New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet has been laughed at on social media for saying Sydney’s live World Cup sites were better than what Melbourne offered.
Tens of thousands of Socceroos fans from across the country got up in the early hours and converged on live sites in Australia’s capital cities to see Australia get beaten 2-1 by Argentina.
The Adelaide Oval, Sydney’s Darling Harbour and Brisbane‘s King George Square were all packed to watch the last game of for the Socceroos in the 2022 World Cup.
New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet has been laughed at on social media for saying Sydney’s live World Cup sites were better than what are bail bond services (this guy) Melbourne offered (Melbourne fans pictured watching the game)
Melbourne’s Fed Square reached a full capacity of 15,000 an hour before kick-off, with fans lighting flares and singing in the early hours.
Melbourne’s Fed Square reached a full capacity of 15,000 an hour before kick-off, with fans lighting flares and singing in the early hours.
Thousands who couldn’t get in, were moved on towards AAMI Park where they packed the main grandstand – where it is estimated 18,000 cheered on the Socceroos and many more milled around the area.
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Football fans remarked on the huge turnout in Sydney (pictured at Tumbalong Park) on Sunday morning – but some complained about the size of the screens at locations
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has been slammed by fans for claiming Sydney’s live site was better than Melbourne’s – despite having less people
Earlier in the week the NSW Premier had boldly claimed that Sydney would have the best World Cup live viewing site ‘in the country’, despite not having a location or having held one for the tournament thus far.
‘We’re going to have a great live site, it’s going to be the best in the country.
We’re going to have a great announcement very shortly. It’s going to be awesome,’ Perrottet said.
‘I want everybody in the city and across the state to come out and enjoy the game.’
Football fans remarked on the 20,000-people turnout in Sydney on Sunday morning – but some complained about the size of the screens at locations.
Declan Bowring, a reporter for the ABC, was at a live site in Sydney and remarked on Twitter: ‘Nothing but passion when we scored.
This is why we should’ve had this live site for the Tunisia game. This is why we should’ve had this live site for the Denmark game, and for god sakes can we find some bigger screens next time?’
A video clip on social media has also made fun of Perrottet by showing the passionate support from Melbourne football fans during the World Cup spliced with his bold statement about Sydney having the best site in the country.
Others on social media have mocked the NSW Premier for ‘jumping on the bandwagon’ and being late with the idea of live sites for the World Cup.
‘Oh well done on finally joining the party Sydney!
Took them long enough,’ said a Twitter user.
‘This didn’t need to be a dig to other Australian cities @Dom_Perrottet – it’s not a competition!’ said another.
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‘Three games late Dom,’ commented a third.
Coach Graham Arnold believes Melbourne’s Fed Square was a symbol of the success of the national football team.
‘I know I keep saying this, but I have always said it,’ he told reporters.
Fans watch on at Tumbalong Park in Sydney on Sunday morning
‘There’s only one team that unites the nation and one sport – and that is football in Australia and the Socceroos.
‘I am not being negative here.
But the rugby league World Cup was just on. Was Federation Square like that? Were the pubs like that?
‘And they don’t play AFL anywhere else in the world except for Australia, so it just shows you how big football can be.’
Craig Goodwin’s deflected goal late in the second half sparked wild scenes at all venues around the nation, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to stop the South American giants – who will now take on the Netherlands in the quarter final.
