Docceroos

Docceroos

Medical professionals took to the pitch in September to vie for the World Medical Football Championship Cup being held in Argentina. 

The Docceroos have contested The World Medical Football Championships every year until the last campaign was held in Mexico in 2019. After the pandemic forced a short break, the teams are back again to contest for the cup in Argentina.

The World Medical Football Championship 2022 was just weeks away when Dr Alan Jones spoke to The NSW Doctor about his hopes for this year’s team to finish in the top half of the table.

“The best we’ve done is fourth out of 22 teams,” he said, adding that they’ll be looking to beat the Czech Republic, who has been a consistent tournament performer, as well as the host team Argentina.

Dr Jones, a Brisbane-based GP and wide midfielder founded the Australian football group of doctors in 2003 and the aptly named Docceroos entered the World Medical Football Championships for first time that year.

This year’s competition is a slightly smaller than previous tournaments, with teams representing just eight countries in 2022, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, South Korea, and Venezuela.

The pandemic has hampered quite a few medical football teams, and Dr Jones said it’s been difficult for the Docceroos to get a full squad this year after the team took a temporary hiatus during COVID. 

The Docceroos normally hold selection trials in November and from that choose 25 players to prepare for the Medical World Cup. Players trial from across the country and include doctors from all specialties and at different stages of their careers.

The standard of competition is very high, with some ex-professional players playing for the various world medical teams in the tournament.

They hold three training camps a year in Victoria, NSW and Queensland. They are a self-funded team with limited sponsorship, but they do have a professional coach – Dean Ugrinic, who is also the Canberra Croatia FC Men’s NPL Coach.

Dr Jones said the team camaraderie and the level of competition is what drives a lot of doctors/soccer enthusiasts to participate.

“It’s a really special tournament that is professionally run and played at a decent level. For us, it’s a chance to represent our country and travel the world. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to learn from like-minded professionals,” he said.

Held in September, the World Medical Football Championship coincided with the 26th Global Congress on Medicine and Health in Sport. When doctors aren’t competing on the pitch, they are networking and discussing the latest developments in sports medicine at the medical conference. 

AMA (NSW) will be barracking for this year’s squad – let’s hope they are successful in bringing back the ‘Morell Cup’ (named after tournament founder Dr Ferran Morell).

For sponsorship opportunities, contact Dr Alan Jones, alan@skinpatrol.com.au