Former US footballer turned pundit Mike Grella has continued taking pot shots at the Socceroos after claiming fans sent him messages of hate after he slammed the Aussie team and their World Cup chances.
Grella, 39, has been branded ‘the most hated man in Australia’ by his TV colleagues due to his relentless slamming of the Socceroos.
He had previously claimed Australia would be a ‘lay-up’ for the USA in their group stage match, before stating the Socceroos aren’t good enough to do anything notable at the tournament.
As expected, his original comments drew the ire of fans across Australia, with some sending abusive messages towards Grella on social media.
Grella has now doubled down on his insults on a new podcast.
‘I was gonna come on here originally and say some nice stuff about them, but now the fan base has gone a little too far,’ Grella told The Pat McAfee Show.
American pundit Mike Grella (pictured) has taken more shots at the Socceroos after motivating the Aussies with his insults
Grella (pictured playing for the New York Red Bulls in 2017) has repeatedly slammed Australia and their fans during the World Cup
‘I started this conversation, and it was birthed about the football.
‘The messages I’m getting from the Australia fanbase is about the country, about us as a country. It’s been unbelievable.
‘They wear a yellow shirt. I think that maybe they’re getting themselves confused with Brazil, or another team that’s won something in the past.
‘They’ve never won anything. I look up what Australians are good at. I see cricket, I see rugby, maybe the outback. I’m sure they’ve got some wild safaris out there.’
Grella, who has built a reputation for his hot takes, also criticised the mentality of Australians as a whole ahead of the USMNT’s clash with the Socceroos on Saturday morning, AEST.
‘I’ve played with Australian guys in the past, legends of the game. I love Australians. I don’t think I’ve ever met a soft Australian. They’re tough, right?’
‘But I tell you one thing they are: insecure. Insecure about football and insecure about Friday [the match against the USMNT] because I think they’re in for a rude awakening.’
The former player also suggested he should be honoured with a statue in Australia for bringing the nation together in opposition to him.
Nestory Irankunda (pictured left) left Grella with egg on his face after starring in Australia’s 2-0 win over Turkey in their first group stage match of the tournament
Australia will next play the USA later this week (pictured, Socceroos fans)
‘I don’t think they’ve ever been more united as a football side,’ Grella said.
‘If they do something in this tournament, which they won’t, they should make a statue of me there in Australia because I’ve unified an entire country.’
Aussie football legend Craig Foster has responded to that idea with a scorching post on X.
‘We will (build the statue). For the seagulls,’ the Socceroos great wrote.
