Adam Bugarija
Australian soccer player
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Adam Bugarija Cardeno[1] (Croatian: [buˈɡarija], Spanish: [kaɾˈðeno];[2] born 22 February 2005) is an Australian soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Marconi Stallions in the National Premier Leagues NSW, on loan from A-League club Perth Glory.[3]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 22 February 2005 | ||
| Place of birth | Baulkham Hills, New South Wales, Australia | ||
| Height | 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Marconi Stallions | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Sydney United | |||
| –2023 | Dinamo Zagreb | ||
| 2023–2024 | Western Sydney Wanderers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023–2024 | Western Sydney Wanderers NPL | 28 | (9) |
| 2024–2026 | Perth Glory | 17 | (1) |
| 2026– | → Marconi Stallions (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2024 | Australia U19 | 3 | (0) |
| 2024– | Australia U20 | 6 | (4) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16 March 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 29 October 2025 | |||
Club career
Born in Baulkham Hills in New South Wales,[1] Bugarija was a youth player at Sydney United and played for two years at Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia before returning to Sydney to play for Western Sydney Wanderers in 2023.[4]
Bugarija played for Western Sydney Wanderers' reserve team in the National Premier Leagues NSW before joining fellow A-League Men team Perth Glory on a three-year deal in June 2024, having been convinced to join by director of football Stan Lazaridis.[5] He made his debut on 3 August in the round of 32 of the Australia Cup, at home to Melbourne City; coming on in the 70th minute, he scored the equaliser as the match finished 4–4 in regulation time, with the Western Australian side scoring the winning goal in extra time.[6] In the next round 25 days later away to Moreton City Excelsior of the National Premier Leagues Queensland, he was sent off for two yellow cards in 42 minutes in a 3–2 loss.[7]
Bugarija made his A-League debut on 20 October as the season opened with a 6–1 loss away to Macarthur. He came on as a half-time substitute and scored a consolation goal.[8] He was one of 18 teenagers in the league, a record for an opening day of the league season.[9]
On 29 January 2026, Bugarija joined National Premier Leagues NSW side Marconi Stallions on loan from Perth Glory.[10]
International career
In July 2024, Bugarija was called up by the Australia under-19 team for the 2024 ASEAN U-19 Boys Championship in Indonesia.[11] Five months later, he was one of three Perth Glory teammates called up for the 2025 AFC U-20 Asian Cup in China.[12] He was an unused substitute as Australia won the title for the first time, defeating Saudi Arabia in the final.[13]