Or Mabel said scoring a penalty kick in victory over Peru and leading Australia to their fifth consecutive World Cup final on Monday was a thank you to Australia for hosting refugees with his family.

Mabel, born to South Sudanese parents in a refugee camp in Kenya, took the sixth penalty kick, then watched Andrew Redmin save Peru's sixth kick from Alex Valera to make Australia reach the finals.

The kangaroo dance guides Australia to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar 🇩đŸ‡ș🩘 #WorldCup_Qualifiers_2022 |

#Australia_Peru #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/oJeu8FybZa

— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) June 13, 2022

"I knew I was going to score. It was the only way to thank Australia, from me and my family," the 26-year-old told reporters from Qatar.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Awer Bul Mabil (@awermabil10)

"My family fled Sudan because of the war. I was born in a hut. My hotel room here is larger than the room my family had in the refugee camp. Australia received us, resettled us and gave me and my family a chance to live."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Awer Bul Mabil (@awermabil10)

Mabel hopes his contribution will help create a new outlook for refugees in Australia.

"Now I think I could have an impact on Australian football. We are going to the World Cup. I scored (the penalty kick) and many of my teammates scored, and we all played a role."

"Yes, maybe that refugee child played a big role. So on behalf of my family I'm just saying thank you to the whole of Australia," he concluded.