Socceroos veteran Aziz Behich says his wife Rosè’s battle with lymphoma—diagnosed after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and now in remission—has reshaped how he thinks about football and life. As Australia opens its World Cup campaign against Türkiye in Vancouver,
When the Socceroos take the field at BC Place in Vancouver this weekend to open their World Cup campaign against Türkiye. Aziz Behich won’t be thinking only about tactics or intensity. He’ll be scanning the stands for the most important presence he’s carried through the last few years—his wife. Rosè.
Behich has revealed that Rosè’s lymphoma diagnosis. which arrived after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. forced him to see everything through a different lens. Now in remission and preparing to attend his third FIFA World Cup alongside him in Canada. Rosè is the steady point behind a story that has been as much about endurance as elite sport.
“I’ve got to get on with it after what I’ve seen her go through,” Behich said, describing how the experience put his own aches and injuries into perspective. In his words, “That did put life into perspective, because before, even though I was married, it’s been always football.”
For Behich, the change wasn’t theoretical—it was lived in the routines of treatment and recovery. He said Rosè’s strength did not fade during the cancer and chemotherapy period. and that she kept supporting him to make sure he was still playing his football. “She gives me strength. No matter what she was battling – the cancer. the chemo – she’s always supported me and made sure I was playing my football. ” he said.
He’s also grateful that their partnership will be visible again on one of football’s biggest stages. Behich said Rosè has been at every World Cup, and that having her at another tournament isn’t something he takes for granted. “I’m forever grateful that I’ve got someone like her behind me,” he said.
This World Cup opener is already loaded with personal meaning for Behich. Born in Melbourne to Turkish-Cypriot parents. he will face Türkiye for the first time in a tournament setting when Australia meet the world No.22 nation in their opening Group D fixture. He expects the atmosphere to land hard, especially when the anthems are played.
“It’s going to be a little bit extra special playing against Turkey,” Behich said. He added that he will have a few mates in their final squad. while his background—and the family connections that run through it—will be present in the stadium as well. “I think it’ll really hit me when the anthems come on and you see one side red. one side yellow.”.
There are plenty of Turkish ties in Behich’s upbringing. He grew up in Melbourne’s northern suburbs—Meadow Heights and Broadmeadows—where he described it as “almost like Little Istanbul,” adding that “they call it.” He said that area is set to be “rocking.”
Even with that heritage close to his chest, Behich made it clear he won’t treat the match as a divided loyalty test. “I’m there to do a job for Australia,” he said. He also said he wants the tournament to be special and expressed a desire for Australia to do better than they did last World Cup.
Among the people behind him in Vancouver will be family members who have followed the same journey through every stage. Behich said his parents, Yasar and Cemaliye, along with other family members, will attend the clash at BC Place. He also acknowledged the emotional weight of what this tournament could mean. even as he refuses to look too far beyond the next whistle.
“I’m not sure what the future holds after this, especially for myself but also for my family because they’ve been along for the journey the whole time,” he said. “They’ve been at every World Cup.”
Still, Behich said he’s not thinking about whether this is the final chapter of his international World Cup story. “I just want to stay in the present moment. I want to enjoy this.”
What is certain, though, is what will sit beside him as Australia begin their World Cup run. After Rosè’s lymphoma diagnosis and her return to remission. Behich framed the significance of another tournament moment in simple terms: when he wakes up sore. he said he can’t complain—because he has already seen what it costs. and what it takes to come through.
And when the stadium lights up and the teams walk out, Behich knows exactly who he’ll be grateful to have there.
Aziz Behich Rosè Behich lymphoma remission Socceroos Australia vs Türkiye World Cup 2026 Group D BC Place Vancouver Yasar Behich Cemaliye Behich Turkish-Cypriot heritage