-Opinion
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THEY say that football can transcend languages. That football is, and always will be the world game.
In our country, this understanding can be lost at times. It’s not that soccer isn’t popular. Football happens to Australia’s fastest growing junior sport.
It’s that for so long the sport was perceived as a foreign game. And for so long the sport remained under the shadow of our winter main stays.
But there’s a change a foot…. Can you feel it?
I can.
If the Socceroos are victorious in their Asian Cup final against South Korea tomorrow night (8pm), many will laud it as one of Australia’s greatest achievements on home soil.
South Korea are ranked 31 places better than us in the present FIFA world rankings. They are not only a 2002 World Cup finalist but a powerhouse of Asian football. They happen to also be the only team to defeat Australia in the tournament so far.
But win or lose, the greatest achievement has already been accomplished off the field.
The Asian Cup has been a raging success with coverage bettering that of the Australian Open and the cricket.
For the fans there has never been such unity and acceptance.
It’s quite frankly a breath of fresh air.
Never has there been such bold expressions of patriotism for different countries, who before hand, may have been afraid to celebrate in light of recent times.
The Iraq, Iran quarter final held in Canberra last week personified the emotion of the Cup.
The game’s greatest gift wasn’t the fact it was match of the tournament, it was the fact that for 90 minutes there was no politics, just an unbelievable crowd of both countries’ supporters and Australians enjoying a football match.
In Goulburn this message isn’t lost either.
When Callum Fitzsimmons met a young Korean, new to Goulburn, it was the beautiful game that bridged the culture gap between them.
After kicking around a football in the park, the pair organised a football match, where Fitzsimmons would rally his mates and his new Korean friend would rustle up his.
Then on a sunny Saturday afternoon, two groups of men seemingly worlds apart met with only football in common.
“What occurred that day I can only describe as beautiful,” Fitzsimmons explained.
“After a long 50 minutes in the 40 degree sun, we decided to call the game. I cracked open a beer and handed the others to our new made friends, while they pulled there carton of beer.
“We exchanged beers and stories, and laughed around for hours.
“I was blown away at how a simple game could bridge some massive gaps this culture has left us with.
“After the game I just kept thinking what a positive experience the whole thing was.”
What those Goulburn boys achieved is what football is all about. It doesn’t just extened to the highs of professionalism; it extends all the way down to a group of local boys making some new residents feel welcome through a game of soccer.
It’s fitting that just days afterwards, that the two countries should meet in the biggest game held on Aussie soil.
Whatever the result, their love of the beautiful game won’t waiver.
And neither will Australia’s.