An estimated 15,000 Socceroo fans are in Cuiaba for Australia’s opening World Cup clash with Chile, and coach Ange Postecoglou has hailed their raucous support on the eve of the clash at the Arena Pantanal.
Speaking after the Socceroos had their allotted training time on the Arena Pantanal pitch in Cuiaba, Postecoglou said the travelling fans in the city were giving him and his players a lift.
Many of the fans gave the players a raucous send off from their team hotel in Cuiaba ahead of their first and only training session on the pitch.
And with Australia snapping up the third highest number of tickets from any country in the world, the expected 15,000 green and gold fans will be willing on their side.
“Football in our country is growing all the time and there are a lot of fans who have made their way over here,” said Postecoglou.
“It’s a long way from Australia. The fact that they’ve made time to come over, it means a lot,” Postecoglou said at the official pre-match press conference.
“They’ll [the players] feel that support and it’s very important to us.”
It was a sentiment national team captain Mile Jedinak agreed would give the players a lift. .
“Seeing our fans is going to be very special.
“We appreciate the effort they have gone to and how far they have traveled.”
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