The Portugal anthem, A Portuguesa, is a rousing song that praises “heroes of the sea” and calls on its people to fight for their country and hoist high “an undefeated flag”. Advance Australia Fair has its moments, but it doesn’t quite stir the blood in the same way.
Perhaps it was the contrasting tempos of each anthem that accounted for the contrasting body languages of the two teams just before kick-off. The men in red looked ready to maul a herd of buffalo. The men in gold looked a little lost and dispirited.
