Vince Lia Continues His Storied Career in 2026

Essendon Royals are thrilled to announce that Vince Lia will add another chapter to his illustrious career in 2026.

Lia signs on for his fourth season in Royals red, after first joining the club ahead of the 2023 campaign. The midfielder will turn 41 in March, but made 20 VPL2 appearances for Essendon last season, scoring one goal and again proving that age is just a number. 

Lia’s 259 appearances for Melbourne Victory, Wellington Phoenix, Adelaide United and Perth Glory ranks him in the top 25 most-capped A-League players of all time. 

His experience will once again prove invaluable in mentoring the next generation of Royals talent who are making their mark in senior football. 

Lia is Essendon’s seventh re-signing of the offseason, joining Julian Guzzardi, Marcus Kotronis, Takumi Niwa, Dean Clarke, Jordan Adeyemi and Brad Norton in committing to Mick Ferrante’s squad for 2026.