Best moment ever: Socceroo hero Duke

The often scorned striker has ended Australia's dozen years of World Cup misery with the match-winning goal in a 1-0 triumph over Tunisia.

And Duke's exquisite header followed a self-proclaimed prophesy: he told his family he would score.

Duke celebrated by fashioning the letter 'J', for his son Jaxson, who returned the gesture while beaming in the crowd at Al Janoub Stadiium in Doha.

"I was actually messaging some of my family saying I was going to score today," Duke told reporters.

"And I told my son that I was going to be able to share this moment with him and get that celebration.

"Though I haven't seen it yet, apparently he did it back to me from the stadium, which was a very special moment that I am going to treasure for the rest of my life."

Duke's strike vindicated the faith, questioned by many, that coach Graham Arnold put in him.

They first crossed path at the Central Coast Mariners, where Duke played from 2010-15.

Duke's journey has since taken him to Japan, back to Australia and the Western Sydney Wanderers, to Saudi Arabia, back to the Wanderers again and then again to Japan for second-tier Fagiano Okayama.

Now, in Qatar, Duke is the eighth Australian to score at a World Cup.

"It's the best moment in my life," he said.

"It was pure ecstasy, it was crazy moment for me.

"After Craig Goodwin scored against France, we were told he was only the seventh player to score for Australia at a World Cup.

"And I actually said to Arnie (coach Arnold) that I was going to be the eighth - or ninth.

"So I'm very happy to be the eighth."

While playing in Japan, Duke's two children have lived in the UK.

"There has been a lot of sacrifice for family," he said.

"I have been on my own for a lot of the time over the last couple of years, so it hasn't been easy.

"But these kind of moments make those sacrifices worth it.

"It has not been an easy journey - football is always very difficult and I haven't had the easiest journey either.

"My close friends and family know that and it's just a special thing that they helped me through the darker times so this is for them."

Australian Associated Press