Amidst the celebrations following Australia’s triumph over Turkey, a touching moment unfolded as young Paul Okon-Engstler wiped away tears during his World Cup debut.
The 21-year-old midfielder was a surprising inclusion in Tony Popovic’s starting lineup, with veteran Jackson Irvine left on the bench. Viewers were struck by Okon-Engstler’s emotional display before the match even began, which highlighted the significance of the occasion.
“I don’t know if you can call those tears,” he remarked post-match, chuckling. “But yeah, obviously very, very emotional just for me and my family.”
During the national anthem at the vast BC Place in Vancouver, Okon-Engstler was visibly affected, with tears streaming down his face as the cameras captured the moment. However, it was not the stirring notes of Advance Australia Fair that moved him to tears. He shared, “In the tunnel, honestly, just walking out and seeing all our fans and the noise and the crowd and just seeing all the Fifa signage … it really hit me that I’m at a World Cup and I’m at the highest stage that any footballer dreams of. Just so happy, I was stoked.”
Okon-Engstler played a vital role in securing the victory, earning praise for his assist to Nestory Irankunda. Moreover, he was instrumental in the Socceroos’ defense, which successfully thwarted the highly-rated Turkish team. “The way we defended and we fought as a team was just so special and I think that this group has so much more left to show,” he stated.
His performance served as a testament to the quality of the A-League Men, where he has been a significant player for Sydney FC, who finished as runners-up this past season. Observers of the domestic league may have been surprised by how comfortably he adapted to the pressures of the World Cup.
The match also put to rest any allegations of nepotism regarding Okon-Engstler, as his father, Paul Okon, serves as an assistant coach for the Socceroos. Having previously made a name for himself playing for Club Brugge in Belgium, Okon Snr also had stints with Leeds and Middlesbrough in the Premier League during the 1990s.
After celebrating the second goal, Okon Snr embraced head coach Tony Popovic, a long-time teammate, marking a shared moment of significance at the World Cup.
“We go a long way back and he’s passionate, he’s emotional,” Popovic explained. “For me, playing his son is special. I play him because he deserves to play. I love the kid. I’ve loved him since, well, 12 months ago when I first brought him in. I knew there was a special talent there and he proved it today. And it was just a special moment with two close friends embracing.”
Popovic, who is just two years younger than Okon Snr, held onto his playing career long enough to be part of the Socceroos’ 2006 campaign in Germany, which marked their first World Cup appearance since 1974. Okon Snr was among the notable Australian players of the 1990s who never had the opportunity to compete in a World Cup, coming closest with a playoff loss to Uruguay in 2001.
He revealed that his pre-match conversation with his son was akin to discussions with any other player on the team. “My chat with him would have been like the chat with any other player in the team, and that was: ‘You’ve got a job to do, make sure you do it, and we have full confidence in your ability, and now’s the moment you’ve been waiting for it for a long time. It’s what you’ve dreamed of’, Okon Snr said. “Of course, yeah. I just happened to be his father.”
