 Santalab withWestern Sydney Wanderers in 2013 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Brendon James Santalab | ||
| Date of birth | (1982-09-09)9 September 1982 (age 43) | ||
| Place of birth | Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[1][2] | ||
| Position(s) | Left winger,forward[2] | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | FC Strathmore | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Unanderra Hearts | |||
| South Coast United | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2000–2001 | Parramatta Power | 8 | (1) |
| 2001–2003 | Sydney United | 28 | (7) |
| 2003 | Geylang United | 22 | (23) |
| 2003–2004 | Sydney United | 14 | (5) |
| 2004–2005 | Oostende | 22 | (3) |
| 2005–2006 | Sint-Truiden | 9 | (0) |
| 2006–2007 | →Újpest FC (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2007–2009 | Sydney FC | 23 | (4) |
| 2009 | North Queensland Fury | 0 | (0) |
| 2009–2011 | Chengdu Blades | 40 | (18) |
| 2012–2013 | Chongqing Lifan | 35 | (15) |
| 2013–2018 | Western Sydney Wanderers | 97 | (35) |
| 2018–2019 | Perth Glory | 18 | (2) |
| 2019 | Dandenong City | 13 | (8) |
| 2020 | Caroline Springs George Cross | 0 | (0) |
| 2021– | FC Strathmore | 19 | (6) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 5 December 2022 | |||
Brendon James Santalab (Croatian:Šantalab; born 9 September 1982) is an Australian professionalsoccer player who plays as astriker forVictorian State League Division 1 sideFC Strathmore.
Santalab originally started out as an apprentice atParramatta Power before moving toSydney United under the tutelage ofBranko Culina. At the end of the2003–04 National Soccer League season, he moved toK.V. Oostende in theBelgian First Division. After a brief stint, he moved to another Belgian First Division club,Sint-Truidense V.V. before moving to Hungary for a six-month period withÚjpest FC. On 23 June 2007, Santalab was signed byA-League clubSydney FC on a two-year contract, thus reuniting him with Branko Culina.[citation needed]
Santalab made 23 appearances for Sydney FC between 2007 and 2009, scoring four goals. During a game againstAdelaide United, Santalab scored a goal from outside the box, that curled into the top corner – a goal that was later ruled the 2007–08 season A-League goal of the year.[3] He scored another goal against Adelaide in the 2008–09 season at theSydney Football Stadium, when he took a shot from 35 metres out, that slammed into the top corner. Sydney won the match 3–0. His fourth goal came during Sydney's 2–1 upset loss againstPerth Glory.[citation needed]
On 14 November 2008, it was announced that Santalab had signed a two-year contract with then-newA-League side theNorth Queensland Fury for the 2009–10 season. It was announced by North Queensland, thatChinese Super League clubChengdu Blades may make an offer to him, before the start of the season.[4] North Queensland accepted an offer from Chengdu on 21 July.[5] He scored 9 goals during his 12 appearances with theChengdu Blades.[citation needed]
In 2012, Santalab signed withChongqing Lifan for one season before signing with theA-LeagueWestern Sydney Wanderers.[6]
Santalab scored his first goal for Western Sydney Wanderers in the 7th round of the2013–14 A-League season, losing toBrisbane Roar 3–1 atSuncorp Stadium.[citation needed]
On 14 May 2014, in the Asian Champions League game againstSanfrecce Hiroshima with 5 minutes to go, Santalab scored the equalising goal that sent Western Sydney Wanderers into the quarter finals of theAFC Champions League.[7]
In the 16th round of the2014–15 A-League season during a home game atPenrith Stadium againstWellington Phoenix, Santalab scored the second goal in a 2–0 win for his first of the season.[citation needed]
During Santalab's five seasons with the Western Sydney Wanderers he was awarded the Western Sydney Wanderers Player of the Year in the 2016/17 and received two of the Club's Golden Boot Awards in 2015/16 and 2016/17. He is also the Western Sydney Wanderers highest goal scorer of all time.[citation needed]
In June 2018, Santalab signed a one-year deal with Perth Glory, reuniting with former coach and mentor, Tony Popovic.[8] Santalab won the minor premiership with the Glory, but missed a penalty in the shoot-out in the2019 A-League Grand Final and subsequently lost the final.[citation needed]
In May 2019, Santalab signed for semi-professional sideDandenong City who compete in theNational Premier Leagues Victoria.[9] When he joined City, they were in 13th place. Santalab ended the season with 8 goals in 13 games,[10] propelling the club to 7th place.[11]
In September 2019,Caroline Springs George Cross FC announced that Santalab would be joining the club for the 2020 season, also appointing him as the "Commercial & Football Sales Manager".[12]