Iacopo La Rocca (born 17 February 1984) is an Italian-Australian association football coach and former professional player who played as a defensive midfielder or central defender. He was the recent head coach for FC Bulleen Lions and is the current assistant coach for Brisbane Roar.
Club career La Rocca started his youth career at Lazio, before moving to his first club, Pro Vercelli. He signed a 3-year deal with Treviso.
He joined various clubs on loan from Treviso Italy, such as Chieti, Fermana, Sassari Torres, but he was unlucky with injuries and then moved to Switzerland, where he joined AC Bellinzona for four years, where he won the Challenge League and he played the Final Swiss Cup against Basel. After 4 years in the Super League, where he also played 6 games in the UEFA Cup, he joined Swiss Super League club Grasshopper.
On 11 September 2012, he signed a one-year deal with A-League club Western Sydney Wanderers. La Rocca scored his first goal for Western Sydney Wanderers on 18 November 2012 in just his second game, to defeat Perth Glory. In February 2013, he signed a new two-year deal with the Wanderers.
On 23 March, La Rocca was sent off in the last minute of stoppage time in the third Sydney Derby of the season for elbowing Sydney midfielder Terry Antonis in the temple. The subsequent ban meant La Rocca missed the semifinal and the final. His club nonetheless won the title in their debut season. In 2013, he played the Grand Final, got the man of the match with Broich and won the Joe Marston Medal, but Western Sydney Wanderers lost in extra time 2–1; the year after, he won the 2014 AFC Champions League, with La Rocca starting both legs of their triumph over Al-Hilal in the final and became the first Italian to win that trophy.
At the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco, La Rocca opened the scoring against Cruz Azul of Mexico in an eventual 1–3 loss after extra time.
In June 2015, La Rocca signed a two-year contract with Adelaide United. After overcoming injury, he featured heavily for Adelaide in the second half of the season and played a crucial role in the central defensive position along with teammate Dylan McGowan in the club's successful attempt at the Premier's Plate and inaugural Championship title.
In November 2016, La Rocca became an Australian citizen, allowing him to be called up to the Australian national team and to be considered a domestic player for his club.
Melbourne City announced the signing of La Rocca on 15 July 2017 on a 2-year deal. La Rocca played his first official game with Melbourne City on 13 September 2017 in the FFA Cup against Sydney FC.
Following his retirement in 2019, he began his journey as a coach by acquiring the UEFA B License in Italy. In 2023, he obtained the UEFA A License in Coverciano, Italy.
Career statistics Club + Appearances and goals by club, season and competition Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps GoalsPro Vercelli2002–03Serie C210———102003–04Serie C2130———1302004–05Serie C2221——10231 Total361——10371Chieti2004–05Serie C110——0010Fermana2005–06Serie C181———81Sassari Torres2006–07Serie C250———50AC Bellinzona2007–08Swiss Challenge League25150—203212008–09Swiss Super League2722062—3542009–10Swiss Super League25010—202802010–11Swiss Super League12020—20230 Total89310062601115Grasshopper2011–12Swiss Super League19030——220Western Sydney Wanderers2012–13A-League203———2032013–14A-League202—70—2722014–15A-League1810011111303 Total5860018111778Adelaide United2015–16A-League12010——1302016–17A-League1800000—180 Total3001000—310Melbourne City2017–18A-League12010——1302018–19A-League8000——80 Total20010——210 Career total266112002438131815
Honours Club Western Sydney Wanderers A-League Premiers: 2012–13 AFC Champions League: 2014
Adelaide United FC A-League Premiers: 2015–16 A-League Championship: 2015–16
Individual Joe Marston Medal: 2014 (shared with Thomas Broich)
References
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