Vince Grella

Italy

Grella had a ten-year stint in Italy's professional leagues after beginning his career in the NSL. He has been a regular for Australia since 2003, playing in his customary defensive midfield position, and was involved in both the 2006 World Cup and the 2007 Asian Cup. Grella's friendship with Australian teammate Mark Bresciano is well known. Grella has described Bresciano as "even more than a brother"; they played together at the AIS, Carlton and Empoli, and were reunited in 2004 when Grella joined Parma, before Bresciano moved on to Palermo in 2006. Aged 19, Grella made his debut in Serie A with Empoli, in a match against Juventus at the Stadio Delle Alpi, where his first job was to mark Zinedine Zidane. (Empoli held Juventus to a 0–0 draw.) Grella built up his reputation in Italy during his time with Empoli, to overcome initial doubts about his suitability to Serie A and earn the respect of the Italian media, coaches and fellow players. Grella was widely linked with a move to A.C. Milan in 2003, although the proposed transfer never eventuated, and he moved to Parma a year later. While at Parma, both Grella and Bresciano were excused from the 2005 Confederations Cup by the then-Australian manager Frank Farina to allow the pair to take part in a relegation playoff between Parma and Bologna–which Parma won, to avoid relegation. Grella was named as captain of Parma for the 2006–07 season, and played a key role helping the team avoid relegation from Serie A for a…

Grella was a regular member of the Socceroos; he represented the Australian Under-23s at the 2000 Summer Olympics and received his first senior cap when he came on as a second-half substitute in the international friendly against England in 2003, which Australia won 3–1 at West Ham's Upton Park stadium. In November 2005, Grella played in both legs of the World Cup play-off against Uruguay, where Australia qualified for the 2006 World Cup for the first time in 32 years. At the World Cup, Grella's displays in the heart of Australia's midfield saw him named in a preliminary squad for FIFA's team of the tournament, the only Australian to make this list. On 13 November 2006, Grella was selected as captain for an international friendly in London against Ghana, making him the 51st player to captain the Australia football team. On 21 July 2007 in Hanoi, Vietnam, Grella was sent off in the 76th minute of Australia's 2007 Asian Cup quarter-final against Japan. Leaping for a header, Grella's forearm connected with Naohiro Takahara's head, who had come from behind Grella, sending the latter to the ground. The game was 1–1 at the time and remained that way until the end of extra time, with Japan eliminating Australia from the tournament in a penalty shoot-out. He has currently amassed 46 caps for Australia since making his debut back in February 2003.

In July 2022, Grella moved back to Italy, after being named vice-president and CEO of Sicilian Serie C club Catania following the club's rebirth under an Australian ownership with Pelligra Group. In February 2024, it was announced that Pelligra Group had purchased Australian club Perth Glory. Grella was a key figure in the sale and will play a role in running the club.

Grella was born in Dandenong to Italian immigrants, Antonio and Maria.