▁Ne ill ▁became ▁the ▁third - you ng est ▁player , ▁after ▁Dun can ▁C umm ings ▁and ▁Harry ▁K ew ell , ▁to ▁debut ▁for ▁the ▁Australian ▁national ▁team ▁when ▁he ▁played ▁in ▁a ▁friendly ▁game ▁against ▁Sa udi ▁Arab ia ▁in ▁R iy ad h , ▁aged ▁ 1 8 ▁years ▁and ▁ 7 ▁months . ▁He ▁also ▁competed ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁Summer ▁Olympics ▁in ▁Sydney ▁with ▁the ▁Australian ▁men ' s ▁team , ▁the ▁O ly ro os . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 6 ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁at ▁Sydney ' s ▁AN Z ▁Stadium , ▁Ne ill ▁helped ▁Australia ▁qual ify ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁FIFA ▁World ▁Cup ▁playing ▁the ▁entire ▁game ▁and ▁scoring ▁the ▁S occ ero os ' ▁second ▁penalty ▁in ▁a ▁shoot - out ▁against ▁Uruguay , ▁after ▁aggregate ▁scores ▁were ▁tied ▁at ▁ 1 – 1 ▁following ▁extra - time . ▁He ▁was ▁named ▁Man ▁of ▁the ▁Match ▁for ▁this ▁game . ▁ ▁Ne ill ▁started ▁all ▁four ▁of ▁Australia ' s ▁games ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁World ▁Cup . ▁In ▁the ▁closing ▁minutes ▁of ▁Australia ' s ▁Round ▁of ▁ 1 6 ▁game ▁against ▁Italy , ▁he ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁a ▁controvers ial ▁incident , ▁as ▁ref eree ▁Luis ▁Med ina ▁Cant ale jo ▁adj ud ged ▁Ne ill ▁to ▁have ▁fou led ▁Italian ▁full ▁back ▁Fab io ▁Gros so ▁in ▁the ▁penalty ▁area . ▁Francesco ▁T otti ▁converted ▁the ▁en su