November 16th, 2005. 32 years of pain and agony were wiped away with one goal and a penalty shootout. What has ensued since has been increasingly rabid support of all things soccer. As if out of nowhere, ‘wogball’ has gained acceptance within a country long sceptical of a game that didn’t have a red ball. Cinderella is going to the ball and all the mice want to ride the coach.

Admittedly, soccer has always been the domain of the European migrant communities throughout Australia. Real aussie kids played football (how can two sports have the same name?) and if you couldn’t pick the ball up with your hands, you left it to the ‘dagoes’. AFL was seared into the national identity through suburban colisseums and, later, the giants of free-to-air television.

When we finally got our collective acts together to form a professional soccer competition, grounds no better than parking lots and hours from civilisation were to start the cultural revolution. Games were ‘televised’ on SBS, widely recognised as the television station for immigrants and late night euro porn. That was assuming you could even get reception. Such a shame the organising body was riddled with corruption, ineptitude and petty cultural vendettas.

In 1997, Australia started to give a crap, bothering to host the World Cup qualifier that would end our supposed misery. Iran didn’t feel like helping out a mate. How un-Australian. Then in 2001, the green and gold flew over to South America with a 1-0 lead and a sense of invincibility. A sense of destinity. Unfortunately, Uraguay have a sense of divine rite when it comes to the World Cup and duly displayed it.

Which brings us to here and now. It’s fair to say support for the Socceroos is rising only because they’re actually on their way to play with the big boys. None of this 16-0 thumping of teams that practice with coconuts - we’re off to Europe to mix it with the best. The Socceroos are winners for having made the finals, so now they’re worthy of our full support. And if they lose all three group matches, will that support be waiting for them? Was it good enough to have just made it to the big dance?

Soccer in this country has been on a rise in popularity for some years now. To dismiss current support as ‘bandwagon’ ignores the effort over the years by those who love, and believe, in the game. Increased international exposure has led to increased domestic interest. Increased sponsorship has led to better training and facilities, which in turn has seen more players leave to play in the premier leagues in Europe. Australians now believe they can mix it with the big kids - the superstars of the world game.

The popularity of soccer in Australia has been coming for a long time. The Socceroos’ journey to Germany can only further enhance the sport’s exposure within this country and showcase our talent internationally. If this leads to greater support of soccer in this country, I can only say ‘Vivé le bandwagon!’