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Mat Leckie's winning goal for the Socceroos against Denmark a moment of world class quality and historical significance

From now until the end of time, it shall be referred to as "the Leckie Goal".

Two words which are already instantly recognisable for Australian football fans and when uttered will send all the emotions felt in that glorious moment stirring back to the surface.

Nobody will forget where they were when Mathew Leckie scored that remarkable solo goal to beat Denmark and send Australia through to the second round of the 2022 World Cup.

A scrappy tap-in in those circumstances would have been just as significant, and a goal of that quality in a lesser match would have been just as special. But for the two to combine in such perfect harmony is a rare gift to be treasured.

Let's take it all the way back to the source — the man himself.

Had it ended yesterday, Mat Leckie's international career would have been a difficult one to surmise. He has spent the best part of a decade as the Socceroos' most-consistent attacking threat, and yet is arguably known as much for what he has lacked as what he has provided.

A relentless runner, maybe the hardest worker in the Australian team, the sight of Leckie charging full throttle at opposing defences has been a constant in green and gold since at least the 2014 World Cup.

Too often those runs would end in a frustrated exhale, the promise going unfulfilled and the admirable effort unrewarded.

Leckie has started every single game Australia has played at a World Cup since 2014, without ever having a moment to call his own.

The Leckie Goal has changed everything.

It started in familiar enough fashion, with a head-down run at a gap left in the Danish defence. Riley McGree's poise is not to be ignored in the build up, as he took that all-important split-second to identify the run and stroke his pass with perfect weight.

Leckie suddenly had half the pitch to work with and only two horribly out of position defenders to be concerned with. The easy option would have been to run away from the defence into a tougher angle, or simply to blaze a shot from distance at the first time of asking.

But in a game of such few chances for Australia, Leckie showed incredible awareness and control. He bought himself time by cutting onto his favoured right foot, then completely wrong-footed Joakim Maehle by switching back to his left.

Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel had taken up a perfect position in the centre of his six-yard-box, meaning Leckie probably didn't have a chance of scoring at his near post and only had a sliver of an angle to work with across the keeper.

It's all he needed. Leckie's shot was inch-perfect, creeping further away from Schmeichel's outstretched left hand, but still sneaking inside the upright.

Every part of the goal, from conception to execution, had to be perfect. And somehow, in the biggest game of his life and under the most pressure a footballer could hope to experience, it was.

It was a goal worthy of the occasion, and you sensed even the Denmark players knew it. For all the shredded nerves and chewed-up nails over the remaining half an hour of play, the Danes rarely threatened Mat Ryan's goal with any great purpose.

They were shell-shocked, and soon had the look of a beaten team. Brilliant goals can do that, simultaneously dousing one side's flame of belief while tipping the contents of a jerry can on the other's.

Australia's World Cup history hasn't been littered with goals, but of that selection there have been few such corkers.

Celebrations in Federation Square as Australia qualify for World Cup knockouts

Tim Cahill's volley against the Netherlands in 2014 had sat atop the list, which also included Brett Holman's drive against Serbia in 2010, Cahill's second against Japan in 2006 and John Aloisi's third goal in the same game.

Could the Leckie Goal eclipse them all?

It's tough to compare anything to the technical quality and complete audacity of that Cahill goal in Brazil, but that was an instinctual split-second of brilliance in a game that unfortunately would not mean as much to Australia.

Leckie had to think about his goal. He had to feel every single eyeball on him, and let the power of the moment sink under his skin and grow stronger with every touch.

He had to overcome the weight of his own personal history and that of the national team. He had to look Australian football immortality in the eye and proclaim once and for all that he was worthy.

Scenes of jubilation in Qatar after Socceroos beat Denmark

With all of that in mind, goals don't get much better. And right now, as Australia stares down the round of 16 and the prospect of who knows what after that, it's the only goal that matters.

Mat Leckie's legacy is secure, forever a Socceroos great and provider of a memory to be cherished by all Australians for generations.

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