Behind the soccer manager helping Albo
Kevin Muscat has become something of a celebrity in the coastal Chinese city since January 2024 when he became the manager of Shanghai Port FC.
In his first year at the helm, Muscat brought the club its first back-to-back title in the Chinese Super League after Shanghai Port won in 2023 under Javier Pereira. The club is fourth on the table after 16 games in 2025.
On Sunday, the Prime Minister made clear what Muscat's success meant for Australia's diplomatic efforts with the global superpower when he called the manager and his team 'ambassadors'. Anthony Albanese walked The Bund waterfront in Shanghai with Kevin Muscat. NewsWire / Joseph Olbrycht-Palmer Credit: News Corp Australia
'It's great to be here with Kevin Muscat, now the manager here of Shanghai Port FC and, indeed, the premiership-winning manager here,' Mr Albanese said.
'One of the things about Australia and China going forward is that we build the people-to-people relationships.
'You do that by the participation of Australians here, whether it be here in football, whether it be the tennis tournament that is going to take place in Chengdu for the Australian Open.
'Whether it be the business relationships that we have here as well.
'This is an important relationship and I've just been chatting with Kevin about the fact that they are ambassadors as well.'
Muscat welcomed Mr Albanese to China, lending no-small part of his brand to the six-day diplomatic trip.
'It sounds like you've got a big a few days ahead of you, but also thank you for taking the time to saying hello and taking the time to come in and spending this morning with us in Shanghai,' Muscat said.
He then presented Mr Albanese with his own Shanghai Port FC jersey, complete with Mr Albanese's name and a number 10 on the back.
Mr Albanese said he would 'be able to wear that around Australia proudly,' but noted that he had played on Parliament House's football team who were 'not very good'. Muscat presented Mr Albanese with a Shanghai Port FC jersey. NewsWire / Joseph Olbrycht-Palmer Credit: News Corp Australia
During his time as a professional soccer player, Muscat earnt a reputation as a hardman, with English striker Peter Crouch saying the Australian was the only footballer who genuinely scared him on the pitch.
Muscat received 123 yellow cards and 12 red cards in his professional career and in 2013 was voted football's dirtiest ever player by Spanish website El Gol Digital.
He represented Australia at a national level 46 times and played eight seasons across four teams in the UK.
He returned from the UK and played 113 games for Melbourne Victory before his retirement in 2011. Muscat welcomed Mr Albanese to Shanghai. NewsWire / Joseph Olbrycht-Palmer Credit: News Corp Australia
Muscat went on to become a successful coach, winning titles with Melbourne Victory and the Japanese team Yokohama F. Marinos, along with Shanghai Port FC.
His success has won him fans in Shanghai; in an interview with The Australian he revealed a portrait sent by a fan that included the message, 'Kevin, with you here, we never fear any team.' Soccer diplomacy could help warm the relationship between the two countries. NewsWire / Joseph Olbrycht-Palmer Credit: News Corp Australia
Mr Albanese has used soccer diplomacy to warm the relationship with China as he faces a grilling following a US defence adviser's push for Australia to detail its response if China were to invade Taiwan.
Known China hawk and US President Donald Trump's key defence adviser Elbridge Colby has called for countries the US deem to be lagging on defence spending to rapidly increase funding.
Coalition MPs questioned Mr Albanese's approach on Monday and said it was indicative of there not being a strong relationship between Mr Albanese and Mr Trump.
Mr Albanese also continues to face pressure to try to lock in a face-to-face meeting with Mr Trump.
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