It’s been a historic few days for the Socceroos, who equalled their best ever performance at a FIFA World Cup by qualifying to face Argentina this weekend in the Round of 16, only the second occasion that they have reached this stage.
Last time our lads got this far was Italy, the injury time Francesco Totti penalty – from the dodgiest of dodgy refereeing decisions, too – and heartbreak for Socceroos. It was 16 years ago, and pride has long since replaced the crushing disappointment and anger at the time.
Italy went on the win the whole thing in 2006, and Sunday brings the chance that history might repeat itself. Argentina were right up there among the favourites going into the tournament, and though they lost their opener to Saudi Arabia, they have kicked into gear since with two comfortable, maybe even ominous, wins over Mexico and Poland.
The albiceleste and the Socceroos have history, too. One might not go as far as to call it a rivalry, but there is certainly history between the pair.
Though this is the first time Australia and Argentina have met at the World Cup proper, they did meet in a particularly controversial qualifier.
Back in 1993, the Socceroos packed out the Sydney Football Stadium for a more than creditable 1-1 draw with an Argentina side featuring Diego Maradona, Gabriel Batistuta, Abel Balbo and a host of other stars.
In a moment of historical coincidence, current manager Graham Arnold started up front for Australia that night, while Carlos Mac Allister was in the defence for Argentina – his son, Alexis, will likely play on Sunday morning having scored against Poland.
Argentina prevailed 1-0 in the home leg thanks to an unfortunate own goal from Alex Tobin, earning them a spot at USA 94.
While Argentina were the better team, the Australians will always hold a sense of injustice over the playoffs, with Maradona – a prolific drug user across his career – later revealing his team had been doped.
“What happened is that to play against Australia we were given a speedy coffee. They put something in the coffee and that’s why we ran more,” Maradona said in 2011.
“Why weren’t there any anti-doping controls in the match with Australia if we had them in all the other games?
“We took whatever the doctor gave us. I’m saying it now because [former Argentine FA president Julio] Grondona talks about drugs as if he didn’t know anything about drugs in football and the sickness I suffered.”
Wade said he was shocked to learn the whole team had been doping, but added it could be taken as “a compliment” to the Socceroos and proved “they must have been very scared that we would knock them out of the World Cup”.
Diego Maradona leads out the visiting team as Australian captain Paul Wade is followed by goalkeeper Mark Bosnich. (Photo by Joe Mann/Offside via Getty Images)
There have been other clashes through the years, though mostly friendlies and exhibition games. There were two before that qualifier, with then-World Cup holders Argentina losing 4-1 at the SFS in 1988 as part of the Bicentennial Gold Cup that also saw the Socceroos face Brazil and Saudi Arabia.
There were further friendlies in Buenos Aires in 1992 and 1995, both won 2-0 by Argentina, before another competitive meeting, at the 2005 Confederations Cup in Germany.
On that occasion, John Aloisi scored twice – one from the penalty spot, in a foreshadowing of his heroics to come in the famous qualifier with Uruguay just five months later – but Australia went down 4-2 after a hat trick from Luciano Figueroa and another from legendary playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme.
The last time they met was over 15 years ago, in July 2007. Over 70,000 packed into the MCG for a friendly, marking Lionel Messi’s first trip to Australia. Argentina won 1-0 thanks to a Martin Demichelis goal just after half time.
It would not be Messi’s last visit: the superstar actually played a friendly against Brazil in 2017 – the so-called Superclásico de las Américas, drawing a huge 95,000 to the MCG.
It was meant to be repeated last year, but the game fell through despite over 60,000 tickets already having been sold. Victorian sports and events minister Martin Pakula declared himself “pretty pissed off” with the Argentine football authorities’ decision to pull the plug on the game just a month before it was due to take place.
Let’s hope that the Aussies are less angered this weekend – or can exact revenge on the Argentinians for failing to turn up to their own party.
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