Harry Kewell wades into US-Australia row and says he had never heard of Mike Grella | OneFootball

Harry Kewell has entered the escalating US-Australia spat by saying he had never heard of fellow former Leeds United forward Mike Grella.

Grella, who played 42 times for Leeds after a January 2009 trial and helped win promotion from League One, later left in 2011 for Brentford and had spells with Bury, Scunthorpe, Viborg and in MLS.

Now a television pundit, Grella labelled the Socceroos a “layup” for the US ahead of their World Cup 2026 group game in Seattle on Friday. Tyler Adams attempted to cool the debate, saying it was not a layup and could be among their toughest matches.

Grella then doubled down, saying he had planned to be complimentary but believed Australia’s fan base had gone too far, adding they have “never won anything”.

Kewell, capped 58 times by Australia and a 240-appearance Leeds alumnus from the club’s Champions League era, responded: “Nope, nope, no idea.” He questioned claims about the USA as an “unbelievable soccer nation” and said his country’s golden generation would beat America’s without contest.

The former winger, long criticised by some Leeds fans for joining Galatasaray following the 2000 Istanbul murders of Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight, also argued the highest level is in Europe and that the best US team would still fall short.

Leeds midfielder Brenden Aaronson will hope for his first minutes of this World Cup on Friday after being an unused substitute against Paraguay. He has spoken of wanting to face Argentina and his favourite player Lionel Messi on the way to the final.

Source: yorkshireevenpost.co.uk