Forget the confected World Cup hostility, the US and Australia mirror each other

L isten to the hyperbole spewed by the loudest voices, and the World Cup clash between co-hosts the United States and Australia in Seattle is the latest contest in a heated sporting rivalry streaked with disrespect and even downright hate. Indeed, the sometimes spiteful clash between the teams in a friendly last year serves as a preview for what is now one of the marquee matches in the pool stage, and set to determine the winner of Group D . But for each country’s football – or indeed, soccer – community, to hate the other is to hate oneself. While the match will be a compelling contest, it also serves as a mirror for two unusual footballing countries, where the world’s most popular sport sits on the periphery. This match is a lesson in empathy. Socceroos midfielder Aiden O’Neill, who plays for New York City FC, understands football in both countries does not have the same status it enjoys elsewhere in the world. “[Soccer in the US] is similar to Australia, it’s starting to change here in America,” he says. “You’ve got some massive other sports, but I think it’s starting to grow in popularity.” While the AFL and NRL dominate the winter sporting discourse in Australia, with cricket the leader in summer, the dominant trio in the US are American football, basketball and baseball. Both countries share another parallel. “It’s one of the great oddities in this country,” says longtime sports writer John Shea, who now works for the San Francisco Standard. …