Australia's Mitchell Duke got his side off to a dream start with his goal against Tunisia at the World Cup 2022.
The Socceroos were in desperate need of three points against the North African side, following their opening defeat against France.
Thankfully, hero Duke popped up with a divine header in the first half to get them going. The goal saw Duke pop a delicate pass off to a team-mate, before he surged forwards, into the opposition area, and finished the move with a stunning backwards header into the far corner. The goal displayed Duke's technical quality, as well as his physical prowess.
Mitchell Duke's dad started him young 💪There's still time for you, @markchapman 😅#BBCWorldCup #BBCFootballNovember 26, 2022
While some fans may have been astonished to see the Aussie score such a well-rounded goal, those that know about Duke's past will not be surprised. The Fagiano Okiyama striker is hard as nails, thanks to a strict training regime imposed on him as a youngster.
Every morning during his childhood, Duke's father would wake him up at 5am and demand he perform 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups and 100 chin-ups before school. Duke had to do them everyday to satisfy his dad.
"That built a foundation of motivation, the desperation to make it," said Duke in a recent interview. "I'm massively grateful."
Duke's physicality and determination are some of the biggest aspects of his game. "I was more just a hard worker," he said of his younger self. "And I've kind of kept that throughout my career. That's always been the base of how I play: 100 per cent, energy-levels high, work 'til you drop kind of style."
Scoring a goal at a World Cup is one of the biggest achievements in any footballer's career. It sounds as if he has his father to thank for giving him the grit and tenacity required to get his side off the mark against Tunisia.
