Joe Gauci

Adelaide United On 7 October 2020, Gauci signed a scholarship deal with his hometown club Adelaide United. He kept his first clean sheet in the league 15 days later in a 1–0 win over Sydney FC. The match was Adelaide's sixth consecutive win of the 2020–21 season, matching the club record in the 2005–06 season. Carl Veart, the head coach of Adelaide United, praised Gauci's performance during the team's success. On 13 May, Gauci suffered a thigh injury during a warm-up session before a match against Melbourne City, which ruled him out for the remainder of the season. He made ten league appearances during the 2020–21 season, keeping three clean sheets, and extended his contract for two years on 25 May.

In the 2021–22 season, Gauci went seven-months without an appearance and was ruled out at the start of the new year with COVID-19. He made his first appearance for the season, as to replace Delianov who sustained an injury mid-season, against Melbourne Victory on 8 January.

In the 2022–23 season, Adelaide United progressed to the A-League finals series. In the elimination final, Gauci kept his first clean sheet in 13 matches, in a 2–0 win over Wellington Phoenix on 5 May. Adelaide United ended the season with a loss in the semi-final leg against Melbourne City. He was voted onto the A-League Men PFA Team of the Season, having stopped 146 efforts on goal, including three penalties for a save percentage of 73%.

In February 2024, midway through the 2023–24 season, Gauci departed Adelaide United with a total of 76 appearances and 16 clean sheets.

Aston Villa On 1 February 2024, Gauci signed for English club Aston Villa of the Premier League for an undisclosed fee. The fee was reported to be around $2.5m (around £1.29m). It was confirmed that the player would join up with his new club after the end of Australia's involvement in the ongoing Asian Cup. Gauci was on the bench for the February 2024 game against Nottingham Forest. The 24-year-old made his Aston Villa debut on 24 September 2024, starting an EFL Cup win away at Wycombe Wanderers. Unai Emery had him compete with 34-year-old Robin Olsen to be Emiliano Martínez's backup.

On 30 January 2025, Gauci joined League One side Barnsley on loan for the remainder of the season. Head coach Darrell Clarke said the Australian would be Barnsley's first-choice goalkeeper. On 1 February, Gauci got a clean sheet in his first appearance in the English Football League, a 0–0 draw with Burton Albion at Oakwell. However, he was sidelined with a hip injury after four games and 20-year-old Kieren Flavell impressed new head coach Conor Hourihane in his absence. Gauci played three further games for Barnsley in the remainder of the 2024–25 season. Manager Darren Moore gave Gauci his debut at Vale Park 12 days later, dropping number one Marko Maroši to the bench for a 1–0 league defeat to Doncaster Rovers. He was named on the League One Team of the Week for his performance in a 2–0 victory at Exeter City on 13 September. Readers of The Valiant substack voted him as their Player of the Month for October. He continued to pick up good reviews, though Gauci acknowledged that he needed to improve his distribution skills. He spent a month on the bench before being restored to the starting line-up by new manager and fellow countryman Jon Brady. On 14 April, he saved a penalty in a 0–0 draw with Barnsley to help the Valiants to move off the bottom of the table for the first time in five months. The team went on to be relegated despite a strong defensive record in the 2025–26 season.

On 28 July 2026, Gauci signed a season-long loan at Championship club Lincoln City for the duration of the 2026–27 season. He made his debut in the EFL Cup second round, starting the game against Blackpool.

International career Other than Australia, Gauci was eligible to represent New Zealand and Malta at international level. Gauci received his first official call-up to the Australia national team ahead of two friendly matches against Ecuador. During the second friendly match on 28 March, the 21-year-old earned his first international appearance, starting in Australia's 2–1 defeat at Marvel Stadium. He played well, making eight saves, including two crucial reflex stops. In January 2024, head coach Graham Arnold named Gauci in the squad for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. He was an unused substitute in the quarter-finals defeat to South Korea. New head coach, Tony Popovic, began to use Gauci as his first preference over veteran goalkeeper Mathew Ryan in October 2024. Gauci played five 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches before Ryan won back his starting place. Australia qualified, but Gauci was not selected in the squadlist for the tournament.

Style of play Gauci plays well as an all-round goalkeeper with solid command of his area, though he has struggled with his kicking.

Personal life Gauci has a younger brother, Jed, who plays for The Cove in State League 2 South Australia. The two played against each other for the first time on 18 July 2023, where Adelaide United won 8–1 over The Cove.

In April 2022, Gauci became an ambassador for the Childhood Cancer Association (CCA) in supporting local children with cancer and their families. Gauci vowed to contribute a sum of $20 for every save he made throughout an entire season. As of May 2023, he had donated $1,920 to the association.

Career statistics

Club

Honours Individual PFA A-League Team of the Season: 2022–23

Melbourne City A-League Men Grand Final runner-up: 2020