Graham Arnold Wants Aussies To Get A Day Off Work Following World Cup Qualification

The Aussies qualified for their sixth World Cup tournament by defeating Peru in a penalty shootout.

Substitute goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne became an instant national hero, saving the fifth and final spot kick to win the game for the green and gold.

And given the side’s tough path during qualifications, it’ll go down as a truly special achievement.

So special that head coach Arnold has called for the prime minister to give Aussies a day off to celebrate.

“I called out Anthony Albanese the other day to give everyone a day off to celebrate this because I believe this is one of the greatest achievements ever,” Arnold said at full-time.

“To qualify for this World Cup the way we’ve had to go through things, 20 World Cup qualifiers, 16 away from home, it has been tough but we did it.”

He added: “No one knows what those boys have been through to get here. It was so hard, the whole campaign, and the way they’ve stuck at it and committed themselves to it, incredible.”

Incredibly, the Peruvian government actually gave the whole country a national day off to watch the qualifier against Australia.

So come on Albo, hook us up with a cheeky break.

A bunch of other big-name figures in the Australian football circle also congratulated the team on their impressive feat.

But it was Matildas star Sam Kerr who perhaps summed up the collective feelings best.

She tweeted: “Doubters eat your hats! We’re going to the World Cup! Socceroos, well done.”

Arnold’s men will enter into a pretty strong group in Qatar.

Group D already consists of Denmark and Tunisia as well as World Cup holders France who will be favourites to lift the famous Jules Rimet trophy come December time.