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There’s no better sport for understanding the world than football, which is probably why so many fans traverse the globe in support of the Socceroos.
Despite a typically foreboding travel warning from the Australian government – which has a habit of making every example of overseas travel sound like an unaccompanied trip through a warzone – the World Cup in Russia is expected to bring together a melting pot of cultures in celebration of the beautiful game.
And as with the previous three tournaments, Socceroos fans have bought tickets in impressive numbers.
When the Socceroos run out against France in Kazan on June 16, they’ll do so in front of a mass of Aussie fans – one of whom will be Green and Gold Army tour leader, Kevin Pollard.
I asked him about the appeal of following the Socceroos around the world and what he expects from his trip to Russia.
“I have been following the Socceroos since the late 80s and went to my first international match in 1993 versus Argentina in Sydney,” Pollard told me.
“Russia will be my fifth World Cup and fourth running a Socceroos tour. I have been to many World Cup qualifiers home and abroad, several Asian Cups, Confederations Cups and the European Championships,” he added.
And the lure of watching Australia strut its stuff on the global stage means business is booming for Pollard and his fellow tour leaders.
Quizzed on why the World Cup is so popular, Pollard said he believes football is the best diplomatic tool in the world.
“Football is the biggest sport on the planet and the number one sport in 90 per cent of the world’s countries. Since the late 1990s, the World Cup has been the largest and most watched sporting event in the world,” he said.
“Of course we go there for the excitement, atmosphere and drama of football matches, but there’s no other event or game on earth where you can meet people from all over the globe, immerse yourself in the fun and frivolity of a game and combine your love of football with your love of world travel.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by Fox Sports commentator Simon Hill, who – free from commentary duties – will be leading a Moscow-based tour group along with Jacob Burns as part of the Green and Gold Army.
I asked him what he was looking forward to seeing in Russia.
“As is always the case with a World Cup, a mixture of good football, and interesting travel,” Hill told me.
“For this tournament in particular, it’s a bit different for me, as it’s not the usual type of work I do at a World Cup.
“So, I suppose getting to see the Kremlin, Red Square, Gorky Park etcetera is pretty high on my list. I think I’m also hosting a dinner for some fans in Stalin’s old dacha, so it’s going to be something really outside the square for me.
“Football-wise, I’m just looking forward to watching games as a fan – I don’t get to do that very often, so it will be a rare treat.”
And Hill knows better than most exactly how much work goes into a team like the Socceroos trying to win in unfamiliar surrounds.
“As a broadcaster and journalist, you get to see just how difficult this game is to be successful at,” Hill said.
“Many of our competitors live and breathe football, and watching on television doesn’t always convey how many obstacles the Socceroos have in their way.
“For some fans – and especially in Australia where the game isn’t the number one sport – I think World Cups are a real eye-opener as to just how huge this game is around the world.
“There are thousands of fans everywhere you go, and even though you are all from different places, your shared language is football – that’s the beautiful thing about it that no other sport can match.”
For Pollard, many of his favourite sporting moments have come from following the Socceroos around the world. And he expects more of the same in Russia.
“I lead a tour to Russia in 2017 and the Russian authorities did a magnificent job,” he said.
“Everything was streamlined, it felt very safe and there were no issues getting into the grounds and to and from the grounds.
“Russians are a proud people and the locals are very welcoming, so expect plenty of smiles, group photos and vodka shots,” he added for Socceroos fans making the trip.
The Green and Gold Army is not without its critics – some fans aren’t thrilled they make their money off the back of a once skint national team – but there’s no denying the popularity of their tours.
And with names like Hill and Burns, former Socceroo Ned Zelic, Newcastle Jets chief executive Lawrie McKinna and broadcaster Francis Leach all leading sold-out tours in Russia, they’re not without their star power.
Once the World Cup is done and dusted, they’ll do it all again for next year’s Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates and the Women’s World Cup in France.
Travelling the world to watch football? Some Australian fans made that dream a reality long ago.