Socceroos World Champion Mitch Duke is making a major career leap after starring in Qatar at the World Cup

Socceroos World Cup hero Mitch Duke is traveling in Japan signing with J2 team Machida Zelvia ahead of the 2023 season.

It follows the veteran who scored Australia’s winner against Tunisia in the group stage in Qatar.

The Socceroos stunned the world in the Middle East, beating the Africans and coveted Denmark to reach the last 16, where they lost to eventual winners Argentina.

The 31-year-old Duke has been on the books of Fagiano Okayama for the past two seasons, where he has scored 11 goals in 49 games in J2 competition.

Machida Zelvia will be Duke’s third club in Japan, with the forward also spending three seasons with Shimizu S-Pulse between 2015 and 2018.

Socceroos World Champion Mitch Duke (pictured right) is traveling in Japan signing with J2 team Machida Zelvia

Duke’s headed goal against Tunisia at the World Cup gave the Socceroos the winning goal

Duke is hungry to help Zelvia ascend.

“I’m so happy to have signed with Machida for the 2023 season,” Duke said on the club’s website.

“I’m looking forward to getting started, meeting everyone at the club, meeting my teammates and playing in front of the amazing fans.

“I know it’s going to be a great year, we have big ambitions and I hope my experience from the World Cup will help us get (promoted) to J1.

“I can’t wait to start, I love being back in Japan, it’s my second home.”

Zelvia will start their J2 campaign at home against Vegalta Sendai on February 18th.

Australia’s Mitchell Duke (left) and Argentina’s Lionel Messi battle for the ball at the World Cup in Qatar

Duke and Messi were later called to the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium for a post-match drug test – and initially the Aussie striker wasn’t happy

After Lionel Messi and his team-mates ended Australia’s World Cup dreams, an ‘angry’ Duke revealed he snatched the superstar’s shirt after the game.

Duke and Messi were called to Ahmad bin Ali Stadium for a drug test after the game – and initially the Japan-based striker was seething.

“Last game, however it ended, all I wanted was to spend time with the guys after the trip we had,” Duke told CODE Sports.

‘So I raged.’

Messi doesn’t speak English, so Duke finally plucked up the courage to ask for his hero’s jersey through a translator.

After downing seven bottles of water to provide a urine sample, Duke stumped back into the Australian dressing room to find a souvenir he’ll always cherish sitting in his bag: a priceless gift from Argentina’s kit-man, no less.

Duke later confirmed that Messi’s coveted jersey will be a significant addition to his ‘man cave’ once he retires.