“About six months later I returned because I wanted to get to know the country and we caught up again and one thing leads to another and we headed back to Oz – and two years later we married.

“In 2004 our son was born, the NSL wound down and the A-League hadn’t started so we went back for a holiday for six months.

“So one thing leads to another and I kinda got mixed up in football over here and I’m still here and living here.”

Each South Melbourne player has his own special memories.

Defender Richie Alagich remembered the tournament with great fondness. 

"An awesome experience," he recalls. "I think a few underestimated in that elite company how good we were as a footballing team.

"To experience from a different culture and especially Brazil what it means to the people there, is something I’ll never, ever forget.

"We had police escorts to the ground on the bus. And Australians they’re supposed to be liked and thought of as nice people, but this showed me then what it meant to the Vasco fans.

"They were running at the bus, putting fingers up at us, screaming at us. They didn’t care, they just wanted to do anything for Vasco to help them win the game.

"So that’s a real eye-opener and then you realise what football means to people there.

"The first inclination we got was when we were in the changing rooms.

"Man Utd were playing before us and all you could hear was this loud, shuddering roar of the fans jumping up and down above you in the stadium.

"That would’ve been good enough but then when you walked out we got goose-bumps.

"We flew in at night but just to finally be there after such a long trip. It finally hit home what we were there for.

"Probably everyone was down at Man Utd’s hotel but we always had armed guards walking around. It wasn’t real noticeable but it was one of those places you really didn’t know what to expect but it exceeded all my expectations.

"What we achieved I don’t think it was valued, the enormity of what we’d done. I mean, that Vasco team had five players who’d played in a World Cup final. And they had a young Juninho.  Some squad.

"We weren’t overawed. By losing 2-0 it showed Australian football was not too far off."

Seeing the likes of Beckham up close was another eye-opener.