Scenes at Federation Square prove Australia should be the next World Cup host

Now that the dust has settled (ever so slightly), let's properly take in those incredible scenes from Thursday morning.

By now, we all would have seen the viral clips of the complete and utter chaos unfolding in Federation Square.

When Mathew Leckie sliced through the Denmark defence before burying the ball in the bottom corner, sheer pandemonium erupted across the nation.

Whether you were watching live from the stadium, at your local pub or even the comfort of your living room sofa, cups of tea or ice cold beverages were bound to be spilled as Aussie absolutely lost the plot – and rightly so.

But it was the atmosphere at Melbourne's Federation Square at 4am in the morning which seemed to make headlines around the world.

From the flares being lit to the thousands of people celebrating in unison, social media was flooded with various videos of the wild scenes in Melbourne.

To put it simply, Federation Square looked like the place to be if you wanted to soak up the atmosphere.

The reaction online was mental too with people from different walks of life struggling to figure out why us nutty Aussies would flock to the streets at 4am to watch a football match.

World Cup fever, that's why.

They were the sort of scenes a tournament host would be proud of, right?

So with that being said, that moment alone proves the next men's World Cup should be held Down Under.

Don't get us started on Qatar.

From its criminalisation of homosexuality to its treatment of migrant workers, there's no denying that the tournament has been shrouded in controversy ever since the bid was bought - oops sorry, won - back in 2010.

But those factors aside, if you can bring yourself to push them aside for a split second, there's other reasons why this tournament hasn't been as banging as those before it.

If truth be told, the atmosphere both inside and outside the stadiums looks dead.

The fan zones aren't pumping, the supporters appear subdued and the underlying tension in palpable.

Turn your attention to Down Under where the pubs are packed, streets are full and everyone appears in good spirits.

Baring in mind the prime time game in Qatar is at 2am for us Aussies as well.

Thankfully, our calls have been heard and the Women's World Cup will be held in Australian New Zealand in 2023.

It's there that Australia will be able to showcase what a proper, proper World Cup will be like.

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: Australia, Football World Cup, Football, Qatar, Womens World Cup

Max Sherry

Max Sherry is a journalist for SPORTbible Australia. After migrating Down Under from London as a teenager, he instantly fell in love with Aussie sport and its culture. From NRL to AFL, cricket to rugby — you name it, Max watches it (with a beer in hand, of course). During his time at Fox Sports, he worked in the football department covering the Premier League, A-League, Socceroos and Matildas. Born a stone's throw away from West Ham's training ground, Max is obviously a die-hard Liverpool fan.

@maxysherry