There was never any doubt about who the leader and key player of the 2008 Olympic Games campaign was going to be. Milligan’s natural competitiveness and ability to get the best out of the players around him was amazing for someone still only in the early stages of his professional football career. When the squad first came together in April 2006 to play in the Peace Cup in Vietnam, Milligan was named captain and is generally the first player picked if available. His talents didn’t go unrecognised by then Qantas Socceroos coach Guus Hiddink, who selected him for the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals squad and while he didn’t play in any matches, the experience gained for his role as the leader of the Olyroos, was invaluable. The 2nd round of the Olympic qualifying campaign though, mixed with his AFC Champions League commitments for Sydney FC, took its toll on him and he has been forced to miss a few matches due to the injuries he has picked up. His value though has come to the fore on several occasions, most notably scoring the only goal against DPR Korea in Newcastle.