Revealed: The VERY surprising job Aussie soccer legend Mark Viduka is doing in retirement – as his controversial quip about his wife resurfaces
- Mark Viduka is one of Australia’s best footballers ever
- Blonde out in Croatia, Scotland and the English Premier League
- ‘Dukes’ now runs a café in Zagreb, Croatia, with his wife
Australian football legend Mark Viduka is bucking the trend when it comes to his chosen line of work following his impressive playing career – and he couldn’t be happier making coffee for a living.
Viduka, 49, is one of the country’s most decorated stars after a journey that saw him play for the likes of Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia, Scottish giants Celtic, plus Leeds United, Middlesbrough and Newcastle United in the Premier League.
The striker also has 43 Socceroos caps to his name, including being named captain at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where Australia lost to eventual champions Italy in the round of 16.
After hanging up his boots in 2009, he became a father to three boys – eventually moving to Croatia and buying a coffee shop in Zagreb – where, he jokes, “my wife does all the work.”
To this day, Viduka prides himself on being a laid-back Australian who likes to stay out of the spotlight.
‘I wasn’t obsessed with fame at all. I didn’t like it. I still don’t. I wasn’t obsessed with money, that was a byproduct,” he said in a 2021 interview with the Daily Mail.
Australian football legend Mark Viduka (pictured) is bucking the trend when it comes to post-retirement jobs – and he couldn’t be happier in the coffee shop he owns with his wife
Viduka, 49, is one of the country’s most decorated stars after a journey that saw him play for the likes of Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia, Scottish giants Celtic and Leeds United (pictured), Middlesbrough and Newcastle United in the Premier League.
Viduka also captained the Socceroos at the 2006 World Cup where they lost to eventual champions Italy
“You’ve seen what football is like, a lot of dishonest people trying to bully you. But I always tried to stay true to myself.
“Maybe that’s why there’s this negative perception, because I didn’t conform. I was born and raised in Australia, but my parents were Croatian.
‘I have that Australian tolerance, but I also have my Croatian side, I stick to my position when I believe in something. It’s about being honest with yourself.
“Many players love fans, coaches, journalists and everyone loves them. But what kind of people are they if you remove all the nonsense? Are they good people or are they just playing the game?’
Former Wimbledon champion and Croatian sports hero Goran Ivanisevic is one of the regulars at Viduka’s Non Plus Ultra café, which means No Higher Point.
After 269 goals in his professional career, the highlights are endless, but Viduka is often recalled to one match: November 2000, Leeds against Liverpool at Elland Road.
Viduka scored all four goals for the home side in a 4-3 thriller – and more than twenty years later the side were still stunned by the result.
‘I didn’t play very well. A few bad touches, a bad hold-up, that sticks in your mind,” he recalled.
Former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic is a regular customer at Viduka’s coffee shop in Zagreb
After Leeds, Viduka had spells at Middlesbrough (pictured) and their rivals Newcastle United in the Premier League
“I had four shots that day and scored four goals. How often does that happen?’
‘Dukes’, who found fame as a teenager with Melbourne Knights in Australia’s now defunct National Soccer League (NSL), is also happily retired.
‘Everyone has their time. I’ve had mine. I’m fine with that. I enjoy the peace and quiet,” he said.
‘I’m glad I’m anonymous now.’