Keanu Kole Baccus (born 7 June 1998) is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a defensive midfielder for Scottish Premiership club St Mirren and the Australia national team. Born in South Africa, he made his full international debut for Australia in September 2022.
![]() Baccus playing for Western Sydney Wanderers U21 in January 2017 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Keanu Kole Baccus[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||
Date of birth | (1998-06-07) 7 June 1998 (age 24) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Durban, South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 178 cm (5 ft 10 in)[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||
Position(s) | Defensive midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||
Club information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | St Mirren | |||||||||||||||||||||
Number | 17 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Parklea FC | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Fairfield Hotspurs | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Blacktown Spartans | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Blacktown City | ||||||||||||||||||||||
2014–2016 | Western Sydney Wanderers | |||||||||||||||||||||
Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||
2016–2017 | Western Sydney Wanderers NPL | 32 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||
2016–2022 | Western Sydney Wanderers | 106 | (6) | |||||||||||||||||||
2022– | St Mirren | 13 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||
National team‡ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
2016 | Australia U20 | 5 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||
2017–2021 | Australia U23 | 13 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
2022– | Australia | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
Honours
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 7 November 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 25 September 2022 |
Baccus was born in Durban, South Africa but moved to Australia before his first birthday where his family settled in western Sydney.[2] Baccus attended Kings Langley Public School where he was inspired by Socceroo Mark Schwarzer to participate in the sport.[3][4] He is the younger brother of Macarthur Bulls player Kearyn Baccus.[5]
After rising from the Wanderers Academy to serve as co-captain of the youth team, Baccus signed a two-year senior contract in May 2017.[6]
In April 2022, St. Mirren boss Stephen Robinson announced that Baccus was joining the Scottish Premiership club following the conclusion of the 2022 A League campaign.[7] A few months later, the signing was confirmed by the club as a two-year deal.[8]
Baccus qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics as part of the Australia under-23 team. The team beat Argentina in their first group match but were unable to win another match. They were therefore not in medal contention.[9]
In September 2022, Baccus debuted for the senior team as a second-half subsitute in a friendly against New Zealand.[10] On 8 November 2022, Baccus was named in Australia's World Cup squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.[11]
St Mirren F.C. – current squad | |
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Australia squads | |||||||||||||
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Western Sydney Wanderers FC Player of the Year | |
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