Kewell's highlight

2 min read 24 June 2006

Socceroos man-of-the-moment Harry Kewell has described his game-saving goal against Croatia in the final match of World Cup Group F first round as the finest of his glittering career.

Kewell has won a Championship League Final and an FA Cup with Liverpool but said his right-footed strike to send Australia through to the knockout stage of the World Cup is the highlight of his career, so far.

"I think any player in the world loves to score a goal in the World Cup," said Kewell.

"If it wasn't me, hopefully it was going to be someone else. It was my time and it put us through but it wasn't just me - it was the whole team that did it and hopefully, now, we can do the same thing against Italy."

Australia has to fight back from a goal-down twice to earn the draw but the Kewell never doubted the resolve of the Socceroos to get the result they so richly deserved.

"It just goes to show our fighting spirit, we never gave up and we were creating chances all day long so if it wasn't going to be me that scored I'm sure it would have been someone else."

Kewell has been battling a groin injury during this World Cup campaign but gave praise to the Socceroos coaching and medical team for helping him get back to match fitness.

"They have worked me hard all week, we had a big plan at the start of the World Cup and if I could stay out there for the whole 90 minutes, which I did and it was great," said Kewell.

"The boss just told me to go out there and play until you are dead - and I did - I played till I was dead."

And his man-of-the-match performance also silenced any critics he had that he wasn't a big game player.

"I've never doubted my performance and I've never doubted my technical ability for the game, obviously I've been restricted by at some level by things I can and can not do, but when I am fully fit I am very comfortable in my game."