After a 44-game international career with the Socceroos spanning the best part of 10 years, Sydney-born Massimo Luongo called it quits on December 2023.
After once being touted as Australian soccer’s next promising talent, he reflected on his tough decision and what the future holds.
“This hasn’t been a decision I’ve taken lightly, but I’ve got to prioritize my body as my career goes on,” he said in a Football Australia article.
“I’ve loved my journey with the national team and will always cherish the moments I’ve had in this jersey. I look forward to watching on now as this group of young players drive the Socceroos culture forward.”
Luongo’s most notable accolade in the green and gold was featuring in the Socceroos 2014 and 2018 World Cup Squads as well as being a part of the 2015 and 2019 AFC Asian Cup squads.
The Socceroos won the Asian Cup in 2015 where Luongo was also honoured as the player of the tournament.
As a result of the impressive campaign, Luongo who was 22 years old at the time earned himself a shock Ballon D’or nomination, capping off his tremendous rise to date.
In the same FA article, Socceroos coach Graham Arnold reflected warmly on Luongo’s decision stating: “After a tough period of injuries, we were just so pleased to see him fit again and settled in a club where he’s enjoying his football and playing well”.
(Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
He has had a long injury history ranging from severe hamstrings to concussions. The setbacks have impacted Luongo heavily and the midfielder has let his frustration be known.
“It’s been horrible and so frustrating. I’ve had a succession of impact injuries.
“It wasn’t anything to do with my professionalism or anything like that, they were just unlucky injuries.”
With an injury record like that, there was always major doubt whether Luongo’s aging body could handle the additional rigours of international football.
In the end, the tough but ultimately right decision seems to have been made which has worked out for the best.
Despite leaving the international fray, Luongo still visibly has a lot of football left in him and is capturing his form along with his love of the game again.
The 23/24 season was the first time since 2018 that Luongo had managed to play more than 40 games in a season for Ipswich Town.
Now fully focused on getting the best out of himself in a settled club environment without international commitments, we may well start to see the best of Massimo again.
The midfielder was vital in Ipswich’s 23/24 Championship campaign, helping the club secure automatic promotion to the Premier League for this coming season.
Luongo played 43 games in the league, starting in 37, and slotted three goals – and was back to his creative best, completing 27 dribbles, creating 36 chances, but most impressively, conjuring up 37 shots from midfield placing him in the top 15% of all midfielders in the Championship.
(Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
His double-pivot midfield partnership with 32-year-old Sam Morsy allowed Ipswich’s attacking system to operate with the pair providing stability and control.
The 24/25 Premier League season will be the first season Luongo has played in England’s top flight despite the Australian spending most of his career in England.
Luongo was part of Tottenham Hotspur’s setup at the beginning of his career but never managed a first-team birth.
He then continued treading in League One, League Two, and the Championship in the hopes of realizing his dream of one day playing in the Premier League.
Now the journeyman has finally seen that chance come to fruition.
Ipswich have not been in England’s top flight since 2002 and their welcome back will be nothing short of warm.
The Tractor Boys will host Liverpool at Portman Road where they will have an uphill task in keeping out Arnie Slot’s Liverpool.
Luongo will have to find his feet quickly again as the challenge of going up against Liverpool’s world-class engine room which includes the likes of Alexis McAllister and Dominik Szoboslai awaits.
But the 31-year-old Luongo will be feeling good about himself after a quality run of games to end the Championship season.
Luongo had an impressive last month of Ipswich’s Championship campaign, maintaining a FotMOB rating of higher than 7.0 which included a performance where the midfielder netted a crucial goal against Middlesbrough to earn Ipswich a point.
The revitalized Australian will be backing himself to have a big preseason to carry on his good form into an exciting new challenge.
Ipswich’s first pre-season friendly will take place on August 2nd away against Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach.
They will then play two more friendlies against Hoffenheim and Nice before their Premier League season commences on August 17.
The much-loved Socceroo’s premature retirement from the international stage after a long absence from the national team would have shocked many but you can see why it was the most correct and sensible decision.
The resurgent Luongo heads into a historic Premier League campaign with arguably his best form since 2015.
If his run of clean health continues, there is no reason why his contributions can’t help Ipswich not only survive in the Premier League but also strive under exciting manager Kieran McKenna.