Ten years after the greatest day in Adelaide United history, familiar faces returned to Adelaide Oval on Friday to relive the memories of a moment that changed the Club forever.
A decade on from the Reds’ historic 2016 A-League Championship triumph, club legends including Bruce Djite, John Hall, Marcelo Carrusca, Isaías, Eugene Galekovic and current captain Craig Goodwin gathered back where it all happened.
The occasion was more than a reunion.
It was a reminder of what this football club can become when belief, connection and momentum collide.And perhaps most importantly, it was a reminder that another special run could still lie ahead.
Standing once again inside Adelaide Oval, memories came flooding back for Goodwin – a young winger in 2016, now the captain hoping to lead the next generation towards history of their own.
“Obviously, very nice memories being in this stadium again,” Goodwin said. “Probably the greatest day in the club’s history.”
For Goodwin, one moment still stands above the rest.
“Arriving on the team bus and seeing the stadium practically full two hours before kick-off,” he recalled. “That was when it hit how big the magnitude of the game was for this city and for the fans of this club.”
More than 50,000 supporters packed Adelaide Oval that day in 2016, carrying the Reds to a famous 3-1 victory over Western Sydney Wanderers and the club’s first – and still only – Championship.
Now, ten years later, another Finals run is building.
Current Goalkeeper Coach and 2016 captain Eugene Galekovic admitted the similarities between the two squads are impossible to ignore.
“There are definitely similarities,” Galekovic said. “We had experienced players back then, but also young boys who brought enthusiasm and energy. I see that in this group now as well.”
For Galekovic, belief remains the key ingredient.
“The biggest thing is belief,” he said. “We went on a long unbeaten run back then, and this group has done the same thing now. You need everything to fall into place, but belief is what drives it.”
That belief has grown rapidly under Airton Andrioli, with the Reds going undefeated in their final ten matches of the regular season to secure second place, a Semi-Final berth, and an expected return to Asian football.
For Goodwin, the rise of the club’s younger players has been one of the defining stories of the season.
“At the start of the year, we spoke about this being their moment to step up,” he said. “We lost important players, and some boys had been on the edge for a few seasons. This year they’ve stood up.”
The captain believes the standards built throughout the season have helped bridge the inconsistency that can naturally come with youth.
“The attitude, effort and application all year has been fantastic,” he said.
For Galekovic, returning to Adelaide Oval also brought back the emotion of finally delivering the Championship after years of heartbreak.
“The Championship is the one you play for,” he said.
“It was just a massive relief in the end. We always believed we could win it.”
He still remembers the moment Pablo Sánchez scored the goal that effectively sealed the title.
“That was the moment we could finally enjoy it,” he said. “You realised what we had achieved.”
Now, ten years on, the possibility of creating new memories is beginning to feel real again.
Goodwin admitted the current group has spoken about the opportunity in front of them — while also remaining grounded in the challenge ahead.
“Of course we’d love to do it again,” he said. “With a bit of luck, maybe even here again one day. But we have to take it step by step.”
And while the faces may have changed, the dream remains exactly the same.
To bring silverware back to South Australia.
“It could be another special year for the club,” Galekovic said.
