More than a year after being released by Sydney FC, the bone bruising in his knee - in the wake of a ruptured ACL - has proven too painful, with Carle confirming his playing days were over.
He will now focus on coaching kids and scouting some as possible candidates for Sydney FC’s academy.
It marks the closure of almost two decades of a football journey that took Carle from the NSL and the A-League to France, Turkey and England, earning 13 caps for the Socceroos on the way. If that career was, in his own words, a mix of “massive highs and massive disappointments”, his highlights reel will always be worth watching.
Injury has ended the playing career of former Sydney FC star Nicky Carle.
At his peak almost a decade ago, Carle scored the A-League’s goal of the season and was its player of the year. He also took huge professional pride in adapting to a wide variety of football styles, though not to a level to convince Socceroos coaches that he should be a regular selection, and his love of football survived even being cut from the national squad on the eve of the 2010 World Cup.
“I’m devastated at having to call it quits because I love football - I would have played until I was 50 if I was good enough,” Carle said. “I’ve always been passionate about the game and that passion has never dipped - I love training, I love playing. But you know, I’m also very grateful to the game for giving me a job doing something I love and some unreal experiences.
“Pulling on the national team jersey was the pinnacle - I was lucky enough to play at every level, from U17s through to the senior side, and there’s no bigger moment in your life.