HARRY SOUTTAR’S first and only glimpse of the Wembley turf was as a child while on a stadium tour with his Aussie granny.
Scottish-born with Australian roots via his mother Heather, the 24-year-old is not ashamed to admit he gets goosebumps just thinking about England’s hallowed turf.
But on Friday, he will be eyeing a famous victory for the Socceroos on English soil for the first time in 20 years – one that would please both sides of his family.
Leicester defender Souttar told SunSport: “It is England at Wembley. It doesn’t really get any bigger. Even with where I am from, it is still held in high regard.
“This is a friendly but no real game is a friendly. We are playing against world class players at an unreal, historic venue, one we are all really excited by. We cannot wait to get going.”
Souttar grew up in Luthermuir – a small town in Aberdeen – but would be left wide-eyed and intrigued from tales of a land Down Under by his mother, a Western Australia native.
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He still has big plans to explore that part of the world properly, with plenty of cousins and relatives to catch up with.
In fact, having represented Scotland at U17 and U19 level, his debut for Australia back in October 2019 at the age of 20 – a 5-0 win over Nepal in which he scored twice – was his FIRST time in the country.
He said: “It’s not really that I picked Australia over Scotland, and I turned my back on Scotland. It was just a natural thing for me to pick Australia, for me and my family.”
And yet, it is clear that his Tartan heritage – originating from his father Jack, who starred for Brechin City back in the 1970s – is still hugely important to Souttar.
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His Scottish accent remains as thick as ever, while his brother John, 27, currently plays for Scotland and Rangers.
Australia vs England is one hell of a sporting rivalry, but Scotland vs England is arguably on another level, as far back as their first footballing meeting in 1872.
On a rooftop bar at a hotel overlooking Wembley, Souttar chuckles and stretches out his huge 6ft6 frame when asked whether it is ingrained in the Scots to crave beating the English.
He explained: “I think in Scotland, it is always two ways, you are always really proud…”
He paused, before continuing: “I don’t want to get too political. Certainly, for me there isn’t a deep, inherited rivalry or hatred towards England at all, not at all, but it is always nice to beat a big nation like them.
“I am just really looking forward to the game.”
Having recovered from a nasty ACL injury in time to be selected for last November’s Qatar World Cup, Souttar was one of the stand-out names in an overachieving Aussie outfit.
A camera in their dressing room captured Souttar telling his teammates: “Let’s go make history” before walking out to face eventual champions Argentina in the Last 16.
So, how was it facing Lionel Messi in that gutting 2-1 defeat? Souttar laughed: “He nutmegged me for the first goal. When I watch the highlights back it always comes up.
“He did it to a few more players in the tournament so I didn’t get too down on it. He is the best player to ever live. Many, many players have tried and failed to stop Messi.”
His performances on football’s grandest stage ultimately earned him a £20m move to Leicester in January, but he could do nothing to prevent their Prem relegation last season.
Souttar’s brief spell in the top flight has left him hungry for more, for club and country.
While the Foxes are flying high in the Championship, Australia are currently 27th in the men’s Fifa rankings, their loftiest position for over a decade.
Australia’s last and only win over England in seven friendly meetings was in February 2003 – a shock 3-1 result at Upton Park against Sven-Goran Eriksson’s Golden Generation.
And having already faced the likes of Messi and Three Lions skipper Harry Kane in his career so far, Souttar reckons there is nothing to fear for the men in green and gold.
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He said: “You have to look at it as you’re on the same pitch as them for a reason. There shouldn’t be any fear from us.
“If we stick to what we have been believing in for the last few years, we can get a good result.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
