On a drizzly Tuesday morning at Sydney Harbour, former Socceroo and commentator Craig Foster shared his unfiltered views on the World Cup, the state of Australian football, and the sport's deep connection to politics and multiculturalism. Speaking under the Harbour Bridge, Foster offered rapid-fire opinions: he tips Spain or France for the 2026 trophy, praised the Belgium vs. Senegal match as the best so far, and defended penalty shootouts as 'the best test of nerve in all of world sport.'
Foster's Take on Modern Football Stars
Foster criticized modern stars like Lionel Messi, David Beckham, and Cristiano Ronaldo for staying silent on social issues. 'I don't like Messi as much as Maradona, because he never opens his mouth. It's as if the world outside of football doesn't exist,' he said. He praised 18-year-old Spain player Lamine Yamal for waving the Palestinian flag and speaking out against racism, calling him 'the type of athlete that the world needs.'
Football and Multiculturalism in Australia
Foster chose to meet at the First Fleet Memorial to highlight the contrast between Australia's colonial beginnings and the modern Socceroos, whom he called 'a vitally important face of Australian multiculturalism.' He noted that football has reflected Australia's immigration journey 'in a way that no other sport has done.' When he started playing for Sydney Croatia in the late 1980s, clubs were divided along ethnic lines, and the game was derided as 'wog ball.' Despite this, Foster became a Socceroo in 1996, scoring nine international goals and captaining the team.
From Player to Commentator
After retiring in 2003, Foster became a beloved commentator on SBS, alongside Les Murray and Johnny Warren. He saw his role as 'showing different cultures of the world to Australians' and 'evangelising the game.' For the first time in 24 years, he is not part of SBS's World Cup commentary panel, but he appears in the documentary Wog Ball, which tracks soccer's rise from a marginalised sport to Australia's unifying code.
The Need for Grassroots Investment
Despite Australia's elimination in the round of 32, Foster is encouraged by the nation's growing passion for the team. However, he warned that support for the World Cup must translate into support for domestic leagues. 'If you want more success in the World Cup, we need you in the stadiums. We need you to buy the jersey,' he said. For Australia to win a World Cup, Foster called for a national, government-funded football program for children aged six to 12, similar to those in France and Spain. 'Without that, we're not going to win World Cups,' he asserted.
Football as a Force for Social Cohesion
Foster believes investing in football is an investment in 'Australian social cohesion, in Australian multiculturalism, and in our sense of national identity.' He cited current Socceroo Awer Mabil's response to senator Pauline Hanson's remarks about multiculturalism, where Mabil said, 'We represent Australia on the biggest stage. If anyone is trying to divide that, then they're probably not Australian themselves.' Foster concluded, 'Australians collectively support the Socceroos and Matildas in a way that doesn't happen with any other sport. It brings us together in a way that we need now – and we'll need in 25 years maybe even more.'
