
- A-League Premiership and Championship: 2013–14
Western United
- A-League Men Championship: 2021–22
Australia U-20
- AFC U-20 Asian Cup runner-up position: 2010
- AFF U-19 Youth Championship winner: 2010
Individual
- National Youth League Player of the Season award: 2010–11