As World Cup debuts go, it doesn’t get much tougher than taking on the greatest team of them all, five-time winners Brazil, which is exactly what Tony Popovic did on this day (18th June) in 2006.
Having played a crucial role in Australia’s qualification, playing both legs of the qualifier against Uruguay, and now he stepped out onto the biggest stage.
His starting role against Brazil made him just the second Palace player to feature at a World Cup, after Gregg Berhalter for the United States four years earlier in South Korea.
This time, in Germany, Australia had started well, beating Japan in the opening thanks to a Tim Cahil late double.
At the Allianz Arena Brazil walked out in their traditional yellow shirts and blue shorts with a line-up packed full of legends: Cafu, Roberto Carlos, Kaka, Ronaldinho and, perhaps the greatest of them all, Ronaldo.
Australia held out until half-time, with Popovic unfortunate to be withdrawn through injury. All he could do was watch as Brazil scored twice after the break to register all three points.
The Socceroos earned a draw in the final group game against Croatia to qualify for the knockouts, where they controversially lost to future champions Italy with the final kick of the game, after a hugely subjective penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
