Introduction
Harry Williams (born 7 May 1951) is a former football (soccer) player. He was the first recognised Indigenous Australian to play for the senior Australian national football team, the 'Socceroos'.
He was part of Australia's 1974 FIFA World Cup squad. Like four of his teammates on that squad, Williams played in the New South Wales competition for St George Budapest.
Playing career summary
Born in Sydney, from the age of nine, Williams played junior soccer for St George Police Boys side in Sydney. He later joined the St George Budapest squad and became one of their most valuable players.
He was recruited to the national side while still a teenager, and went on an overseas tour with the team in 1970. In 1974, having only played six matches for Australia, Williams was part of Australia's first foray into the World Cup Finals.
Including qualifiers, Williams played six World Cup matches for Australia during his career. In total, he represented Australia 17 times between 1970 and 1978.
Personal information
Williams currently lives in Canberra with his family. He is the manager of the Indigenous Services and Cultural Diversity Unit for ACT Correctional Services.