Liam McNally
As Mathew Leckie scored the game-winning goal for Australia against Denmark in the World Cup Qatar, his family were shouting at their TV’s, watching his World Cup exploits from their home in Eynesbury.
Hailing from Melbourne’s west, Mathew’s goal was enough to secure Australia a place in the round of 16 for just the second time.
The Socceroos will face Argentina on Sunday.
Leckie’s father, Edward Leckie has been living in the Melton area for about 30 years, and said watching his son’s goal in the early hours of last Thursday morning was “amazing”.
“It took me 10 minutes to calm down,” he said.
“He’s been working so hard, and he’s been close so many times with the Socceroos and he’s finally got his career goal so I’m very happy for him.”
Mathew grew up in St Albans in his younger years, before his family moved further west where he attended Kurunjang Secondary College.
Edward remembers taking Leckie to his first soccer practices for the Brimbank Stallions, he said Leckie had tried AFL for a year first for St Albans’ under-11’s side.
“They wouldn’t pass the ball to him, so he decided he was going to try soccer because he told me that if he gets the ball then they’ve gotta get it off him,” he said.
“He decided when he started playing, he said ‘I’m not gonna get a job dad, I’m gonna become a professional soccer player’. I said, ‘oh, are you?’
“I’d have to take him to training and the minute I’d walk in from work he’d be saying ‘c’mon dad let’s go’, wouldn’t even eat anything or change, and that’s how he’s been ever since, it’s just train, train, train, work hard. He’s done very well.”
Brimbank Stallions vice president Robert Di Filippo said the club is not “one bit surprised” with the goal he scored.
“We at the club are obviously very proud of Mathew in both who he is as a person and all that he has achieved throughout his career,” he said.
“Mathew started his football career here at the club as a junior, he was a great kid who was clearly very talented and dedicated to the sport.
“As a player you always remember your first club and we are very proud to be part of his history!”
