The Australian’s Australian of the Year: Socceroos end year on high with Arnold coach of World Cup
The Socceroos may not have lifted the golden trophy above their heads, but they finished 2022 on a high with Graham Arnold named the best coach of the World Cup.
Socceroos coach Graham Arnold and his men may not have lifted the golden World Cup trophy above their heads, but they finished 2022 on a high.
Arnold, who has been at the helm of the Socceroos since 2018, was named the best coach of the World Cup by French daily sports newspaper L’Equipe, which rated coaches and players after each game of the tournament.
And the Socceroos themselves have capped off 2022 by finishing 27th in the FIFA world rankings following their unprecedented run to the Round of 16 in Qatar.
Australia was ranked 38th before the tournament but climbed 11 places with successive 1-0 wins over Tunisia and Denmark, which qualified them for the knockout stage.
This is the highest ranking for the Australia men’s national soccer team since March 2012 when they finished 20th.
Arnold described the Socceroos’ rise in the rankings as an “incredible” feat.
“Full credit must go to all the players, staff and Football Australia who did the nation extremely proud,” he said last month.
“The World Cup memories will always be there for all of Australia to remember. It was also down to the wonderful support we had back home.
“It was a great World Cup and to play against the two finalists (France and Argentina) was a dream come true for us all.”
But beyond these accomplishments, Arnold and his men united the nation in a way only sport can.
Australians cheered them on no matter their opponent, no matter the time and no matter how bleary-eyed they knew they would be the next day.
And so, it is only fitting that Arnold and the Socceroos have been nominated for The Australian’s Australian of the Year.
Despite the Socceroos losing 4-1 to France in their group and losing 2-1 to Argentina in the Round of 16, Australia is mighty proud of the team’s efforts, even before the tournament kicked off.
Substitute goalkeeper and “Grey Wiggle” Andrew Red-mayne’s save against Peru in June, which sent Australia through to the World Cup, will be written into Australian sporting folklore.
After the win, Arnold called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to declare a national holiday to “give the fans a day off to celebrate”.
“I believe it is one of the greatest achievements ever to qualify for this World Cup, the way we have had to go through the thing,” Arnold said in June.
“We had 20 World Cup qualifiers, we played 16 away from home.
“It’s been tough but we did it.”
And not only did they do it, they nearly defeated the eventual victors.
However, the question remains whether Arnold will remain coach of the Socceroos after his contract expired at the end of the World Cup campaign.
Well-placed sources told News Corp Australia last month that Arnold wants to continue coaching the Socceroos but would be willing to shift overseas if a deal cannot be struck.
We encourage our readers to put in a nomination for The Australian’s Australian of the Year, which was first won in 1971 by economist HC “Nugget” Coombs. Prominent Australians can be nominated by filling out the form above, or sending an email to aaoty@theaustralian.com.au. Nominations close on Friday, January 20..
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