Subway Socceroos captain Mathew Ryan has joined Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar until the end of the 2023/24 season.
The 30-year-old ends a six-month spell with Danish Superliga champions FC Copenhagen, in search of more playing time and will compete for the number one spot alongside incumbent gloveman Hobie Verhulst.
Ryan played all four matches at the recent FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, becoming the first Australian goalkeeper to record two clean sheets at the major tournament against Tunisia and Denmark.
Ryan, along with Mathew Leckie, also has the equal most FIFA World Cup appearances for the Green and Gold (10), surpassing Tim Cahill and Mark Bresciano.
AZ will be Ryan's eighth European club since leaving the Central Coast Mariners in 2013 which has seen him ply his trade in Belgium, Spain, England, Denmark and now the Netherlands.
Nicknamed the Cheeseheads, AZ have won the Dutch top-flight on two occasions in 1981 and 2009 and have collected four KNVB Cups, with its most recent piece of silverware occurring in 2013.
AZ currently lie in fifth place in the 2022/23 Eredivisie table, trailing league leaders Feyenoord by four points after 15 matches.
Speaking on his decision to join the Dutch club, Ryan said: "I'm very happy to be here, very content.
"You just need to take one look at the club and the history that it has to know that I'm here at a really good club with a lot of ambition, and a lot to play for and it's really exciting and I can't wait to get started.
"I approach each day wanting to win. I hate losing and I'll do whatever it takes to win and for me if that's sharing my opinions with my teammates and the coaching staff in what I feel can maybe help the team a little bit, then I'm going to go ahead and do it.
"But also at the same time I'm very open minded I feel, I'm willing to listen to my teammates and the staff as well when they have ideas on how I can improve and how I can help the team become better as well.
"I think that's a great dynamic to have and the little bit that I've learnt and discovered about the place as well, you really get a good sense of the togetherness of the team."
AZ's Technical Director Max Huiberts said signing an experienced goalkeeper has been their primary focus and that Ryan meets that requirement.
“He has shown at various levels that he is good and was our top candidate from the start," he said.
"We were looking for someone who is there immediately when he is fit. That's him. Everything fits into the picture in that regard.”
AZ's next match is against Excelsior in the second round of the KNVB Cup on Thursday, 12 January (AEDT).