Emerging Lebanese talent Tony Sukkar has opened up on the 2am wakeup call during the 2022 World Cup that triggered his dream of representing the nation at this year’s tournament.

An 18-year-old in the Wests Tigers pathways system at the time, Sukkar woke in the early hours to watch Lebanon play each match.

A win over Jamaica secured the country’s place in the quarter-finals and the emerging forward said the experience is driving his bid to feature in this year’s World Cup.

“I was up with my mates at 2am to watch the boys win against Jamaica,” Sukkar said. “We were all sitting in the room watching the boys play, so it was a mad experience.

“It will be special if I get to put on that jersey this year. When you put that jersey on, you’re representing your family, your heritage and all the traditions and cultural values that you grew up on.

“All those things come into play and you want to put your best foot forward to play the best we can. Hopefully we get some results for the fans who will turn up in numbers.”

Lebanon will open their tournament against Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby before taking on Tonga and France at CommBank Stadium.

With no quarter-finals this year, they need three wins to guarantee a place in the semi-finals.

Sukkar is on track to feature at the World Cup alongside Tigers teammates Adam Doueihi and Alex Twal.

Adam Doueihi made his international debut for Lebanon at the 2017 World Cup.

Bulldogs winger Jacob Kiraz, Parramatta’s Mitchell Moses and Wigan's Abbas Miski are also in the mix to line up for Lebanon at the tournament.

Doueihi played at the 2017 and 2022 editions and said there is no feeling like representing your country.

“It’s different to club footy,” Doueihi said. “You’re putting on your heritage and your family name and representing a big, proud culture and country.

“I’ve played at two World Cups and they’re some of the best memories I’ve had on the football field.

“Having a World Cup back home in Sydney will be really good. The community here in Australia always gets around us, so any opportunity I get to throw on the Lebanese jersey, I will never say no.”

While they boast a number of elite players in the NRL, Lebanon have flown under the radar in the past few years.

Instead, the focus from most fans has been on the rise of the Pacific Island nations.

Doueihi, however, points to performances at the past two World Cups in which Lebanon made the quarter-finals and pushed Australia and New Zealand all the way.

They also came within two points of defeating Tonga to progress to a historic semi-final in the 2017 tournament.

Lebanon’s clash with Tonga at CommBank Stadium on October 23 shapes as pivotal in determining who moves on to the knock-out rounds.

Doueihi has embraced the underdog tag but said his team will enter the World Cup ready to upset their more fancied rivals.

“We’ve made the quarters of the past two World Cups, which makes us a top-eight nation,” Doueihi said. “We’re moving forward and have more young kids with NRL experience in our roster now.

“There’s a good crop of young Lebanese kids coming through so we’re expecting big things when the World Cup comes around.”