Hysterical fans watched Australia qualify for the first time since 1974 at Stadium Australia as John Aloisi scored to seal a 4-2 penalty shootout win.
At that moment few understood that while Australia’s luck was changing there was a higher power at work.
But John Safran says his supernatural powers are responsible for reversing a frustrating 30- year legacy of near misses and bad luck that many, including former players, have come to call “The Curse.”
“I did it! I reversed the curse,” the self-styled God botherer told SBS.
Socceroo legend Johnny Warren claimed in his book "Sheilas, Wogs and Poofters", the team had been cursed after double crossing a witchdoctor.
According to the legend, the Socceroos won a 1970 World Cup qualifier against Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) with the help of a witchdoctor but the team refused to pay the sorcerer so he used his powers to curse them.
For his theological television show "John Safran vs God" the comedian went to Maputo, Mozambique to have the thirty- five year- old curse removed from the Socceroos.
“I found a witch doctor who said he could channel the original dead witchdoctor who cursed the team so we went to the pitch where Australia played and he smeared chicken blood all over me.”
Safran was then ordered back to Soccer Australia HQ and then to the Sydney Football Stadium to repeat the cleansing process over again, with Johnny Warren in attendance, thus removing the curse.
I can deal with anything supernaturally. Next I might put on a Harry Potter hat and make Manchester United lose.”