November 16, 2005. Step up John Aloisi for the biggest moment in Australian football. For arguably the biggest moment in Australian sport.
What happened next changed football in this country forever.
In the words of Simon Hill, “Here’s Aloisi for a spot in the World Cup. He’s scored! Australia have done it!”
In the words of Craig Foster, “Yeeeaaaaaaaa! Jooooooohnnnn! Come onnnn!”
And in the words of Johnny Warren, “I told you so.”
But Australia’s qualification to the 2006 FIFA World Cup was just the tip of the iceberg. How Australian football has changed 10 years on from that glorious moment.
Since the 2006 qualification triumph, Australia have since gone on to qualify for the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.
Australia officially joined the Asian Football Confederation on January 1, 2006, in a move that has seen consistent results from the Socceroos, after years in the weak Oceania Football Confederation.
Hosting and winning the 2015 Asian Cup is another Socceroos success since, after losing the 2011 final to Japan.
The A-League, formed in 2004 to replace the unstable National Soccer League, has flourished in recent years, thanks to high-profile imports such as Alessandro Del Piero, Emile Hesky, Shinji Ono and Dwight York, local derbies such as the ones in Melbourne and Sydney, and the success of the Western Sydney Wanderers in the AFC Champions League.
Finally, bidding for the 2022 FIFA World Cup was just another sign that football in Australia is moving in the right decision. Even though we lost out to the controversial Qatar bid, expect another Australian bid and success the next time the chance comes around.
Where will Australian football be in the next 10 to 20 years though? Well here are a few predictions:
Qualification to the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups, and a quarter-final appearance at either.
Expansions of A-League to 16 teams by 2025, with teams in Wollongong, Canberra, Townsville, Geelong, Tasmania, and a second Brisbane team.
A-League crowds to eclipse National Rugby League crowds by 2025.
Two million playing football by 2025.
Call me bold for a few of the those targets, but Australian football can only go up from here.
Jon
Guest
What's with the random emojis
AR
Guest
"Finally, bidding for the 2022 FIFA World Cup was just another sign that football in Australia is moving in the right decision." Not if you watched tonight's documentary. The WC Bid may have demonstrated some brave optimism (if I can be that generous) but really, it was naive and appallingly executed. Our bid was not the right decision - it was a disaster. And it had a terrible knock on effect on the ALeague.
Baracuda
Guest
Mainstream (football) sports state popularity table (off by my heart) New South Wales 1. Rugby League? 2. Football 3. Australian Rules 4. Rugby Union Queensland 1. Rugby League 2. Football 3. Rugby Union 4. Australian Rules South Australia 1. Australian Rules 2. Football 3. Rugby Union 4. Rugby League Tasmania 1. Australian Rules 2. Football 3. Rugby League 4. Rugby Union Victoria 1. Australian Rules? 2. Football 3. Rugby League 4. Rugby Union Western Australia 1. Australian Rules 2. Football 3. Rugby Union 4. Rugby League Aggregate 1st: Australian Rules Aggregate 2nd: Football Aggregate 3rd: Rugby League Aggregate 4th: Rugby Uni0n? Australian Rules dominates the southern states as well as WA, football shows constant support around the country and is well on it's way to becoming our national sport, league has it's heartlands in QLD and NSW but drops off drastically in SA and WA where rugby in general has little traction. Union is a upper-minor sport by many standards within Australia and my table reflects that. One thing worth noting is that football should aim to attract the same levels of respect as cricket does around the country. Currently it is our national sport where AFL and NRL fans drop thier hatreds with a united front whether that be playing or watching the game, something football should be striving to gain.
Ian
Guest
Probably won't find a lot of people called Johnno either. Especially if they have been bread (wholemeal or multigrain) only on Rugby/NRL.
SVB
Guest
I don't think there is any logic to fiddlesticks posts to be honest.
Sydneysider
Guest
Don't worry SVB, I agree with you. I'm just trying to find logic behind fiddlesticks comment but I can tell he isn't from Sydney or Western Sydney.
SVB
Guest
Not even talking about the a-league. If it was to die off and WS Wanderers were to play in a state league competition, they would probably still get more people to their games than Penrith Panthers or GWS. I travel around different parts of the region and the jerseys I see the most are Wanderers, followed by South Sydney and then probably Parramatta. You don't see much else apart from maybe some Panthers tops around the Penrith region. Even Sydney FC tops are around in different parts. But yeah, fiiddlesticks is dreaming.
Sydneysider
Guest
Fiddlesticks is obviously not from Western Sydney. I also think he means "the A-League will die off in WS", not the game of football itself which has survived worse and the grassroots participation is still very strong. But he could also mean the game itself, which shows that he isn't from Western Sydney.
SVB
Guest
"your sport will die off in WS" The demographics say otherwise.
SVB
Guest
"most aussies,white-bread footy(Rugby/NRL) aussies from the burbs" I take it you haven't been to the burbs in a while Johnno. You might get a shock when you see what is actually there.
Johnno
Guest
It's soccer Chris to most aussies,white-bread footy(Rugby/NRL) aussies from the burbs like me.
fiddlesticks
Guest
sure, latent support. your sport will die off in WS, only 12k to home games alst ear
josh
Guest
A League towers over AFL in Western Sydney, it's only the latent support for Rugby League that eclipses it (for now). I like my little corner of Australia.
Chris
Guest
Yep agree not bold predictions these are based on good metrics so go for it I say. Afterall Aussies have now grown to love football.
Baracuda
Guest
Also, you are likely to see the Gold Coast City reincarnation of palm beach sharks grace the Robina stadium, acknowledging it is still currently the the most populated city without an a-league presence.
Baracuda
Guest
Expansion to 16 teams by 2025 is possible though a Townsville outfit will undoubtably struggle during the tropical steam. That's were we can cash in on Canberra, noted for it's frost bite conditions during the winter months ultimately drawing away raiders and brumbies crowds; a-league in Canberra wil be a different story. My preference is to look at placing a team on the Sunshine Coast, just north of Brisbane and to immediately put one in Ipswich once the Ripley stadium is completed. Heading further south to Sydney and a team in Liverpool is a no-brainer once the stadium there is also completed. Teams in Wollongong and Canberra should be mooted as the next cabs off the rank with respective stadiums all set and ready for a summer tenant. In Victoria it's a battle between historic South Melbourne and the Geelong consortium for a treasured licence and over to WA a Perth derby is beckoning. Apart of the list of wants which are effectively needs the Wellington Phoenix will be a-league folklore in 2025 with teams in Adelaide, Hobart and Townsville only see coming by the introduction of promotion circa 2035.