By Greg Baum
Australia trail the rest of the last 16 in the World Cup in more statistical categories than is worth counting. It would only add another stat anyway.
But they know they’d be No. 1 in the only category that matters to them. It’s not stepovers or bicycle-kick goals. It’s ergometry.
Mathew Leckie shoots and scores.Credit:Getty Images
Winger Mathew Leckie carved out a place in Australian soccer’s hall of fame with his exquisite winning goal against Denmark, but what is more important to him is that he has run more than 30 kilometres across three games, and faster than any of his teammates. As a winger, it’s his remit.
But even he defers to midfielder Jackson Irvine. “Jacko’s run about 12.6 [against Denmark]. It was just crazy,” Leckie said. “Every single player out there gave everything.”
It’s not just in matches. Coach Graham Arnold marvelled to see defender Milos Degenek running laps of the Socceroos’ training pitch for an hour in the sticky middle of the Doha day. The Socceroos are blessed with sumptuous training facilities. Leckie talked about riding a bike in a pool (he didn’t say whether downhill or up).
“I think it’s been a massive advantage, especially the intensity that we play,” Leckie said. “We know as a team that we need to work harder and win our physical battles to get results. For us, it’s massive to get our bodies right for the game.”
Mathew Leckie and teammates celebrate after scoring Australia’s goal against Denmark.Credit:Getty Images
Leckie is quietly compiling one of the better Socceroos’ careers. On Sunday (Australian time), he and goalkeeper Mat Ryan will jointly break the Australian record for appearances in World Cup finals matches: 10 each.
But his profile remains relatively low, partly because he has played most of his club football in the strong but invisible German Bundesliga, and partly because he is not one to blow his own trumpet or wear his decorations like bling.
For his winner against Denmark, he took on defender Joakim Maehle one-on-one and angled a strike with his left foot through Maehle’s legs and past goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel with millimetres to spare inside the far post. It would have done Lionel Messi proud.
Soccer is the story of its goals. For Australia in the World Cup, they’re few and select enough for each to have its own name tag. But to hear Leckie tell it, he just happened to get on the end of one. “It’s special to me, but it’s a special occasion for all of us,” he said, “Every single player out there gave everything.” And just like that, he’s talking about Irvine’s running power again.
Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel dives to no avail as Leckie’s shot heads for the net.Credit:Getty Images Europe
Pressed about himself, he talks about the team ethic. Asked again about his accomplishments, he defaults to work rate.
From Melbourne’s west, Leckie came from outside the pathways, institutes and rep teams. An agent suddenly signed him up at 19. “My dad said to him, ‘just look after him, all right?’,” Leckie said, “and I was like, ‘what happened?’ ” It speaks volumes that he and the agent are still together.
Leckie signed on for Adelaide United’s youth team, but within three weeks, he was coming from the bench to score against North Queensland. It went from there.
Jackson Irvine: ceaseless running.Credit:Getty Images
“I think what’s made my career is just my work rate, my fight,” Leckie said. “I think there’s probably a lot more gifted people than me in the country. But one thing I’ve had is my mentality and my work rate. When I’m in my best shape, which I feel I am today, you know, I physically have so much input.
“I feel that in the games. We’re playing against great players, but I can feel physically better than that. And I always just try to make it a tough night for them.” Maehle will give him a reference.
Like many of the Socceroos, Leckie does not give off-the-cuff answers. In a sport of few openings, on and off the pitch, temperament is everything. His is Zen-like.
“There’s been moments where in football you’re sometimes right at the top and there’s times where you’re on the bottom,” he said, “and I always try to stay in the middle regardless of the occasion. Head down, work hard. That’s when I play my best, when I’m getting into the battle, throwing my body around, and that’s why I think I’ve had a good career.”
That might not bring down hallelujahs or set pulses racing, but it is who Leckie and the Socceroos are. “That’s been the success of the tournament,” he said. “Everyone’s willing to give everything: sprint to attack, sprint to defence, and that’s why we’re such a strong team. We always say defence starts at the front and attack starts at the back.
Australian keeper Mat Ryan: with Mathew Leckie, a record-breaker.Credit:Getty Images
“We need everyone there. We all have our individual qualities, but our biggest qualities collectively is us as a team. If we’re not a team on the night, it doesn’t work.”
That will be the ethos against Argentina. “I don’t really want to compare us to them, because they’re special,” he said. “But [the Socceroos against Denmark] was also special. And I just think the belief in this team, it’s something special.
“It’s a 90-minute game, maybe 120. And it’s a knock-out game. No one expected us to be here. We just need to enjoy the moment, enjoy the occasion. No one expects us to win. So let’s shock the world.”
Watch every match of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League on Stan Sport. Returns for the Round of 16 in February 2023, with all matches streaming ad-free, live and on demand.
