THE SQUIZ

Since the Socceroos achieved a sensational – and let’s be honest – somewhat unexpected 1-0 win against world #10 ranked Denmark yesterday morning, the public elation and enthusiasm for our boys in green and gold have been palpable. In Melbourne’s Federation Square, thousands of people packed in front of massive screens went berserk when Mat Leckie scored the winning goal in the 60th minute. Aussie football doesn’t usually get much play overseas, but as a result of this historic win, headlines around the world covered the victory. So the big question now, with the whole world watching, is, can the Socceroos keep the dream alive on Sunday morning when they face Argentina?

WHAT ARE OUR CHANCES?

Argentina came out of the opening round at the top of Group C (Oz came 2nd in Group D behind France) and is ranked #8 worldwide. Oz is currently #41, so beating them is a big ask. Argentina’s got some amazing players, including superstar forward Lionel Messi, who has won the Ballon d’Or (football’s most prestigious individual award) a record 7 times and is starring in his 5th World Cup. Another one to watch is breakout star midfielder Enzo Fernandez whose performances are garnering interest from Real Madrid and Manchester United. But we have our own stars too, including “main man” and goalie Mat Ryan who kept the opposition from scoring for the 2nd game in a row, ably protected by impressive defender Harry Souttar, arguably the Socceroos’ best player so far. The bookies are giving Australia odds of 21:1 – about a 5% chance of winning Sunday’s match. But as no one expected us to make it this far, there’s no reason we shouldn’t dare to dream even bigger.

WILL THIS ALL CHANGE AUSSIE FOOTBALL?

It’s undoubtedly put Oz back on the map when it comes to the ‘beautiful game’… In the immediate term, Sydney soccer fans have successfully pressured NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet to give the city a major venue where they can watch the games. He’s announced Darling Harbour as the city’s public viewing spot ahead of Sunday’s knockout match, and Premiers and mayors from Brisbane, Canberra and Adelaide have all followed suit. In the longer term, Oz is hosting the Women’s World Cup next year, and with the Matildas currently ranked 13th in the world, we’ve got a good chance of winning. And the Socceroos’ success in Qatar can only make the hype for next year’s tournament even bigger.