BBC news anchor Jane Hill has become an internet sensation among Aussie football fans who cannot get over the way she pronounced ‘Socceroos’ after the Australians’ World Cup defeat on Saturday.
The 57-year-old newsreader and journalist was informing viewers of the team’s loss to Egypt in a penalty shootout when she stunned supporters by pronouncing the name ‘Sioh-key-roos’ instead of ‘Soh-kerr-roos’.
‘No goals in extra time took it to penalties, but then Socceroos missed two spot kicks, allowing Egypt’s Hossam Abdelmaguid to slot home the winning spot kick,’ Hill said.
Aussies who saw the clip were flabbergasted and highly amused by Hill’s take on the word, with some saying it sounded like she was saying the name of a Greek soccer team.
Others believed Hill mistakenly believed ‘Socceroos’ referred to the surname of one of the Australian players who attempted a penalty.
‘She pronounced that so crazy I didn’t even hear it the first time,’ one wrote on X in response to a clip of the moment that has been viewed 2.9 million times.
Pictured: BBC news anchor Jane Hill, who has become a viral sensation with Aussie World Cup fans due to the way she said ‘Socceroos’ after their loss to Egypt
Several fans thought Hill mistakenly believed ‘Socceroos’ referred to a player who missed a penalty during the shootout in Dallas (pictured, Harry Souttar after missing his spot kick)
‘Sokiros skies the penalty,’ another said, referring to Aussie star Harry Souttar sending his shootout attempt over the crossbar.
‘Who is Sokirous? Some Greek footballer?’ asked a third.
‘You really have to feel for Sokiros. Missing one penalty in a shootout is bad but to miss two? You can’t come back from that,’ another comment read.
‘I don’t think she realised what she was saying – clearly reading off the autocues and not a football fan!’ said a fifth response.
Other comments included ‘She said Socceroos like a Greek player Brighton just signed’; ‘Hell, let’s start calling them that!’; ‘That autocue programmer owes her a beer’; and ‘I had to watch that three times to even recognize the word.’
One of the Aussie players who missed a spot kick in the shootout, 18-year-old Lucas Herrington, has since been supported by two of the most famous names in the sport.
The centre-back was left devastated after crashing his penalty against the crossbar in Australia’s Round of 32 shootout defeat in Dallas, with fellow defender Harry Souttar also missing as Egypt progressed to the last 16.
Herrington, who became the youngest Australian to start a World Cup match earlier in the tournament, was immediately consoled by teammates after the final whistle.
Lucas Herrington (pictured) also missed from the spot against Egypt but received support from two of the biggest names in football in Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic
His courage in volunteering to take one of Australia’s spot-kicks has since earned widespread praise from across the football world.
Among those to reach out was Swedish great Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who delivered an emotional message directly to the Colorado Rapids defender during Fox Sports’ World Cup coverage.
‘Penalty is like lottery. You score, you become a hero, you don’t score, sadly you become zero,’ Ibrahimovic said.
French football legend Thierry Henry echoed those sentiments, while questioning why such responsibility had fallen on an 18-year-old defender.
‘Don’t be upset; you go there taking it, you miss. I feel for you, but keep your head up,’ Henry said.
‘I’m thinking about the guy that allowed him to go. You should (say), “No, this is not on you. We’re going.”‘
