Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
AAP
AAP
Sport
Justin Chadwick

Robbie Kruse to leave Melbourne Victory

Former Socceroo attacker Robbie Kruse is leaving Melbourne Victory after three seasons. (AAP)

Robbie Kruse's future is up in the air after it was announced the injured star is leaving Melbourne Victory.

Kruse suffered a serious knee injury during the Victory's Asian Champions League Play-off loss to Vissel Kobe in March.

The 33-year-old is set for an extended period on the sidelines, and Victory announced on Wednesday that the former Socceroos star would be leaving.

The Victory didn't announce whose decision it was to end the partnership.

It remains unclear when Kruse will be fit to play again, and whether he will now actively search for a new club.

Kruse started his A-League career at the Roar before moving to Victory during the 2009-10 campaign.

He left in 2011 to join German outfit Fortuna Dusseldorf, before hitting the jackpot with a move to German powerhouse Bayer Leverkusen in 2013.

Kruse returned to Victory in 2019, playing 40 ALM games across the past three seasons before suffering the knee injury in March.

The speedy attacker missed the 2014 World Cup with a knee injury, and he was abused on social media and copped online threats for his showings at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

His hopes of getting to the 2022 World Cup, should Australia qualify, were dashed by his latest knee injury.

"Robbie has been one of the Australia's most successful footballers on the international stage over the past decade and we'll always be proud of his association with Melbourne Victory," director of football, John Didulica said.

"His first stint at the club showed the potential for exciting young footballers to springboard their careers into the best clubs in Europe and into the Australian national team.

"This season in particular he played such an important role in guiding our young players to the Australia Cup triumph."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.