If the Socceroos beat co-host the United States on Saturday morning in what shapes as one of their biggest matches of the World Cup, American pundit Mike Grella believes he deserves some of the credit.
Grella has become a lightning rod for Australian fans during the tournament after a string of dismissive comments about the Socceroos on US television. His remarks have come to represent what many supporters see as broader disrespect toward Australia.
Before the tournament, Grella labelled Australia a “layup” for the US, using sporting slang to suggest an easy win. The former player, whose career included second-tier British and European sides before ending with US clubs, also described the Socceroos as the “weakest team in the group”.
“I’m not kidding though when I say this, what are they drinking over there because they have no shot of doing anything at the World Cup,” he said.
“They are the weakest team in the group. The US, although they have their weaknesses… they have like eight players in the Champions League and some of the top clubs in Europe.
“There’s no shot Australia can compete with the US.”
Grella also mocked Australian winger Nestory Irankunda while talking up him up in a backhanded way, exaggerating the pronunciation of his name.
“Irankunda. With all due respect, because I don’t like to talk bad about players and I’m actually a fan of Irunkunda … but Irunkunda?”
Irankunda then scored Australia’s first goal in the shock 2-0 opening win over Turkey, a result that quickly brought Grella’s comments back into focus among fans and former players.
Rather than retreat, Grella has embraced his role as a villain in Australia. On ESPN’s the Pat McAfee Show this week, he said he had planned to compliment the Socceroos but changed course because the Australian “fan base has gone a little too far”.
“Really it’s been unbelievable. They wear a yellow shirt, I think that maybe they’re getting themselves confused with Brazil or another team that’s won something in the past,” he said
“They’ve never won anything,” Grella added, ignoring Australia’s 2015 Asian Cup trophy.
“I look up what Australians are good at. I see cricket, I see rugby, maybe outback. I’m sure they’ve got some wild safaris out there,” he continued.
He took it further on CBS Sports Network, claiming Australia’s tournament momentum as his own work.
“If they do something in this tournament, which they won’t, they should make a statue of me there in Australia because I’ve unified an entire country,” he said.
The Australian squad has shown no sign of ignoring the noise. Defender Jordan Bos made clear before the tournament that the US match was already personal.
“I’m really excited for the US game,” defender Jordan Bos said ahead of the tournament.
“Because I’ve heard a lot of chatter and stuff like that. So I can’t wait to beat them, to be honest.”
Kai Trewin, the New York-based defender, was equally blunt about what the match means to the team.
“I have never wanted to win a game more than this one, I can tell you that for free,” he said.
Irankunda also addressed the outside commentary after the win over Turkey.
“At the end of the day, you’ve got to let these people talk – and it was the same with these lot (Turkey) here. They came, they did their talking, but they couldn’t back it on the field, and we got the win,” he said.
Grella has not been alone in writing off Australia. Former US forward Landon Donovan called coach Tony Popovic “smug” and predicted the Socceroos would finish last in their group. Another ex-American international, Alexi Lalas, also talked up the hosts’ position.
“If you believe in the soccer gods, you should be thanking them.
“I don’t want to say it’s an easy group, but we also have to be realistic with what we got here.”
Across social media, US amateur analysts had also been quick to dismiss Australia before the Turkey result.
The edge between the two countries did not begin at this World Cup. Tension stretches back to last October in Denver, Colorado, when the US beat Australia 2-1 in a so-called “friendly”. Australia imposed itself physically from the start with heavy tackles and an aggressive approach that rattled the Americans.
This week, US players have spoken about coach Mauricio Pochettino using halftime in that match to challenge his side over what he saw as a comparative lack of aggression.
Australia has reached each of the last six World Cups and made the knockout rounds in 2006 and 2022. The United States has not won a knockout match since 2002, when it lost to Germany in the quarter-finals, and it exited in the group stage in 2006 and failed to qualify in 2018.
Grella’s own playing career included one appearance for Leeds United in the 2010-11 English second-tier Championship before spells with League One clubs Carlisle United, Swindon Town, Brentford, Bury and Scunthorpe United. He later played in Denmark and finished his career with the New York Red Bulls in 2016.
