Will Mathew Leckie ever have a beer purchase in Australia? As Australia’s happy players raced out of their changing room to talk about their unexpected qualification for the Qatar 2022 knockout rounds. That was the not-so-burning question circulating.
For just the second time in their history, the Socceroos advanced to the FIFA World CupTM knockout round thanks to the goal of the 31-year-old. A rare instance of brilliance in a match that featured little in the way of attacking quality. And everyone agreed that Leckie should never again feel the urge to enter a bar, no matter what he does in the future.
Mat Ryan, the captain of Australia, responded, “Definitely not!” “Even before scoring tonight. He had earned the right to never purchase another drink. He is legendary. Just have a look at his efforts this evening; he is a beast. I can’t say enough good things about him. He is a true leader, and we can always tell when he speaks or acts.
More than any praise I could give him, his football speaks volumes about him. He’s such a crucial player on this squad, as you’ve seen both tonight and numerous times before. He works like an animal, moving up and down the touchline while contributing to the squad. It’s so sacrificial.
“He was very exhausted there, but he finds it in himself to mount a last-ditch defense or go on that run that led to the goal. I’m overjoyed to have him on this team.
Naturally, there were no dissenting voices to be heard. Jackson Irvine said of the player. “He’s been a huge part of this team for so long, longer than most of the rest of us, and he’s so reliable.