The Socceroos’ 0-0 draw against Paraguay on June 25 at Levi’s Stadium was, by most football standards, forgettable. No goals, limited excitement, and a predictable chorus of criticism from fans who expected more from two teams with everything to play for.
But while the pitch action flatlined, the crypto markets told a different story. A meme token called $POPOVIC, named after Socceroos coach Tony Popovic, launched around the time of the match. It’s part of a much larger phenomenon: over 16,000 World Cup-themed tokens have launched on Solana alone ahead of and during the tournament, turning every match, controversy, and coaching decision into a tradeable asset.
The match nobody loved (except the teams that needed it)
Australia’s progression to the Round of 32 for the third consecutive World Cup is genuinely historic. Midfielder Ajdin Hrustic made that clear in his post-match defense of the result.
“We really did work hard for this moment and I think we should enjoy it.”
