Mario Ilich

Mario Ilich
Personal information
Full name Mario Jozef Ilich
Date of birth (1995-06-23) 23 June 1995 (age 31)
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Auckland City
Number 2
Youth career
Central United
–2012 Auckland City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2014 Auckland City 3 (0)
2014–2015 Wanderers SC 12 (0)
2015–2016 WaiBOP United 14 (3)
2016 Eastern Suburbs 2 (0)
2017 Auckland City 2 (0)
2017 Central United
2017–2019 Team Wellington 36 (2)
2019 Bentleigh Greens
2019– Auckland City 136 (13)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 9 May 2026

Mario Jozef Ilich (born 23 June 1995) is a semi-professional association football player from New Zealand who plays as a midfielder and captains Auckland City.

Club career

Early career

Growing up in Auckland, Ilich played his youth football for Central United and Auckland City.

Ilich spent time at a number of New Zealand Football Championship clubs, before spending a short spell at Bentleigh Greens in the NPL Victoria.

Auckland City

After leaving Bentleigh Greens, Ilich joined Auckland City, for the third time on 23 September 2019. He has since played in three international FIFA tournaments, the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup, 2023 FIFA Club World Cup, 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

Personal life

Ilich works as a supermarket sales representative for Coca-Cola. Ilich has Croatian roots.

Career statistics

As of match played 9 May 2026

Club

Club Season League National Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Auckland City 2011–12 Premiership 20——0020
2012–13 00——0000
2013–14 10——0000
Total 3000000030
Wanderers SC 2014–15 Premiership 120———120
WaiBOP United 2015–16 Premiership 143———143
Eastern Suburbs 2016–17 Premiership 20———20
Auckland City 2016–17 Premiership 20—10—30
Team Wellington 2017–18 Premiership 180—8120281
2018–19 182—5130262
Total 3620014250554
Auckland City 2019–20 Premiership 141—30—171
2020–21 110——20130
2021 National League 9040——90
2022 National League 203505200255
2023 National League 271304010321
2024 National League 262302110323
2025 National League 225000040265
2026 National League 7 1 — 1 0 — 8 1
Total 136131501236016415
Career total
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Appearance in OFC Champions League
  2. 1 2 Appearances in New Zealand Football Championship play-offs
  3. ↑ Two appearances; one goal in New Zealand Football Championship play-offs; one appearance in FIFA Club World Cup
  4. ↑ Appearance in FIFA Club World Cup
  5. ↑ Appearance in FIFA Intercontinental Cup
  6. ↑ Three appearances in FIFA Club World Cup; one appearance in FIFA Intercontinental Cup

Honours

Auckland City

Individual

References

  1. 1 2 "FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Squad List" (PDF). FIFA. 11 June 2025. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  2. ↑ "Mario Jozef Ilich". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  3. 1 2 Borrowdale, James (14 June 2025). "Auckland City aiming to do amateur football proud in Bayern Munich mismatch". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  4. ↑ "Mario Ilich". Oceania Football Centre. 14 December 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  5. ↑ "The Skipper at the Heart our Club World Cup Journey". Auckland City FC. 30 May 2025. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  6. ↑ "GOOD LUCK SUPER MARIO!!! 💛💛". Central United F.C. 1 June 2025. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  7. ↑ Saltori, Rafael (27 November 2019). "Mario Ilich: the new Auckland City man shares his experiences". Oceania Football Centre. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  8. ↑ "Mario Ilich makes Navy Blues return". Auckland City FC. 23 September 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  9. ↑ "Auckland City confirm Club World Cup squad". Oceania Football Confederation. 27 November 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
  10. ↑ "Mario Ilich - Auckland City Midfielder". ESPN. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  11. ↑ Fleming, Rory (13 June 2025). "Meet the amateur New Zealand team aiming to topple soccer's biggest names at the FIFA Club World Cup". CNN. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  12. ↑ "The amateur New Zealand club with Croatian roots to take on giants at FIFA Club World Cup". croatiaweek.com. 14 June 2025. Retrieved 20 June 2025.
  13. ↑ "Auckland City FC Claim Back-to-Back Dettol National League Championships With Penalty Shootout Win Over Wellington Olympic". New Zealand Football. 13 December 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025 – via Instagram.