While the Socceroos await news on what Mathew Leckie's latest hamstring twinge means for his World Cup, the veteran's presence reminds them every day of the opportunity awaiting them.
Leckie was withdrawn after an hour of Australia's 2-0 loss to the United States after pulling up, sitting down then receiving treatment.
Given the 35-year-old's lengthy history of soft tissue injuries - which he finally overcame in time to fight his way into Australia's World Cup squad - there will clearly be a watch on Leckie's fitness for the remainder of the tournament.
Assistant coach Mile Jedinak wasn't aware of any update on Leckie's condition on Sunday, beyond that his former teammate was heading for further tests.
But if Australia can no longer tap into four-time World Cup attendee Leckie's experience on the field, the young Socceroos can lean into what he has done before.
Every day the team sees a photo in their hotel of Leckie celebrating his iconic solo goal against Denmark in Qatar that sent Australia to the knockouts.
Ahead of facing Paraguay, where a win or draw will seal second spot in Group D, in Santa Clara on Thursday, every player will be itching to give Australia their own special moment that has crowds from the US to Federation Square bouncing.
"I think they'll know that," former Socceroos captain Jedinak said of the opportunity to create history.
"When Lecks scores his goal against Denmark and the celebration, it's a moment etched in our World Cup history.
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"Without even saying too much, I think the players will be aware of that. They've also got such a tremendous privilege to still have him in the room and he's been a part of this journey.
"I know what it meant to me and I wasn't even there."
Jedinak, who scored on the World Cup stage himself in 2018 and 2022, believed Leckie would be happy to tell his view of that moment, and wants the players to lean into it.
"It is drawing upon that and what that moment meant and I don't think you should shy away from that because I guess every single one of us here knew exactly how they felt in that moment," Jedinak said.
"Apart from being tremendously proud, I was just so pleased for him as an individual because I was there with him in the trenches, to go and play in these World Cups, and see him have to deliver.
"But for him to get his moment in that game probably speaks more volumes of him and his journey than anything else.
"It's no different for any one of these individuals that we've got at the moment."
