MELBOURNE, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Australia has produced a host of more decorated players than Rhyan Grant but few have done as much for football in the country than the dogged defender from rural New South Wales.
Grant made another huge contribution on Tuesday, scoring his first international goal in the Socceroos' 1-0 win over Vietnam in their 2022 World Cup qualifier in Hanoi.
Grant's back-post header ensured Australia extended their winning streak to 10 in the current qualifying campaign and put them top of Asia's Group B ahead of bigger tests to come on the road to Qatar.
The 30-year-old right back is the only Australia-based player in Graham Arnold's squad for the current phase, the other 26 hailing from leagues stretching from Scotland to Japan.
With Australia unable to host World Cup qualifiers due to its strict COVID-19 quarantine regime, joining the Socceroos has meant a big sacrifice for Grant, who may end up spending two months away from home.
"I’m so grateful for Rhyan himself," Arnold told Australian media after the Vietnam win. "One of the only A-League players to put his hand up to come and he is so proud to play for the country, he will do anything to play for the country."
Unlike his team mates who have chased richer contracts at bigger leagues overseas, Grant has stayed close to home throughout his career, racking up over 200 appearances for five-times A-League champions Sydney FC.
That has made him a cult hero in Australian soccer, while boasting little profile elsewhere.
Australia do not play their next qualifier until Oct. 7 against Oman and then Oct. 12 away to Japan but Grant will continue to stay overseas during the A-League off-season.
While his team mates head back to their club sides, he will return to the Middle East where his journey started last week with a win over China in Doha.
He will train by himself in a tailored programme organised by the Socceroos and Sydney FC staff.
Returning home would mean losing fitness while stuck in a room at a quarantine hotel for two weeks under Australia's urtla-strict health protocols.
"It's a pretty quick turnaround between these windows so I've got I think, three weeks ... to keep fit and keep training," he said.
"Looking forward to changing it up and having an adventure and seeing what happens."
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