Midfielder Culina joins Del Piero at Sydney FC

SYDNEY (AP) Australian World Cup midfielder Jason Culina has returned after more than 18 months sidelined by injury to join Alessandro Del Piero at Sydney FC in Australia's A-League.

Culina , 32, who has not played competitively since sustaining a knee injury at the Asian Cup in January, 2011, signed a one-year deal with Sydney.

Sydney is Culina's third A-League club since returning to Australia in 2009 after stints with Ajax, FC Twente and PSV Eindhoven in Europe.

Culina said in a statement Friday that he considered retirement during his long return from injury, saying: "There were times I thought I wanted to give up but I knew that if I put in the effort and commitment I could get back."

Updated October 11, 2012