Inside Craig Goodwin’s journey from KFC worker to Socceroos goals hero at the 2022 FIFA World Cup
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Inside Craig Goodwin’s incredible journey from working at KFC when he made his A-League debut to Socceroos goalscoring hero: Aussie star once had to scrape together coins for petrol to go to training
Socceroos star Craig Goodwin is now the only member of the current national side to score a World Cup goal – as well as a poster boy for perseverance.
His football journey has had many highlights but also plenty of obstacles, with the 30-year-old even juggling football with his job at KFC when he was a youth player on the Melbourne Heart books.
Life wasn’t easy in 2011, with Goodwin often searching his home for spare coins to use for gas money ahead of training sessions.
Or his parents call home in Adelaide to ask if he could borrow money.
It’s an existence many fringe or up-and-coming athletes can relate to, and the left-foot wizard believes it’s boosted their mental resolve.
Australia’s Craig Goodwin celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal against France
Craig Goodwin (pictured left) made his A-League debut for Melbourne Heart in 2012 – at the time he was also employed by KFC
“When I was 19 I made my A-League debut (for Heart) in the Melbourne derby,” Goodwin recalled in a first-person piece for Athlete voice.
“I was still working at KFC…it wasn’t until I moved to Newcastle (in 2012 with a first-team contract) that things changed.”
Goodwin has gone on to play for the likes of Sparta Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Al Wehda FC in Saudi Arabia – and is currently the captain of A-League side Adelaide United.
But things could have turned out very differently after Goodwin was overlooked in 2006 for a South Australian underage squad ahead of the national titles.
Goodwin was determined to succeed – and worked even harder at his game – and eventually his tenacity paid off.
Fast forward to the world’s biggest stage in Qatar and Goodwin was elated after his rocket-like finish against Les Blues early in the first half on Wednesday morning that stunned millions of viewers worldwide.
France then recovered from a slow start to finish 4–1 winners with Olivier Giroud and Kylian Mbappé on the scoresheet.
“It’s mixed feelings because in the end we lost the game – but obviously a very proud moment for me personally,” said Goodwin after the game.
“It’s a great feeling to represent my country and score a goal.
“It was pure joy when the ball hit the back of the net, it was a moment I will never forget for the rest of my life.”