Just moments after Australia's historic victory over Denmark at the 2022 World Cup, Socceroos defender Bailey Wright received a devastating text message from his partner informing him of a serious health situation with his mother-in-law.
Australia had just booked their spot in the Round of 16 in Qatar thanks to a superbsolo effort from Mathew Leckie, sparking mass celebrations Down Under.
But for one person, their joy was short-lived.
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“Just come in from a message from my wife,” Wright told reporters.
“Hope she (my mother-in-law) is still with us.”
Truly heartbreaking news.
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And it turns out the tough defender didn't even tell his Aussie teammates about what was going on wither.
“It’s something I’ve kept to myself, no-one knows,” Wright added.
“We’ve all got a lot going on, just really proud.”
Wright, who plies his trade with Sunderland, came on as a second half substitutes against the Danes.
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“To get on is special,” he said.
“But even if I didn’t get on, to achieve what we’ve achieved, a lot of that performance and the reward you’re seeing now has been an effort over four years. A lot has been on this journey, and that’s for everyone who has made sacrifices over four years.”
Topics: Australia, Football, Football World Cup
Max Sherry