If the Socceroos overcome co-host the United States in perhaps their biggest match of the World Cup on Saturday morning, one US pundit thinks he should be thanked.

American Mike Grella has become a hated figure among Australian fans and a symbol of the perceived disrespect directed toward the Socceroos this tournament, courtesy of his dismissive comments made on US television.

Grella – who played for second-tier British and European teams before finishing a middling soccer career with US clubs – referred to the Australian team ahead of the tournament as a “layup” for the US team, sporting slang for a simple win.

His comments did not go unnoticed by Australian fans and former players, who were quick to make note of the comments after the Socceroos’ opening, upset 2-0 win over Turkey.

Grella has since leaned into his public enemy status among Australians, suggesting a statue of him should be erected Down Under if the Socceroos beat the US on Saturday.

The Australian players, meanwhile are happy to use Grella’s comments as motivation heading into Saturday’s crucial match.

“I’m really excited for the US game,” defender Jordan Bos said ahead of the tournament.

“Because I’ve heard a lot of chatter and stuff like that. So I can’t wait to beat them, to be honest.”

Appearing on ESPN sports program the Pat McAfee Show this week, Grella said he was going to praise the Socceroos, but changed his mind saying the Australian “fan base has gone a little too far”.

“Really it’s been unbelievable. They wear a yellow shirt, I think that maybe they’re getting themselves confused with Brazil or another team that’s won something in the past,” he said

“They’ve never won anything,” Grella added, ignoring Australia’s 2015 Asian Cup trophy.

“I look up what Australians are good at. I see cricket, I see rugby, maybe outback. I’m sure they’ve got some wild safaris out there,” he continued.

Later, while appearing on CBS Sports Network, Grella decided to claim the Socceroos’ success so far.

“If they do something in this tournament, which they won’t, they should make a statue of me there in Australia because I’ve unified an entire country,” he said.

Grella made one appearance for Leeds United in 2010-11 in the English second-tier Championship before joining lower level League One teams Carlisle United, Swindon Town, Brentford, Bury and Scunthorpe United.

He then played in Denmark before finishing his playing career in 2016 at the New York Red Bulls.

How did it start?

Before the tournament, while analysing the US team’s first-round opponents, Grella described Australia as the “weakest team in the group” and a “layup” for the Americans.

“I’m not kidding though when I say this, what are they drinking over there because they have no shot of doing anything at the World Cup,” he said.

“They are the weakest team in the group. The US, although they have their weaknesses… they have like eight players in the Champions League and some of the top clubs in Europe.

“There’s no shot Australia can compete with the US.”

Grella also took aim at Australian winger Nestory Irankunda, over-pronouncing his name in a joking fashion and referring to him as Australia’s best player in an almost mocking tone.

“Irankunda. With all due respect, because I don’t like to talk bad about players and I’m actually a fan of Irunkunda … but Irunkunda?”

Irankunda, of course, went on to score Australia’s opening goal in the win over Turkey.

Grella hasn’t been the only American to take aim at the Socceroos, with former US forward Landon Donovan labelling coach Tony Popovic “smug” and tipping Australia to finish bottom of their group.

Former US player Alexi Lalas said of the co-host’s fortunes: “If you believe in the soccer gods, you should be thanking them.

“I don’t want to say it’s an easy group, but we also have to be realistic with what we got here.”

Social media has also been rife with US amateur soccer analysts writing off Australia – at least until the Turkey match.

The response

As well as the predictable outrage from fans on social media and former Socceroos including Harry Kewell, Irankunda added his philsophical take on the “chatter”.

“At the end of the day, you’ve got to let these people talk – and it was the same with these lot (Turkey) here. They came, they did their talking, but they couldn’t back it on the field, and we got the win,” he said.

New York-based defender Kai Trewin summed up the team’s mood.

“I have never wanted to win a game more than this one, I can tell you that for free,” he said. 

The animosity between the US and Australia dates back to last October in Denver, Colorado, when the US won a so-called “friendly” match 2-1.

Australia set the tone physically from the outset, with crunching tackles and a fierce aggression that upset their opponents.

This week, American players have talked about coach Mauricio Pochettino drawing a line in the sand at halftime of that game, calling out his players for a relative lack of aggression.

Australia has qualified for the past six World Cups – advancing to the knockout stages in 2006 and 2022.

The US hasn’t won a knockout stage match since 2002, when it lost to Germany in the quarter-finals. The Americans failed to progress from the group stage in 2006 and did not qualify in 2018.

The US-Australia Group D match kicks off at 5am AEST Saturday on SBS 

-with AAP