Central Coast Mariners are pleased to announce the signing of 24-year-old defender Kristian Popovic ahead of the Isuzu UTE A-League 2026/27 season.
The former Perth Glory and Macarthur man arrives on the Central Coast with valuable A-League experience and will add quality and versatility to the Mariners’ squad ahead of the new campaign.
Capable of playing in central defence as well as in midfield, Popovic’s versatility has always been a strength of his, developing with the likes of Sydney United 58, Western Sydney Wanderers and Perth Glory in his youth days, as well as representing Australia up to U23 level.
Despite his young age, Kristian brings a lot of footballing experience – after debuting in the A-League Men for Perth in 2019, he went on to play 19 times for the Glory before heading to Europe, spending three seasons in Greece and Croatia, respectively, before returning to Australia to sign for Macarthur in 2023.
With the Bulls, Kristian made 16 appearances, becoming a popular figure on and off the field in Campbelltown with his quality and hard work on the pitch matched by his willingness to engage with fans and the community, traits that are sure to make him popular again with the Mariners Family.
After signing with the Mariners, Popovic said this is the best place for him at this stage of his
“I’m very excited for this next challenge in my career.”
“The Mariners is the perfect club for me at this stage of my career, to keep developing both as a player and a person.
“Everyone has been very welcoming to me from the first day I arrived. We have a young group of players that is hungry for success this year.
“The goal, for me individually and for the team as a collective, is to be challenging for silverware in both the league and cup.”
Sporting Director Matt Simon said Popovic’s arrival adds important experience and quality to the Mariners squad.
“Kristian is an excellent professional and possesses the qualities we’re looking for both as a footballer and as a person at the Mariners.
“His versatility and quality is a fantastic addition to the squad we have. He is still young himself and eager to develop further – so he fits our recruitment strategy – but he also brings valuable experience which will help the younger players around him.
“We’re very happy to welcome him to the club and we are looking forward to seeing the impact he’ll have both on and off the pitch.”
