In-form Caltex Socceroos wing-back Aziz Behich has a unique incentive to achieve success at next year's FIFA World Cup: to gain bragging rights over Kylian Mbappe's brother!
Behich, who has starred with five goals in Turkey's Super Lig this season, plays alongside Mbappe's adoptive brother Jires Kembo Ekoko at Bursaspor.
The left-sided Australia defender could find himself marking France's rising attacker when the two nations meet in the group stage in Russia.
And while Behich won't be launching his own full-scale scouting mission into potential opponents, he's been willing to engage in banter with a French contingent that includes club boss and former Les Bleus player Paul Le Guen.
"It's a bit funny drawing France with our coaching staff and Mbappe’s brother in my team," Behich told socceroos.com.au.
"I sometimes give him a bit of stick and obviously our coaching staff are French as well. We have a bit of a joke around.
"You do watch [opposition players] and try to take notes, but come the World Cup you don’t know who is going to be there. It's still a while way.
"It’s going to be difficult but we are pretty confident in squad we have. We have great leaders and we have boys who have experienced World Cups.
"That obviously helps the squad, to have that insight for players that haven’t been there.
"As we’ve shown over the years, we’ll take it to any team and play our football."
Behich established his place as a regular squad member under Ange Postecoglou - appearing at both the Asian Cup and Confederations Cup - and is confident the Socceroos will continue to progress regardless of who takes charge in Russia.
"Whoever comes in I'm sure is going to do a good job," the 27-year-old said.
"As Australians, we’ve always had the same mentality coming into camp. We know what job has to be done.
"It’s pretty exciting to see which boss gets appointed. Whoever gets the job, we still have to prove in our club football that we want to play for the national team."
While he is happy to leave the decision-making to Football Federation Australia and its selection panel, Behich simply hopes to replicate the emotions of the dramatic qualifying victories over Syria and Honduras.
"Every game I play for my national team is always a highlight in my career," he said.
"When I think about it now I still get that feeling of the final whistle against Honduras.
"The crowd going wild, everyone screaming, it feels like it was yesterday.
"That feeling will stay with me for a very, very long time."
