Mat Ryan's mum, Carol, said her son has been the same ever since he started playing football - tough on himself, never blaming anyone else for goals going in and constantly seeking to improve.
The Socceroos goalkeeper, who has had a stunning AFC Asian Cup tournament heading into the final, beat himself up publicly over his performances at the World Cup and Carol said he was even harder on himself in private, among the family.
"He's always been like that," Carol said. "When we'd come home in the car after a game when he was a little boy and his team had lost, he wouldn't talk and you'd know to steer clear of him for a while.
"Then, after a couple of hours, he'd start talking about what had happened and analysing the game. He'd be blaming himself for a goal going in and I might say 'but it was someone else's job to clear the ball and they didn't do it'.
"But he'd stop me and say 'mum, I'm the goalie, so in the end it's my job to save it and I didn't do it'.
"That's what makes him so good. He's never thought he knows it all, that he's got it all covered. He's always kept trying to learn and improve. Mat's always been a super-competitive person, whether he's playing football, tennis or whatever."
Carol and numerous other family members will be at Stadium Australia for the rare opportunity of seeing Mat and the Socceroos possibly win a major trophy on home soil against Korea Republic on Saturday night.
But, she says, she won't be nervous.
"People always say to me, you must be nervous," Carol said. "But I'm never nervous with him, because he doesn't make me nervous. Mat's confident because he's done the work and he believes in his ability, so he makes me confident.
"Even if it comes down to a penalty shootout I think I'll be OK, because I know he thrives on pressure."
Carol said that in the likelihood she speaks to her 22-year-old son again in the hours leading up to the match, her message will be simple.
"I'll just ask him how he's feeling. Have you slept well? Have you eaten well? Are you raring to go? And I'll wish him all the best, of course," she said.
"I'm very proud of what he's doing with his career and of the young man he's become, but, to me, he's still my little boy and I just want to see him happy."
Four years is an eternity in football
This week, David Carney was being sacked by Newcastle Jets owner-chairman Nathan Tinkler. Four years ago, he was in the Socceroo starting side at left-back for the AFC Asian Cup final against Japan in Qatar.
Also in the starting side were Tim Cahill, Matt McKay and Mile Jedinak. Robbie Kruse got a run off the bench in extra-time of the 1-0 loss, while Nathan Burns, Tommy Oar and Matthew Spiranovic were among the unused substitutes.
ACRO brings you the highlights of the game, from which you will see that the Socceroos certainly had their chances to win.
Will he or won't he?
Wow, what is Tim Cahill up to on the eve of the AFC Asian Cup final?
His comments when asked on Thursday about his international future could be taken to indicate retirement from international football after the game is a big possibility.
"I'm not sure [about his future], but that's something I'll talk about after [the game]," Cahill said. "My main focus is the final and hopefully trying to win something that's really special for our country."
Cahill, 35, added that after playing in World Cups and other tournaments overseas, to win an AFC Asian Cup final on home soil "will definitely cap it off".
That could sound like someone who is eyeing victory in a big tournament in Australia as potentially the perfect way to go out.
Cahill could have flat out rejected the suggestion of stepping down from the Socceroos if he had wished. Previously, he hadn't ruled out trying to play on until the next World Cup, in 2018.
So is this it, the last hurrah? Or does Cahill plan to keep making himself available for as long as coach Ange Postecoglou picks him, but didn't want to take the spotlight off the team heading into the game?
We'll soon find out.
Goalkeepers' union says Ryan great for business
Brisbane Roar goalkeeper and five-time A-League championship winner Michael Theo said Mat Ryan's stunning rise would lead to greater interest from foreign clubs in promising young goalkeepers emerging in Australia.
"It makes everyone overseas more aware of the quality of goalkeepers that are produced in this country," Theo told ACRO. "They will probably look more at the goalkeepers from here in the future.
"We're pretty fortunate in Australia. We've got a history of producing great goalkeepers and now it's great to see Maty doing really well for the Socceroos. And, who knows, he might end up at one of the big clubs in Europe. He's
been fantastic in the Asian Cup."
Wellington Phoenix and New Zealand All Whites star Glen Moss is another top-line A-League goalkeeper who is enjoying watching Ryan's development.
"Oh, Maty has had a sensational tournament," Moss said. "He was always destined to take that number one spot at the Socceroos. From all reports his form has been incredible in Belgium and I've been hugely impressed with the way he's played for the Socceroos in this tournament.
"I'm sure he'll do the same in the final and really kick on from there."
The Twittersphere
"Selfies" are a dime a dozen. Actually, they're generally not even worth that much, because there are so many out there. Simply everybody does it.
But occasionally you find one that captures the moment and Socceroos left-back Jason Davidson's effort in getting the beauty of Sydney to perfectly frame his head from the balcony of the team hotel said it all in a week when the city is hosting the AFC Asian Cup final.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House as bookends, a cruise ship docked at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, lovely blue skies and water. Fabulous stuff.
Now all Davidson and the rest of the Socceroos have to do to cap off a great campaign is get out there and win!
