Sacrifice, perseverance, memories, and a hell of a lot of hard work. The 50 Socceroo caps of Mitch Duke
When he first started playing, Mitch Duke was more focused on getting a gig than a Socceroos cap. Then he spent six years stuck on four and thinking he was done. Now, on Tuesday, he can bring up 50.
DENVER, Colorado — Mitch Duke didn’t pay much consideration to bringing up 50 Socceroo appearances when he was younger; he was more concerned with making it as a professional at all. And he certainly didn’t think it would happen when he spent nearly six years in the international wilderness, marooned on four international caps. But now, a World Cup goalscorer and an example to younger players in the squad, he admits it’s a special moment.
After coming on as a second-half substitute to bring up appearance 49 in last Friday’s 1-0 win over Canada – brought on to do what he does best in relentlessly hassling and haranguing an increasingly frustrated opponent while the Socceroos defended their lead – Duke would become the 40th player in Socceroo history to bring up a half-century of appearances should he get on the field against the United States in Denver this coming Tuesday.
Absent from last month’s Soccer Ashes, that game in Montreal marked his first appearance for the side since he scored and assisted in the Socceroos’ 2-1 World Cup qualifying win over Saudi Arabia back in June, a victory that sealed Australia’s place at next year’s tournament and ensured they wouldn’t have to go through a playoff to get there for the first time in a decade.
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Playing 69 minutes in the eventual shootout win over Peru during the last World Cup cycle, this meant that the Western Sydney native has been present for the Socceroos’ last two World Cup qualifications, to go along with his accolade of being one of only nine players to score for Australia at a men’s World Cup after netting against Tunisia in 2022.
Not bad for a bloke who only got a call to join the squad for June hours before its announcement, following Mat Leckie’s face exploding in the A-League Men grand final, and who went 2099 days – between coming on as a late sub in the 6-0 loss to Brazil that helped end the tenure of Holger Osieck as coach and a 1-0 friendly loss to South Korea ahead of the start of 2022 qualification under Graham Arnold – between appearances in green and gold.
“I didn’t think I was ever going to get caps again after that hiatus, because it was around six years,” Duke told JDL Media. “And I always thought before my football career started, if I was ever going to make it professionally, first of all. I was just grateful that I did.
“Never really thought I would ever get a cap for Australia, let alone coming close to the half-century now, which is amazing.
“It’s very super, super special for me. Hopefully, I can get that one more appearance, at least, to get the 50. It’s another World Cup campaign, too, which is amazing. I went through the hard yards in the first one and now with the automatic qualification and the friendlies against the host nations, it’s a better, better place to be in right now, which is good.”
Invariably, it takes a village to raise a footballer. And Duke acknowledged the circle of close friends and supporters that had been there for him throughout a journey that has seen him play in the A-League Men, Saudi Arabia and his current home of Japan.
It was an odyssey that was almost over before it began, too; Rejected by both the Westfield Sports High and Sydney FC academy – “I’ll shout out Tony Basha [his football academy providing Duke important minutes and training], because he’ll be upset if I don’t,” Duke laughs – he worked three jobs and began to learn a trade before his eventual breakthrough at Central Coast, under the same gaffer in Arnold that brought him back into the Socceroo fold.
But as the second youngest of nine children, six girls and three boys, there was plenty that Duke needed to do to even reach that point. And first and foremost, he paid tribute to his mother, Arlene, and his father, Bill, for helping him to even be in a position to persevere and finally find a foothold in football, as well as the support they provided along the way.
“I don’t want to say it... But I feel like they probably would have had it a little bit harder than others when they were managing nine kids,” said Duke. “So for them to at least give me the time of day to make sure I wasn’t missing any activities was incredible.
“My mum almost had to be a bloody octopus to have arms everywhere and get people to different places in different locations, because all my sisters and brothers were playing sport around the same time, and they all had to be in about eight different places at once.
“So full credit to them for making sure that I didn’t miss out and that I had all the opportunities to be where I am today.
“Without them, there’s no chance I’d be anywhere near this. And not just that, the emotional support and how much they gave me believe that I could do this.”
Few would be surprised by Duke’s favourite memory in his 49 caps to date: the group stage clash against Tunisia at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where his 23rd-minute header helped lift the Socceroos to their first win at the tournament since 2010, ensured a rebound from their opening 4-1 defeat against France, and set the table for their subsequent win over Denmark and progression to the round of 16.
It created the incredible image of Duke joining Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, and Kylian Mbappe as the best afield in that day’s game at the tournament, as well as the heartwarming one of him flashing a “J” celebration to his son Jaxson in the stands, who returned the gesture to his dad.
“The easiest one to stand out, of course, is the goal in the World Cup,” he smiled. “For many, many many reasons: being on the world stage, what it meant for us to get that first win in so long, to be a part of such a small group of players that have [scored at a World Cup]
“So to be a part of such a small group and to be a part of the history of Australian football is super, super special.
“To have my kids there and to have that moment was super amazing, and a moment that I will cherish forever and always look back on and have very, very fond memories.”
Heading into that World Cup, Duke had said that it likely represented his one chance to play at one. Flash forward to the now, however, and the veteran remains well in contention to head to a second one in North America, part of the logjam of players vying to serve as a striker in Tony Popovic’s plans.
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Though not prolific, something which he has repeatedly acknowledged as something he wants to improve on, his tireless work ethic – both in camp and away from it – and his willingness to do the dirty work have consistently ensured that he’s been in the plans of his national team coaches.
His veteran status and long career have also earned him a leadership role in the dressing room, with Mo Touré telling JDL Media that the veteran was one of the players he turned to for advice.
“Dukey, I’ve been watching him for a long time, being a Socceroo fan way before I was a player,” Touré said. “On Instagram, I send him messages sometimes and he helps me, gives me wise words.”
Duke, likewise, is a fan of Touré. He’s a fan of all the young goalscorers Australia has coming through, as it turns out. And while one glance at social media would tell you that there’d be many Socceroo fans who would welcome them supplanting the veteran, they’d have to get in line behind Duke himself. But he’s also going to make them earn that jersey.
“I love seeing how well Mo’s doing,” he says. “And I want that. I don’t want to be even in contention to start, to be honest. I love seeing these boys, and I think the more the merrier, because I’m a fan, firstly, of Australian football. I want to see our game do amazing. I want to see us making noise on the world stage.
“Players like Mo, I’m loving seeing, really take it in his reins to show himself and what he’s capable of. And man, like some of his attributes, I wish I had. He’s an absolute beast. He’s a machine, a physical powerhouse, speed for days, and he’s adding now the finishing touches, goals, assists, or creating certain chances.
“He’s dangerous, and that’s what you want from your striker. He doesn’t necessarily always need to score, but as long as he’s helping cause chaos, create chances, not make it easy for the opposition, and do his job to help us win games.
“I love seeing it.”
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