Robbie Slater
A fiery midfielder whose grit and leadership powered Australia's historic qualification for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Born 1964 (age 62)·English-born Australian soccer player·Birthday: November 22·Baby Boomers
Biography
Robbie Slater's journey in football is a tale of determination and an unwavering will to win. Born in England, he moved to Australia as a child and carved his path through the National Soccer League with clubs like Sydney Croatia and St George. His combative style and powerful left foot caught attention, leading to a move to Europe where he played for clubs in Belgium and France. Slater's defining moment came with English club Blackburn Rovers, where he became the first Australian to win a Premier League medal in 1995. For the Socceroos, he was a midfield engine, earning 44 caps and playing a crucial role in the agonizing near-misses of the 1990s World Cup campaigns. His career culminated in being part of the squad that finally broke Australia's 32-year World Cup drought in 2006. After retiring, he transitioned into a forthright and respected voice in sports commentary.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Robbie was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Robbie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Robbie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the first Australian to win the English Premier League, doing so with Blackburn Rovers in the 1994-95 season.
- Earned 44 caps for the Australian national team, scoring one goal.
- Was a key member of the Socceroos squad that qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
- Won the Johnny Warren Medal as the best player in Australia's National Soccer League in 1991.
Did You Know?
He was born in Ormskirk, England, and moved to Australia when he was five years old.
He played for six different clubs in four European countries during his career.
After retirement, he became a prominent football analyst for Fox Sports in Australia.
He scored the winning goal for Lens in the 1994 Coupe de la Ligue final.
“You have to earn the right to play; nothing is given to you in this game.”
