Socceroos star Mathew Leckie goes viral for having the worst nickname at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar

Socceroos winger Mathew Leckie sent the football world into raptures with his sublime first-touch and cross for teammate Craig Goodwin’s goal in the side’s 4-1 loss to France – but it was his surname that made him go viral.

During the one-sided loss at Al-Janoub Stadium in Qatar, Aussie fans took great delight in pointing out that ‘Leckie’ is pronounced the same way as the down under slang term for electricity.

And boy did they have a field day as they wrote a series of awful puns and jokes on social media. 

A despondent Mathew Leckie looks on after Australia went down to France 4-1 in their World Cup. A quick look at why he’s blown up on social media might cheer him up 

One fan wrote that Mat Leckie’s full name is in fact ‘Mathew Electricity’, while many (presumably English) fans pointed to the dire energy crisis across Europe.  

‘Every time Pearce says the Aussie Boy Leckie’s name I wonder when his pal gas is coming on,’ one fan wrote.

‘Bet this Australian lad Leckie is really expensive and overpriced,’ another commented in response to skyrocketing electricity prices in England. 

‘Just watching the (France v Australia) game (and) Mathew Leckie went in for a strong challenge. I shouted ‘Leckies Off’ and the family panicked the power had gone,’ wrote another fan.

Leckie is pictured with his wife Laura and their five-year-old daughter. He now lives in Melbourne after a long career playing in Germany’s Bundesliga

Leckie leaps high to compete for a ball with French star Adrien Rabiot (obscured) during Australia’s 4-1 World Cup loss

Leckie was also the toast of social media for his role in the unfortunate and tournament-ending ACL injury to French fullback Lucas Hernandez, who was bamboozled by the incredible nature of his exquisite first touch during the opening goal.

A long ball from centre back Harry Souttar deep in Australia’s half found Leckie on the right wing.

The Melbourne City forward, who has spent much of his career in Germany’s Bundesliga, trapped the ball like his boot had glue on it.  

A picture tells 1000 words! Mathew Leckie (left) dribbles it past France defender Lucas Hernandez (right), who is left clutching at his seriously injured knee after the ‘world-class’ move from the Aussie

Leckie then dribbled it around Hernandez at full speed, with the Bayern Munich star then left clutching at his knee, before the winger’s crossed found an unmarked Godwin on the far post; who promptly sent the ball passed Hugo Lloris for the first goal of the match.

Leckie’s ‘world-class’ move, colloquially called an ‘ankle breaker’, where the speed and skill of an opponent in soccer or American football (in particular) is so great that an opponent is left clutching at air and losing their footing. 

Many feared the worst for Hernandez, and those fears were proved right after the match with the word that he had suffered an ACL injury; which will end his World Cup and likely see him out of action for a year.

It led to fans branding Leckie as a ‘career-ender’ for his move on Hernandez. 

‘Leckie may have ended Lucas Hernandez’s career with that cut,’ wrote one top pundit, though the fact the left back is only 26 will no doubt ensure he can make a full recovery.

‘Mathew Leckie didn’t break his ankles but tore his ACL,’ another commented, accompanied by a series of crying emojis. 

Leckie and his Aussie teammates will next be in action at 9pm Saturday against Tunisia for their second Group D battle.

No doubt nothing less than a dominant win will suffice against the world’s 30th-ranked side; but given the Socceroos sit eight spots lower, that will be no easy feat.