Socceroos substitute Bailey Wright’s euphoria turned to heartbreak moments after Australia’s famous World Cup win over Denmark when he received a devastating text from his wife.
Wright fought back tears as she revealed after the match that she had been informed of a serious health situation with her mother-in-law in England.
“I just got a text from my wife,” Wright said.
“I hope she (my mother-in-law) is still with us.”
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The central defender didn’t even tell his fellow Socceroos about the situation, but he still faced media duties after the match.
“It’s something I’ve kept to myself, nobody knows,” he said. “We all have a lot to do, we’re just so proud.”
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Football Australia staff said they would update the status of Wright’s mother-in-law later on Thursday.
Wright came on late in the second half against Denmark as Australia defended their 1-0 lead. It was the 31-year-old’s first World Cup appearance after he made the 2014 squad but did not take the field.
“Getting on is special,” says Wright.
“But even if I didn’t come up, to achieve what we’ve accomplished, a lot of that performance and the payoff that you’re seeing now has been a four-year effort. There has been a lot on this journey, and that’s for everyone who has made sacrifices over four years.”
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