For Vince – who admits that wearing the green and gold gives him more pride than ever before – the question of his “nationality” has always been a tricky one – on both continents.

“It’ll always be like that,” he says of being treated as a foreigner. “Even though I can speak the language and know more about their country than most Italians, you’ll never be an Italian. And in Australia, you’ll never be an Australian. It’s just the way it is. You’re not going to change it. It doesn’t matter what you say or what you do. So you just get on with it. It doesn’t really worry me.The one thing I’m happy about is the respect.”

Marrying his Italian and Australian roots has had another significant impact on the national team. Grella’s tradition of bringing Parmesan cheese and prosciutto into camp is already part of Socceroo folklore, as players eagerly await his Italian treats at camp.

While it makes him even more indispensable to the national cause in Europe, it doesn’t do him much good when he flies back to a camp in Australia.

“(Laughs) I can’t bring it into Australia! The customs are very strict about that thing, but yeah, I do take it with me whenever I have the chance to. I don’t bring it here because I’d be pretty pissed off if they made me throw it in the bin. When we’re in Europe I can bring it with me. I always bring something along for the boys, I know they enjoy it. I get to eat it everyday so, for me it’s not a big deal. Some of the boys in England that don’t get the chance to eat it as often love it!”

Currently, a lot of speculation surrounds some Socceroos and their possible return to the burgeoning A-League but Grella is not even close yet. Even the tantalising prospect of playing in front of 40,000 people in his home town (as Melbourne saw against Sydney in round two) is not enough to lure him from his Italian dream.

Team-mates celebrate Vinnie's latest delivery of cheeses
Team-mates celebrate Vinnie's latest delivery of cheeses


“It’s still a bit early to come back, but it’s just good to see that they are kicking on and the league’s going well and they’re getting good support. I still think I’ve got a lot of years in Europe but I would love to come back towards the end. I’m just starting to get to the good bit… I’m enjoying it now and I want to kick on and get to bigger and better things. I will see when the time comes closer, but I still think I would like to come back. When? I don’t know,” he says.

As for who Vince’s influences were when he was a youngster, his heroes have a distinctly antipodean, rather than European, feel.

“There was not any one player in particular,” he says. “It’s funny now actually, John Kosmina is on our coaching staff and he was one of the players that always caught my eye when I was younger. There was Oscar Crino and Ned Zelic was another one. There were a lot. Paul Trimboli was another. I always dreamed that I could play in the national team and that’s why I’m now here.”

Vince Grella is not “just” a holding midfielder. He is Australia’s holding midfielder. And while he doesn’t seek it, Grella deserves plenty of kudos for getting us to Germany and steering us through the tricky rounds of the World Cup.

While he may not be seen in the same realm as Vieira or Makelele, a Socceroos team without him would take just as big a blow as Arsenal and Real Madrid did without their anchors. Worst of all, we could lose our new found “respect” in world football faster than we got it.