Statue unveiled in honour of Captain Socceroo, Johnny Warren

A statue of the late Australian football icon Johnny Warren was unveilled on Sunday at Allianz Stadium, as part of the Basil Sellers Sports Sculpture project.

Source: Twitter

The project commissioned NSW-based sculptors Terrance Plowright and Cathy Weiszmann to create 10 life-size bronze sculptures that capture the essence of the finest Australian sportsmen.

Les Murray was in attendance for the unveilling, along with Australia forward Tim Cahill.

Warren - who played 42 times for the Socceroos, 24 as captain may best be remembered for his ambitious dream for Australian football. 

Warren was famously quoted as saying: "I'm sick of us saying, 'When are we going to qualify for the World Cup'? When are we going to win the World Cup? ... Call me a dreamer." 

That dream became a reality in 2005 when Aloisi scored the iconic penalty against Uruguay, one year after Warren's death in November 2004.

Weeks before his death, Warren was asked what he wanted his sporting legacy to be – his answer "I Told You So", a phrase that has become a catch-cry in Australian football.

Warren argued that if Australia's strong sporting tradition could be channelled into football, then the country could be a world power in the game.

With sportsmen from Rugby League, Rugby Union and AFL showcased, Johnny Warren now waives the flag for football in Australia with the game's only sculpture.