The Socceroos have addressed growing anti-immigration sentiment in a powerful video message ahead of the World Cup, speaking of their pride in their heritage and playing for the national team.
Compared with their equivalent release before the Qatar World Cup, which addressed directly the hosts’ human rights record, the Socceroos’ statement on Friday was uncontroversial.
However, in a climate of harsh deportations by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the rise of One Nation in Australia, the Socceroos’ simple language held a clear message and its timing carried weight.
Awer Mabil, a winger playing for Castellón in Spain, begins the video: “I was born in Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya. My parents are South Sudanese.” The defender Lucas Herrington, who has Zimbabwean heritage, “was born in Brisbane, Australia”. The full‑back Aziz Behich adds: “My family migrated from Cyprus.” Jason Geria, who has Ugandan roots, says he was born in Australia.
Their message is a result of meetings organised by the players’ union Professional Footballers Australia and led largely by the co‑president Jackson Irvine. The PFA chief executive, Beau Busch, said the Socceroos “highlight the profound impact of multiculturalism” on the country. “At a time when some seek to divide us and question who belongs, the Socceroos stand as a powerful reminder of who we truly are as a nation and as Australians,” he said.
During the meetings, the Socceroos were invited to consider what kind of statement they wanted to issue ahead of the politically-charged tournament. They agreed to promote multiculturalism, and 20 of the 26-player squad recorded videos that make up the near-two‑minute message.
Irvine, the Socceroos’ outspoken midfielder who said last month that Fifa’s awarding of a peace prize to Donald Trump “makes a mockery” of football as a force for positive change, presented the video’s key theme: “No matter where you come from, football is for everyone.”
That slogan is repeated by Jacob Italiano, Aiden O’Neill and Harry Souttar, the latter in a strong Scottish accent. “The Socceroos aren’t just a team, we are a reflection of modern Australia,” continues Irvine.
In the video, Mo Touré explains his upbringing, as a child to Liberian refugees, born in Guinea before moving to Adelaide as a refugee. Milos Degenek fled Croatia as an 18-month-old, living in Serbia as a refugee before moving to Sydney at the age of six.
The World Cup has brought players, staff and supporters of 48 teams to the US, Canada and Mexico over the next six weeks. What should be a celebration of difference began on Friday amid tension around the place of migrants within US society.
The Trump administration has undertaken sometimes cruel mass deportations, including sending 21,000 people to places US calls too dangerous to visit, and this month threatened to send more ICE agents to New York.
“Our diversity is our strength,” Mat Leckie says in the video. Geria says: “The Socceroos are the best representation right now of what Australia is.”
In Australia, the political party One Nation has surged in popularity. The populist party founded on anti-immigration policy has occupied the fringes of politics since its establishment in 1997.
One Nation has emerged, however, as a major electoral force, winning its first federal lower house seat and challenging the mainstream incumbents in polling.
The team captain, Maty Ryan, Paul Okon‑Engstler, Jordy Bos and Herrington speak of the pride in playing for the Socceroos, as does Mabil. “There’s a lot of journeys behind the jersey, so to be a Socceroos has many different meanings, but with one purpose and that is to do the country proud,” Mabil said. Irvine concludes: “We are proud of where we come from and who we represent, and proud to represent Australia.”
The Socceroos play their first World Cup match against Turkey on Saturday evening in Vancouver (Sunday AEDT).
