Position: Defender
Born: 08.03.81
Club: Central Coast Mariners

Central defender Michael Beauchamp plays for the Central Coast Mariners in the A-League having previously turned out for Parramatta Power and Marconi Stallions in the NSL.

He reached the Grand Final in 2004 with Parramatta and earned his first international honours the same year in qualifying for the 2004 Olympics.

But Beauchamp struggled to break into the national side until an impressive season in the A-League got him his chance at the highest level this summer.

The 25-year-old has all the attributes a defender needs; he is tall and strong, and his long legs often get him out of trouble, making saving tackles when he appears beaten.

He also has a decent first touch and genuine pace. Allied to all this is a sound temperament, and with Australia's ageing defence, Beauchamp's emergence couldn't have come at a better time for the Socceroos.