Toure confident Socceroos can make history
Mo Toure has spoken about the strong team spirit within the Socceroos camp as they prepare for their World Cup knockout match against Egypt. After finishing second in Group D, Australia face a crucial game in Texas on Friday evening, aiming to reach the last 16 for only the third time in their history.
The Norwich forward highlighted the positive energy and competition among the squad, saying, "The energy's been great. Everybody's been supportive; our competition's high as well; everybody wants to play." He added that those not on the pitch are fully backing their teammates, which helps maintain morale.
Toure on resilience and lessons from setbacks
Reflecting on his own journey from refugee to international player, Toure emphasised the importance of perseverance. "It'll get tough. Sometimes it's very tough. I feel like the ones you see here today are the ones who didn't give up after failure," he said.
He acknowledged the challenges players face, including being released from teams or missing out on selection, and urged young players to keep pushing. "I would tell young Mo that if you fail or hit a point in your career where things are not going well, it's never to give up."
Australia’s World Cup knockout record under spotlight
Australia have never won a World Cup knockout game, with narrow defeats to Italy in 2006 and Argentina in 2022 ending their previous campaigns. The Socceroos now have a chance to change that record when they meet Egypt.
Toure believes the current squad’s unity and determination could be the difference. "Sometimes it's hard being in camp; sometimes things don't go your way or you're not having the best time, and if you have familiar faces coming to your room, as I said, it helps. It makes it a lot easier," he explained.
According to The Pink'un, the Socceroos are banking on that togetherness to finally secure a knockout win and make history.