WATCH: Australian toddler gets first taste of Socceroos action at World Cup



Given that David Kuhn proposed to his wife Sandra amid the euphoria that followed Australia's qualification for the 2006 tournament, it is perhaps not too surprising the couple wanted to give their daughter an early taste of World Cup fever.

And so it was on Saturday that toddler Emmy was dressed up in a tiny green-and-gold replica shirt and joined some 10,000 fans from down under cheering on the Socceroos in their Group C opener against France.

At 15 months old, Emmy made little contribution to the wall of noise created by the passionate Australians as their team went down 2-1 to the French at Kazan Arena, but that suited mum just fine.

"She slept during half of it so that was good for me. I got to relax and watch the game," Sandra Kuhn told Reuters.

"And then the second half she was just flirting with everyone around her, she was so good with all the noise and everything."

Emmy's parents are hoping they will have a similar experience in Australia's last two group matches against Denmark and Peru before they make the 13,000-kilometre trip back to their home in Sydney's beachside suburbs.

______________

More fun World Cup-related stories:

WATCH: Brazilian couple driving around world stops in Russia for the World Cup

Australian supporters endure disappointing day at World Cup, rugby and cricket

______________

The two Socceroos fanatics will also be hoping for a couple of wins for their team as Australia look to get into the knockout stages of the World Cup for only the second time in five attempts.

The second of those five appearances at the finals came 32 years after the first and was secured in 2005 with a win over Uruguay in a penalty shoot-out at Sydney's Olympic Stadium, a result which was to have lasting consequences for the Kuhns.

"When John Aloisi got his goal to make it to the World Cup, which I never thought would happen, yeah, I proposed to Sandra," David recalled.

"It all began there, that was our falling in love with the World Cup."

Sandra remains convinced that the proposal might not have come but for Australia's win.

"I think he was on such a high, he didn't realise what he was doing at the time," she said, laughing. "And by the next day he was thinking: 'Oh God! what have I done?'"

The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Eco%20Way%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20December%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ivan%20Kroshnyi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Electric%20vehicles%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Bootstrapped%20with%20undisclosed%20funding.%20Looking%20to%20raise%20funds%20from%20outside%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20specs%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDual%20permanently%20excited%20synchronous%20motors%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E516hp%20or%20400Kw%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E858Nm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle%20speed%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERange%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E485km%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh699%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe

Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013 

The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

On sale: Now

DUBAI%20BLING%3A%20EPISODE%201
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENetflix%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKris%20Fade%2C%20Ebraheem%20Al%20Samadi%2C%20Zeina%20Khoury%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A