As much talent, history and World Cup success as Sydney Harbour; GOAT and Roo; and it all washed away like a 2-1 defeat and a lump down Uluru’s throat.
The Football World Cup ended after losing to Argentina in the 1/8 finals.
Here’s how the internet reacted.
In the three days between Australia beating Denmark and the knockout clash with Argentina, there was a mobilization of enthusiasm across the country the likes of which we have never seen.
Viewing sites in major cities were hastily organized and opened for the big green and gold wave to wash in at 5 a.m. on Sunday.
In Sydney:
In Brisbane:
In Adelaide:
Two in Melbourne, Federation Square rises and more than 20,000 people flock to Melbourne Rectangle Stadium.
And at the stadium in Qatar, the Australian contingent was dwarfed by the Argentinian army, a sea of blue and white draped in green and gold.
The Socceroos were now playing on home money – and by all accounts the hosts have quite a bit of it this World Cup – and massively overachieved as they cruised through the play-off stages.
Meanwhile, this could be Lionel Messi’s last chance to win the world cup with Argentina; yes, the Socceroos were on the periphery, but the eyes of the world were nonetheless on us.
Also, as is often the case at the cut-throat stage of the World Cup, the game started in a hurry, with no early fireworks, a rush of punches or a big charge to start.
Argentina took control of the ball and began to push forward in the tightly dug Aussie defensive block.
There was no particular human marker for Messi, but the Socceroos’ ill will towards the superstar was evident when Keanu Baccus, making his first start of the tournament, crashed into the Paris Saint Germain striker.
In a first 20 minutes that passed without serious angina-inducing incident for Australian fans, the Socceroos faithful were given the opportunity to soak up the moment and marvel at the idea that this manager and this team are actually here. , it does.
But then, as he has done with otherworldly consistency for his entire career, Lionel Messi’d Lionel Messi.
Messi’s free-kick from the right was partially cleared by the Socceroos, but possession reverted to that footballer and a ratty pass suddenly set him up to shoot in with his left foot from the right. Box.
When Messi creates a situation like this for himself, for the other team it feels like the moment when you’re leaning back in your chair and passing that terrible turning point; Now, no matter how wildly you thrash and howl, there is nothing you can do but with the inevitable pain.
For Messi, scoring like this is as natural as breathing.
So, 1-0 down to Argentina at half-time, Aussie fans were forced to reckon with wildly fluctuating expectations; just one arm down? Not bad, right? But apart from Messi’s chance, we hardly missed our chance? Happy to be here again! Smell burning toast?
And most importantly, we had the expected goals stat which, if you didn’t know, is a completely useless stat if it’s not in your team’s favor, but if it is, it’s one of the most in-depth available.
The second half started and everyone was whispering about substitute Garang Kuol.
Talking more about attacking substitutions and Argentina doing their defensive line? “They are afraid, they close the shop!” we said, our chest swelled.
Then one of our own put a bayonet into those chests; Mat Ryan, who has been largely faultless during this campaign, made a horrendous mistake, trying to take on opposing forwards in his own area before a heavy touch on the ball gave him away for Argentina’s second goal.
Attacking singles appeared, including Kuol, the youngest player to appear in a World Cup play-off since Pele, but we lost hope and whined from the chest wound we were treating.
Argentina were now reveling in the comfort of the scoreboard, and Messi was squishy-footed, human mercurial and a total nightmare, with the entire Socceroos midfield duly ghosting his former players, keeping his body around them, never losing control of the ball.
In the midst of his thoughts that this might explode in an embarrassing way, something amazing happened.
Aziz Behic rose up the right and chipped the ball to substitute Craig Goodwin, who got a first-time shot into the hands of the Argentine defender, who curled the ball into the bottom-right corner.
A thunderbolt, a shot of luck and a way to get back into the match.
Our first goal in the World Cup play-offs – though it was likely to go to multinational striker Mr Own’n Goal – and we weren’t dead, but we were alive and kicking in the competition. .
Behić, who should have blown Messi’s soul out like a dementor just moments ago, broke through the entire opposition defense and nearly scored his own goal and the goal of our lives.
We were running it to double winners, bruised and battered but not yet down, and hearts leaped when the Socceroos sent big Harry Souttar up front to play as a sub-forward in the closing minutes.
Seconds ticked by, we dodged bullets at the other end, but the risk was worth the reward.
Kuol had a chance to equalize in the last minute of added time, but failed to do so.
And that was all.
A witch had won, a minnow had lost, but the Socceroos hadn’t lost their dignity by bouncing back with a little meek whimper, no, they fought against the impossible and almost won.
And the nation extended its hand from our corner of the world and embraced them.
“We gave it our all, like every minute of this contest,” Jackson Irvine said after the match, his voice cracking with emotion and tears in his eyes.
“I hope we did everyone proud.”
They had it.