Opinion
“You have to fight to reach your dream. You have to sacrifice and work hard for it.” – Lionel Messi
As this man continues the fight to reach his dream, and for that of roughly 47 million other Argentinians, the fight for our own has ended, for now.
However, let’s take a step back to some three days ago.
After a historic result against the Danes, that sent the Australian football team into the Round of 16 for the second time in our history, the talk of the country turned to the Socceroos.
The conversations and whispers began, and Australian football fans started to ask: Can we actually do it? Could you imagine? What would happen if we won? There is just no way, surely? It’s Argentina… I just hope… we can dream, can’t we?
And whilst in no uncertain terms were we under any illusions as to the task at hand, the hope was immense. In fact, it was infectious!
This little bit of hope brought millions of Australians together.
Like Craig Foster said, “The nation has come together. It is true our national teams unite the nation, in no way that can happen in other (sports).”
In the lead-up to this monumental occasion, plans were put in motion all around the country to establish live football sites to allow Australians to come together and watch as the Socceroos were to attempt the impossible.
The scenes in Federation Square after our 1-0 victory against Denmark ignited a flame and passion not seen since our feats in 2006. And it was very much a possibility this match against Argentina would eclipse anything we had seen before.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
So, the time had arrived, Australia versus Argentina. In the Round of 16 of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest footballer of all time, fighting to reach his dream of World Cup glory, whilst our dreams were all wrapped up in hope.
As tens of thousands turned up en masse at live sites around Australia, it became quickly evident we were united in hope to watch the impossible and end the dreams of one of the greatest footballers of all time.
Before a ball had even been kicked, social media was abuzz at the enormity in which so many had come together all around the country, to watch the game. And this didn’t even include the millions watching at home.
It still pains me to relive each moment we all wish our Socceroos could have over, but that is football. But by God did the hope of millions almost drive our team to achieve the impossible.
It ended Argentina 2–1 Australia.
Just gut-wrenching! I sat in silence, head buried in my hands. My son and daughter devastated, being only 10 and seven respectively and understanding the enormity of the match and what had just unfolded. My mates and wife just as saddened by the loss with the final whistle ending any hope of achieving something special.
Along with millions of football fans we felt dejected, devastated, deflated and all that just before 7am on a Sunday morning in December.
Despite the result, the Socceroos and Australian fans could stand proud about what had been achieved this world cup.
For Argentinians, the feeling was completely opposite. Joyful, buzzing, a dream intact. And truly, congratulations to them.
We fell agonisingly short against an Argentinian side boasting one of the greatest footballers of all time, not to mention a team bristling with quality players playing in some of the best football leagues in the world.
Yet, this bunch of “no-hope footballers”, “the worst Socceroos team ever”, “a team filled with footballers who play in the A-League, who started their careers in the A-League”, managed to quiet literally play until the final seconds in which a ball falls to the future hope of Australian football, Garang Kuol, and only a matter of inches separated us from a full-time score of 2-2 which would have sent Australia wild and perhaps very possibly, turned our dream into a reality.
But alas, we can only look back now and wonder what if Aziz Behich scored to cap off that phenomenal run? What if our captain, Mat Ryan, just booted the ball up field? What if Garang Kuol did it?
What if?
The emotions are still very much raw even as I type. And for those of us who will put ourselves through it again and again and again, until we die, cause we love this sport, we will carry on.
However, there burns an internal flame as bright as ever. A passion that has been reignited to write and express how I feel, for the love of this game at home, needs to be shared. And lastly, a hope that one day, just maybe, our impossible dreams, can come become a reality.
This Socceroos team has created history and will have inspired the next generation of footballing talent, that we, as a footballing nation, have the right to hope, and the right to dream, but all you have to do is “…fight to reach your dream. You have to sacrifice and work hard for it.”
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