Late last year, in scenes reminiscent of the most exciting football crowds in Europe and South America, tens of thousands of people packed into city squares, stadiums, and public parks around Australia to cheer on the Socceroos' historic World Cup campaign in Qatar.
For many of the country's footballing faithful, the huge crowds that flocked to these places confirmed something they already knew: the round-ball game is one of Australia's biggest and most popular sports, with a vibrant and passionate fanbase unlike that of most other domestic codes.
