Australia World Cup 2026 team guide

This article is portion of nan Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a practice betwixt immoderate of nan champion media organisations from nan 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is moving previews from 3 countries each time successful nan run-up to nan tourney kicking disconnected connected 11 June.

The plan

The Socceroos are stepping into nan chartless arsenic overmuch arsenic immoderate broadside pinch a caller harvest of eye-catching attacking talents playing alongside a much knowledgeable midfield and protect core. Qualification for a sixth consecutive World Cup was sealed without needing to tread cautiously done nan playoffs for nan first clip since 2014, but only aft a alteration of guidance erstwhile Tony Popovic replaced Graham Arnold arsenic nan caput coach.

The renowned disciplinarian demanded a greater beingness strength and protect zeal successful each areas of nan field, pinch results quickly improving and building into an eight-match unbeaten tally that locked successful a World Cup spot. The Socceroos person suffered from mixed fortunes since past arsenic Popovic has formed nan nett wider to springiness opportunities to fringe players and nan adjacent generation.

The broadside person go amended organised defensively pinch 3 centre-backs, 2 helping backs and a brace of battle-hardened midfielders, a communal group up particularly successful first halves erstwhile Popovic likes to support contests tight. The emergence of young forwards Nestory Irankunda and Mohamed Touré – and Jordan Bos connected a helping – adds a spark to nan lineup and tin beryllium particularly threatening connected a counterattack precocious successful games. The inclusion of Cristian Volpato, who switched his allegiance from Italy to Australia astatine nan past minute, offers different perchance breathtaking option.

After reaching nan past 16 for nan 2nd time, successful 2022, nan dream is that nan Socceroos tin triumph a first knockout game. It will beryllium easier said than done while starting successful an evenly matched group but, arsenic is his way, Popovic has insisted nan broadside are up to nan challenge. “We’re ever deemed arsenic nan underdog aliases nan squad that will beryllium fighting for nan bottommost spot and we person an opportunity done our actions and our performances and results to show that that tin beryllium different,” the Socceroos coach said successful early May.

The coach

Tony Popovic coaches for illustration he played arsenic a hard-nosed defender successful his 58 matches for nan Socceroos, including being portion of nan renowned 2006 World Cup squad. The 52-year-old values constituent complete style, but finds a measurement to make it activity pinch a coaching grounds that includes 2 A-League premierships and an Asian Champions League crown. Popovic quickly put his fingerprints each complete nan Socceroos erstwhile taking complaint successful September 2024 pinch their World Cup qualification hopes floundering. His steely determination and nan side’s newfound sharper separator booked their summons to a sixth consecutive world showpiece. Now they are fresh to look arguably nan trickiest group.

Star player

The Socceroos deficiency prima power, but Nestory Irankunda is their quality item reel. The 20-year-old attacker launches rockets from extracurricular nan area, thumps defenders pinch gait and has a container afloat of tricks. He often celebrates his goals pinch a backflip and a Michael Jackson creation move. This tourney tin beryllium nan shape for Irankunda to bring those talents to nan world. Meanwhile, Mohamed Touré whitethorn conscionable upstage his puerility friend if he tin transportation his red-hot goalscoring shape from nine to country.

Nestory Irankunda of Australia celebrates aft scoring against Curaçao. Photograph: Morgan Hancock/Fifa/Getty Images

One to watch

Jordan Bos has go a darling among nan astir ardent Socceroos fans. He could soon bring himself to nan attraction of nan country. The 23-year-old has lit up nan Eredivisie successful his first play pinch Feyenoord, becoming nan first Australian to triumph a subordinate of nan period grant successful nan Netherlands’ apical flight. Bos’s pace, powerfulness and method down nan near flank are a immense plus for nine and country, whether he is picked arsenic an attack-minded wingback aliases arsenic portion of nan midfield. He tin besides beryllium vulnerable adjacent extremity and precocious scored successful 3 consecutive appearances for nan Socceroos.

Unsung hero

Alessandro Circati flies nether nan radar pinch a domiciled astatine centre-back, but nan 22-year-old has quickly emerged arsenic 1 of nan astir important pieces of Popovic’s Socceroos puzzle. His physicality sets nan reside while his composure calms nan nerves – while besides having nan accomplishment and polish connected nan shot that helps move defence into attack. Circati’s opinionated wrong nan squad was revealed erstwhile he became nan youngest subordinate to skipper nan side, successful a friends against New Zealand past year. The defender has besides risen done nan ranks astatine Parma successful statement pinch nan club’s emergence from Serie B to Serie A and should relish nan opportunity to trial himself astatine nan highest level.

Probable starting XI

Illustration: Guardian

What to expect from fans astatine games

When it comes to nan World Cup, Australia’s fans autumn into 3 groups. The nationalist sporting psyche is subconsciously activated and moreover nan astir sport-agnostic find themselves shaking their fists astatine nan TV. The sport-appreciators quickly rekindle their emotion of nan round-ball crippled and wonderment why they don’t watch more. The tried and existent Australian shot devotees outcry from nan rooftops “we’ve been present each along” arsenic nan state duly unites astir them and nan men successful greenish and gold. Some will make nan trip, but galore whitethorn person been turned disconnected by costs and uncertainty connected nan ground. At home, nan unusually agreeable kick-off times lend themselves to afloat pubs, watch parties aliases agency huddles. A nationalist situation was averted erstwhile nan determination to prohibition screenings of matches astatine Melbourne’s Federation Square was overturned successful little than 24 hours.

Relationship pinch nan US/Trump?

While Australian politicians toed nan statement connected Donald Trump, refusing to telephone retired moreover his astir egregious statements for what they are, 1 outspoken Socceroos seasoned has not been shy. The St Pauli skipper and midfielder Jackson Irvine has go nan starring professional of Fifa among existent players and took purpose astatine football’s governing body for awarding a bid prize to nan US president. “As an organisation, you would person to opportunity decisions for illustration nan 1 that we saw awarding this bid prize makes a insult of what they’re trying to do pinch nan quality authorities charter and trying to usage shot arsenic a world driving unit for bully and affirmative alteration successful nan world,” Irvine said.