{{short description|Australian soccer player (born 2002)}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Jaiden Kucharski | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|6|25|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Westmead, New South Wales|Westmead]], [[New South Wales]], Australia<ref>{{cite web |last1=Walker |first1=Jeremy |title=Sunday Story: Jaiden Kucharski |url=https://sydneyfc.com/news/sunday-story-jaiden-kucharski/ |publisher=[[Sydney FC]] |access-date=16 May 2026 |language=en |date=26 March 2023}}</ref> | height = | position = [[Midfielder#Winger|Winger]] | currentclub = [[Perth Glory FC|Perth Glory]] | clubnumber = 9 | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Glenwood Redbacks | youthyears2 = | youthclubs2 = FNSW SAP | youthyears3 = | youthclubs3 = [[Blacktown City FC|Blacktown City]] | youthyears4 = 2014–2024 | youthclubs4 = [[Sydney FC Youth]] | years1 = 2018–2024 | clubs1 = [[Sydney FC Youth|Sydney FC NPL]] | caps1 = 56 | goals1 = 31 | years2 = 2022–2025 | clubs2 = [[Sydney FC]] | caps2 = 60 | goals2 = 7 | years3 = 2025– | clubs3 = [[Perth Glory FC|Perth Glory]] | caps3 = 19 | goals3 = 3 | nationalyears1 = 2017–2018 | nationalteam1 = [[Australia national under-17 soccer team|Australia U17]] | nationalcaps1 = 9 | nationalgoals1 = 3 | club-update = 29 April 2026 | nationalteam-update = }}
'''Jaiden Kucharski''' ({{IPA|en|kutʃɑrski}} {{respell|kə-CHAR-SKEE}}, {{IPA|pl|kuˈxarskʲi|lang}};<ref>https://www.instagram.com/reel/DP2yE8NichF/?igsh=MWpyaTRldGp2ZDdsMw==</ref> born 25 June 2002) is an Australian professional [[association football|footballer]] who plays as a [[Midfielder#Winger|winger]] for [[A-League Men]] club [[Perth Glory FC|Perth Glory]].
==Career== ===Sydney FC=== Having joined [[Sydney FC Youth|Sydney FC's youth academy]] as a 12 year old in 2014, Kucharski progressed through the age groups to make his [[National Premier Leagues NSW|NSW NPL1]] debut in 2018 in a 5–0 loss to former [[National Soccer League]] heavyweights [[Wollongong Wolves FC|Wollongong Wolves]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pulczynski |first1=Ian |title="Marconi, Sydney United, are the best games" - Jaiden Kucharski |url=https://www.frontpagefootball.net/post/marconi-sydney-united-are-the-best-games-jaiden-kucharski |website=frontpagefootball.net |date=12 March 2022 |publisher=Front Page Football |access-date=18 August 2022}}</ref> Kucharski signed a two-year scholarship contract with the Sydney [[A-League Men]]'s side after coming through the academy ranks and performing well in the National Premier League side, having scored 19 goals in the [[2022 Football NSW season|2022 NPL]] season.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Warriner |first1=David |title=GURD & KUCHARSKI SIGN SCHOLARSHIP DEALS |url=https://sydneyfc.com/news/gurd-kucharski-sign-scholarship-deals |website=Sydney FC |date=12 May 2022 |access-date=18 August 2022}}</ref> He made his competitive debut for the senior men's team in the [[2022 Australia Cup|2022 Australia Cup Round of 32]] as a substitute against rival A-League side [[Central Coast Mariners FC|Central Coast Mariners]] at [[Leichhardt Oval]], and scored in the penalty shootout which saw Sydney win and progress to the Round of 16.<ref>{{cite web |last1=James |first1=Euan |title=Sydney FC advance after shootout victory |url=https://www.australiacup.com.au/match/sydney-fc-v-central-coast-mariners-australia-cup-31-07-2022/2305007 |website=Australia Cup |date=29 June 2022 |access-date=18 August 2022}}</ref>
On 13 August 2023, Kucharski was included in the youth-bolstered Australia Cup squad to take on Central Coast Mariners at WIN Illawarra Stadium in [[Wollongong]].<ref name="australiacup.com.au">{{Cite web |date=2023-06-29 |title=Sydney FC v Central Coast Mariners - Australia Cup Match Centre |url=https://www.australiacup.com.au/match/sydney-fc-v-central-coast-mariners-australia-cup-14-08-2023/2375548 |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=www.australiacup.com.au |language=en}}</ref> The game provided six goals all together, with Sydney FC prevailing to win 10–9 on penalties. In the 122nd minute, Kucharski received the ball on the wing and dribbled past numerous Central Coast defenders and curled a shot into the bottom corner to send the game to penalties.<ref>{{Cite web |last=nicholasdurbano |date=2023-08-29 |title='Breakout year' on the horizon for Australia Cup hero after penning extension with boyhood club |url=https://keepup.com.au/news/a-league-transfer-news-sydney-fc-jaiden-kucharski/ |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=KEEPUP |language=en-AU}}</ref>
After three seasons in Sydney FC's senior team, he departed his boyhood club at the end of the [[2024–25 A-League Men|2024–25 season]] to "continue his professional development".<ref>{{cite web|title=Sydney FC Thanks Departing Players|url=https://sydneyfc.com/news/sydney-fc-thanks-departing-players/|publisher=[[Sydney FC]]|date=16 May 2025}}</ref>
===Western United=== Kucharski signed a two-year contract to join [[Western United FC|Western United]] ahead of the [[2025-26 A-League Men|2025–26 A-League season]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Jaiden Kucharski adds attacking x-factor to Western United|url=https://wufc.com.au/news/jaiden-kucharski-joins-western-united/|publisher=[[Western United FC]]|date=8 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Kucharski joins Western|url=https://brimbanknorthwest.starweekly.com.au/sport/kucharski-joins-western/|publisher=Star Weekly|date=8 July 2025}}</ref> However, Western United were subjected to a FIFA registration ban due to an unresolved financial dispute with former player, [[Aleksandar Prijovic]].<ref>{{cite web|title=New signing Jaiden Kucharski and captain Ben Garuccio unable to play for Western United due to FIFA registration ban|url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/football/new-signing-jaiden-kucharski-and-captain-ben-garuccio-unable-to-play-for-western-united-due-to-fifa-registration-ban/news-story/fc95419b879eead5520845854da17246|publisher=[[News.com.au]]|date=28 July 2025}}</ref> As a result, Kucharski was ineligible to play for Western United in their first match in the [[2025 Australia Cup]]. On 8 August, a month to the day of the announcement of Kucharski's signing, Western United's license to play in the A-League was withdrawn by [[Football Australia]], due to their financial troubles, throwing their future into doubt.<ref>{{cite web|title=Football Australia withdraws Western United's A-League licence three years after winning title|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-08/a-league-western-united-stripped-of-licence/105629622|publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)]]|date=8 August 2025}}</ref> On 19 August, while Western United were still in the process of lodging an appeal on the decision, Kucharski mutually parted ways with the club, having never represented or been registered at the club.<ref>{{cite web|title=Isuzu UTE A-league Men Squad Update|url=https://wufc.com.au/news/isuzu-ute-a-league-men-squad-update/|publisher=[[Western United FC]]|date=19 August 2025}}</ref>
=== Perth Glory === On 21 August 2025, [[Perth Glory FC|Perth Glory]] announced the signing of Kucharski on a two-year deal.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Morgan |first=Gareth |date=2025-08-21 |title=Glory swoop to sign in-demand Kucharski |url=https://perthglory.com.au/news/glory-swoop-to-sign-in-demand-kucharski/ |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=Perth Glory |language=en-AU}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{updated|match played 23 November 2024}} {|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |- !rowspan=2|Club !rowspan=2|Season !colspan=3|League{{efn|[[A-League]] statistics include final series matches}} !colspan=2|[[Australia Cup]] !colspan=2|Continental !colspan=2|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- | rowspan="4" |[[Sydney FC]] |[[2021–22 Sydney FC season|2021–22]]<ref name=Soccerway>{{cite web|url=https://us.soccerway.com/players/jaiden-kucharski/643677/|title=Jaiden Kucharski|website=Soccerway|accessdate=25 November 2023}}</ref> |[[A-League Men]] |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0 |- |[[2022–23 Sydney FC season|2022–23]]<ref name=Soccerway /> |A-League Men |14||0||2||0||colspan="2"|—||16||0 |- |[[2023–24 Sydney FC season|2023–24]]<ref name=Soccerway /> |A-League Men |24||4||4||1||colspan="2"|—||28||5 |- |[[2024–25 Sydney FC season|2024–25]]<ref name="Soccerway" /> |A-League Men |3||1||1||0||1{{efn|name=AFC2|Appearance in [[AFC Champions League 2]]}}||0||5||1 |- ! colspan="3" |Career total !41!!5!!7!!1!!1!!0!!49!!6 |} {{notelist}}
==Honours== '''Sydney FC''' *[[Australia Cup]]: [[2023 Australia Cup|2023]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.australiacup.com.au/match/sydney-fc-v-brisbane-roar-australia-cup-08-10-2023/22278567|title=2023 Australia Cup Final|website=Australia Cup|date=7 October 2023|accessdate=25 November 2023}}</ref>
'''Individual''' *[[List of National Premier Leagues NSW Men's honours|National Premier Leagues NSW Men's Player of the Year]]: [[2022 Football NSW season|2022]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nationalpremierleagues.com.au/news/kucharski-and-badawiya-claim-top-npl-new-south-wales-honours#:~:text=Kucharski%20and%20Badawiya%20claim%20top%20NPL%20New%20South%20Wales%20honours,-Football%20NSW%20Published&text=Sydney%20FC's%20rising%20young%20gun,Friday%2016th%20of%20September. |title=Kucharski and Badawiya claim top NPL NSW honours |website=nationalpremierleagues.com.au |date=19 September 2022 |accessdate=12 February 2023}}</ref>
==Personal life== Kucharski is of [[Polish Australians|Polish]] descent. His father and his grandparents were born in [[Kraków]].<ref>https://x.com/PSN_Futbol/status/1589428515593936897</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Soccerway|jaiden-kucharski/643677}}
{{Perth Glory FC squad}} {{National Premier Leagues NSW Player of the Year}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kucharski, Jaiden}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:2002 births]] [[Category:Soccer players from Sydney]] [[Category:Australian men's soccer players]] [[Category:Men's association football midfielders]] [[Category:Australia men's youth international soccer players]] [[Category:Sydney FC players]] [[Category:Perth Glory FC players]] [[Category:A-League Men players]] [[Category:National Premier Leagues players]] [[Category:Australian people of Polish descent]] [[Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen]]