Football frenzy

By Phil Mercer
BBC Sport in Sydney

The long wait is over.

Australia's nail-biting play-off win against Uruguay has brought to an end three decades of World Cup disaster.

It was the best moment in sporting history in this country Australia fan Evan

"It's like a dream," screamed 29-year-old fan Venus, her voice hoarse after a long and happy night.

This could be the moment that football finally finds its feet in a country where it has struggled to compete with the sporting heavyweights of rugby league and union as well as Aussie Rules and cricket.

The Socceroos will head to Germany next year - their first appearance in the World Cup finals since 1974.

It was so long ago that many in the raucous crowd of 82,600 at the Olympic stadium in Sydney weren't even born when the Aussies last rubbed shoulders with the world's elite.

"It was the best moment in sporting history in this country," said Evan, a 17-year-old student.

"It united a nation. It doesn't get bigger than qualifying for the World Cup. I think football here is just going to take off."

Supporting the Socceroos has in the past been a painful business and typically, the win over a resilient Uruguay was not straightforward.

Fans had to endure a tense penalty shoot-out after the tie had ended all-square on aggregate.

This was a game that should have come with a health warning.

"I suffered about eight heart attacks," joked 17-year-old Chris.

But anxiety has given way to an explosion of joy and optimism.

"The atmosphere was like something I've never felt in my whole life," enthused Stephanie, an 18-year-old office worker. "It's one of the best nights of my life. I'll never forget it."

Neither will those who engineered Australia's historic World Cup win.

Australia qualify for World Cup

"I feel a sense of absolute relief and tremendous pride," said an exhausted John O'Neill, chief executive of the FFA, football's governing body in Australia.

"It was one of the most amazing nights in sport I've ever experienced. It was a great night to be an Australian," he told BBC Sport.

Along with Frank Lowy, one of Australia's richest men, O'Neill has helped to transform football in Australia.

Skipper Mark Viduka has praised their achievements.

"The new guys that have come in have made it very, very organised and turned it into a viable business," explained the Middlesbrough striker.

"The missing link was us qualifying for the World Cup."

Now that's been achieved, fans can now look forward with hope. Already the imagination is starting to run wild.

"We can win the final!" shrieked 15-year-old Natalie. "And we'll do it against England!"

"We can beat anyone," said another young supporter, who turned out to greet the Socceroos at a park in Sydney for a lunchtime celebration.

After the shock of an Ashes defeat and the recent pummelling at Twickenham, perhaps football can give Australian sport back its old cocksure swagger.