Paul Wade OAM

Paul Wade OAM, known simply as Wadey, captained his country through a ten-year international career of 118 games. In 1993, he drew the toughest job in world football: marking Diego Maradona across both legs of Australia's play-off with Argentina. Born in Cheshire and in Australia from the age of 11, Wadey played his entire club career at home, with Green Gully, Brunswick Juventus, South Melbourne, Heidelberg United and Canberra Cosmos. He was NSL Player of the Year in 1988 and won a championship under Ferenc Puskás at South Melbourne.

Wadey's commentated for all the major Australian networks, and through Paul Wade Life Skills he speaks in schools, sporting clubs and workplaces across the country. He's an active supporter of Epilepsy Action Australia and Patron of CPISRA. In 2026, he shared his diagnosis of probable CTE, speaking publicly to raise awareness of concussion and brain health, and to see heading rules changed for young players.

This channel is an archive of his career.