PERTH, Australia -- Socceroos defender Alessandro Circati has described qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup -- after a seven-month injury layoff -- in front of friends and family in his hometown as a "dream."
The 21-year-old had circled the Socceroos' June FIFA World Cup qualifier in Perth as his target return date from an ACL injury suffered with Italian Serie A club Parma last September.
Getting fit enough to be in contention for Socceroos head coach Tony Popovic's squad was one thing, but Circati went a step further, playing the full 90 minutes in last night's dramatic 1-0 win over Japan that sealed Australia's qualification to the showpiece tournament, barring the most unlikely of scenarios.
"It's a dream," Circati said.
"When you're a kid and you're writing a story or you're drawing a picture, this is the sort of things that you dream the picture of.
"To be able to live it today -- because it happened today -- and for it to be able to happen to me -- because maybe it happens to other people but it doesn't happen to everyone. I'm extremely, extremely grateful.
"I didn't know where [my family] were until right at the end. And then I saw 23 people waving over at me."
While Japan controlled the game and enjoyed more than two-thirds of possession, they managed just one shot on target. For the most part, Australia's defence -- led by Circati alongside Milos Degenek and Cameron Burgess -- looked comfortable defending in Australia's box and clearing their lines during long spells under pressure.
Aziz Behich will rightly claim the headlines for his stunning 90th-minute winner, which broke a 16-year winless run against the Samurai Blue. But the victory was built off the back of another colossal Socceroos defensive performance.
"That's what we've worked on. We knew their strength, and they're so good on the ball, and they're not easy to beat, so I think we had to focus on just not conceding," Circati said.
"We knew an opportunity would come -- every game one opportunity comes. I think we were perfect at using that one opportunity and grabbing it with two hands and getting the ball in the back of the net."
Circati, who was emotional at the final whistle, said the feeling after Behich's goal was unforgettable.
"I just remember chasing Aziz, and then I think everyone from the bench ran over," he said.
"My toes got stepped on, I got my head hit, it's all part of it. I'll live that over and over again to have that feeling.
"[The emotion at the end] is a bit of everything. Honestly, it's a bit of [the injury], a bit of playing at home and practically qualifying for the World Cup as well. It's a bit of a mix of everything."