Ben Kantarovski
Kantarovski playing for Newcastle Jets in 2010
Personal information
Full name Benjamin Kantarovski[1]
Date of birth (1992-01-20) 20 January 1992
Place of birth Newcastle, Australia
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Central midfielder
Youth career
2004–2006 Broadmeadow Magic
2006–2007 NSWIS
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2022 Newcastle Jets 196 (9)
International career‡
2007–2008 Australia U17 12 (3)
2008–2011 Australia U20 25 (2)
2012 Australia U23 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 09:21, 16 November 2019 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 November 2014

Benjamin Kantarovski (Macedonian: Бенјамин Кантаровски) (born 20 January 1992) is a former Australian professional soccer player who played for the Newcastle Jets as a midfielder. Ben is the older brother of former Newcastle Jets FC player Michael Kantarovski.

Club career

Newcastle Jets

Kantarovski was signed to a four-year contract by the Newcastle Jets in January 2008 while attending Lambton High School at only 15 years of age, making him the youngest player in A-League history to sign a full-time A-League contract, and one of the youngest players in world football to do so.[2] He made his A-League debut in Round 1 of the 2008–09 season against the Central Coast Mariners playing as a defender. He was only 16 years and 208 days old making him at the time, the youngest player in A-League history. Kantarovski has since played in many different positions for the Newcastle Jets, including all positions across the defence, and all positions across the midfield, most commonly his preferred holding midfielder role.[3] Kantarovski was named the Newcastle Jets Player of the Season in his debut year, despite only playing a handful of games.[4]

Kantarovski has already attracted the interest of one of the powerhouses of German, European and world football, Bayern Munich. Kantarovski spent a week trialling with the Bundesliga club in April, 2009. At the conclusion of this trial, it appeared Bayern's interest in Kantarovski only grew, making it increasingly likely that Kantarovski would depart the A-League for Bayern once he reached the age of 18, FIFA's minimum age for a football player to play for a foreign club.[5] After turning 18, Kantarovski opted to turn down an offer to join Bayern Munich's youth system. He did so after receiving the Kimon Taliadoros scholarship for his educational achievements.

On 12 November 2010, Kantarovski signed a 3-year contract extension keeping him at the Jets until the end of the 2013.[6] He scored his first goal for the club with a header against Brisbane Roar in a 1–1 at EnergyAustralia Stadium on 17 November 2010.

Although contracted until June 2022, Kantarovski has not featured for the Jets in the A-league since the 2019/2020 season due to ongoing injury. During this extended injury period, Kantarovski has been studying a Bachelor of Psychology at Newcastle University.

International career

Kantarovski has represented Australia's under-17 team on 12 occasions, scoring 3 times.[7] In 2009, he represented the under-20 team at the Under-20 World Cup as the youngest player in the squad, being a mere 17 years of age, starting in all of their group games, playing as a midfielder in the first game, before being shifted in to the heart of defence. Despite suffering from a knee injury that would eventually sideline him for 6 months, Kantarovski played for Young Socceroos throughout their World Cup campaign, and was a clear standout, named by many as the Socceroo's top player.

Kantarovski was called up by Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek into the Socceroos squad to play Kuwait in the AFC Asian Cup qualifying game against Kuwait, as well as inviting Ben to a training camp with the Socceroos squad.

Kantarovski was selected by Young Socceroos coach Jan Verslejen to captain the Young Socceroos despite being one of the youngest players in the squad. Verslejen cited Kantarovski's A-League and AFC Champions League experience, as well as being a member of the Young Socceroos Under-20 World Cup campaign as three big reasons for his appointment as captain. He also captained the Young Socceroos to victory in the 2010 Asean Football Federation Under-19 Championship, after their 1–0 win in the final against Thailand.

On 27 January 2012 he was selected to play for the Australia Olympic football team against Uzbekistan national under-23 football team and United Arab Emirates national under-23 football team.[8] Kantarovski made his debut for the Australia Olympic football team in the London 2012 Olympic Qualifier against the United Arab Emirates at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium on 22 February 2012.

Career statistics

As of 10 November 2021
Club Season League1 Cup Asia2 Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Newcastle Jets 2008–09 A-League 1301060200
2009–10 160––––160
2010–11 151––––151
2011–12 220––––220
2012–13 40––––40
2013–14 180––––180
2014–15 18010––190
2015–16 22210––232
2016–17 12010––130
2017–18 22510––235
2018–19 1811020211
2019–20 1600000160
2020-21 00----00
2021-22 0000--00
Total 19696080 2109

1 - includes A-League final series statistics
 2 - AFC Champions League statistics are included in season ending during group stages (i.e. ACL 2009 and A-League season 2008–09 etc.)

Honours

Country

Australia:

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "FIFA U-20 World Cup Egypt 2009™: List of Players: Australia" (PDF). FIFA. 6 October 2009. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 October 2009.
  2. ↑ Gardiner, James (14 January 2008). "Kantarovski grounded as record-breaking early take-off with Jets looms after four-year deal". The Herald. Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2008.
  3. ↑ Dillon, Robert (16 August 2008). "Joel to rescue: Griffiths snatches a point with late penalty for Jets". The Newcastle Herald. Archived from the original on 24 July 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2008.
  4. ↑ Newcastle starlet Kantarovski trial Bayern Munich Archived 26 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ Newcastle starlet Kantarovski trial Bayern Munich Archived 26 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ Kantrovski battles back from adversity
  7. ↑ Joeys Squad Named
  8. ↑ Amini into Under 23s squad as Antonis ruled out
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