Look out, world, the Socceroos are coming for you

After their World Cup dreams came to an end following a magical run in Doha, some of our heroic Socceroos touched down in Australia.

Socceroo Thomas Deng poses for a photo with fans at Melbourne Airport on Monday night. Picture: Getty Images

The Socceroos returned home to a raucous welcome from hundreds of their most devoted fans on Monday night, after completing Australia's most successful World Cup campaign in history.

The players flew in from Qatar via Sydney and Melbourne airports, after securing two group-stage victories and putting up a gallant effort in defeat to Argentina in the round of 16 clash on ­Sunday.

Captain Mathew Ryan, Jason Cummings, Cameron Devlin, ­Garang Kuol, Andrew Redmayne, and Daniel Vukovic flew into Sydney, while Thomas Deng, Jamie Maclaren and Marco Tilio landed in Melbourne.

Ryan, whose second-half error gave Argentina the easiest of goals, praised his side, adding that support from home boosted the Socceroos’ match confidence. Ryan’s costly mistake was all but forgiven on Monday evening, as dozens of fans swarmed the 30-year-old skipper for selfies and autographs.

Jamie Maclaren meets a fan. Picture: Getty Images

“When you come to receptions like this, success becomes a contagious thing and the fact that we were able to bring the nation together to get behind us that has made it extra special,” the captain said. “We want to be having success at this level, as often as we possibly can. And I think it’s important now that we take this momentum and run with it, and that’s the ambition of the group.”

Kuol, who almost scored an equaliser in the dying seconds against Argentina, received a hero’s welcome as he walked through the terminal. Asked about his most valuable lesson from the World Cup, the 18-year-old replied “to always work, harder and harder and harder”. He added that “the biggest lesson I learnt [from the World Cup] was about passion”.

Vukovic, who plays for Central Coast Mariners in the A-League, said the entire team was boosted by footage of the crowds across Australia who gathered in the early mornings to cheer them on.

“We never expected to receive that much support, and we didn’t expect this arrival,” he said.

“After the first two games we saw videos and images of the crowds. Arny (coach Graham Arnold) showed them before the game against Denmark and we really saw the support we were getting … It was a massive motivational boost for us, so I really want to thank everyone here at home.”

Deng, a defender who plays for Albirex Niigata in Japan, said playing for the Socceroos in the 2022 World Cup was a “dream come true”. “For me and many of the ­others it was our first World Cup, it’s just something that we are never going to forget,” he said. “I think a lot of people didn’t expect us to get that far. Even with Argentina … we ­almost got across the line.”

Maclaren, a forward with Melbourne City, said the Socceroos played against the best teams and the best players. “We can hold our heads high. It’s been the best finish the Socceroos had in a World Cup, and now that’s the standard for the young generation coming through,” he said.

Thomas Deng dishes out a fist bump. Picture: Getty Images