3 days ago
The Socceroos person named 2 uncapped attackers successful their World Cup squad for this month’s World Cup, arsenic coach Tony Popovic rolls nan dice successful a bid to find an attacking spark.
Winger Cristian Volpato, nan erstwhile Italy younker international, has been rushed into nan squad aft nan paperwork allowing his alteration of allegiance was only completed successful nan past week. Towering striker Tete Yengi has besides won a spot aft a beardown twelvemonth pinch Japanese nine Machida Zelvia.
Coach Tony Popovic said selecting 26 players was not easy. “A scope of factors has gone into selecting this last World Cup squad. Some difficult decisions had to beryllium made – that’s nan quality of awesome tournaments,” Popovic said. “But it’s besides a in installments to each nan players progressive complete nan past fewer weeks who worked highly difficult during an extended and challenging pre-camp.
Popovic had to trim 4 players from his training squad to meet nan 26-player limit. The unfortunate 4 are goalkeeper Joe Gauci, defender Kye Rowles and forwards Brandon Borrello and Martin Boyle.
The omission of Boyle compounds nan Socceroos heartbreak for nan Scottish-born attacker, who missed nan 2022 World Cup done injury. Rowles was different who was unfortunate successful selection. The 27-year-old played each lucifer successful Qatar 4 years agone alongside Harry Souttar successful defence.
“I’d for illustration to admit nan players who contributed to our nonstop World Cup qualification but are not portion of this squad. Their publication should not beryllium forgotten,” Popovic said.
The 3 omitted outfielders whitethorn still beryllium called upon earlier nan first game, arsenic Fifa regulations let replacing an injured subordinate up until 24 hours earlier nan first lucifer of nan tournament. Injured goalkeepers whitethorn beryllium replaced astatine immoderate clip during nan tournament.
Selection successful a 2nd World Cup caps an improbable comeback for Souttar, who suffered an achilles wounded successful December 2024 and has only conscionable returned to nan field. The 27-year-old provides a beingness beingness successful some goalboxes, highlighted by his improbable world goalscoring complaint of better than 1 each 4 matches. He was a stand-out during nan friends against Mexico connected Sunday.
Even much improbable is nan emergence of Lucas Herrington – who played alongside Souttar against Mexico – who offers nan Socceroos different towering cardinal defender. The 18-year-old was playing for Brisbane Roar a twelvemonth ago, but a move to MLS broadside Colorado has seen him beryllium his expertise this twelvemonth against the likes of Leo Messi and Son Heung-min. Assuming he does person lucifer minutes, Herrington won’t rather break nan grounds of nan youngest Australian to play astatine a World Cup - Garang Kuol was conscionable 18 years and 79 days aged successful Qatar. But he is portion of a young halfway that provides a consciousness of excitement successful Australian football.
The group includes striker Mo Toure and guardant Nestory Irankinda, defender Alessandro Circati and fullback Jordy Bos. All are 23 aliases under, and each person proven themselves effective already successful immoderate of Europe’s toughest leagues. Their beingness is balanced by veterans Mathew Leckie and Maty Ryan, Jackson Irvine and Aziz Behich.
The A-League Men contingent is made up of Behich, Paul Okon-Engstler, Nishan Velupillay, Patrick Beach and Mathew Leckie. Okon-Engstler – boy of adjunct coach and erstwhile Socceroo Paul Okon – is an up-and-coming 21-year-old who has had a sensation of European shot pinch Benfica and is apt to pull much liking if he impresses successful North America.
Beach and Velupillay are besides apt to person nan chance to move overseas, though Leckie is astatine nan different extremity of nan spectrum. Aged 35 and pinch a agelong profession successful Europe down him, he spent overmuch of nan past 2 years retired injured. Yet he has stormed backmost into calculations only successful caller weeks and started nan lucifer against Mexico.
Goalkeepers
Patrick Beach (Melbourne City), Paul Izzo (Randers), Mat Ryan (Levante)
Defenders
Aziz Behich (Melbourne City), Jordan Bos, (Feyenoord), Cameron Burgess (Swansea City), Alessandro Circati (Parma), Milos Degenek (APOEL), Jason Geria (Albirex Niigata), Lucas Herrington (Colorado Rapids), Jacob Italiano (Grazer AK), Harry Souttar (Leicester City), Kai Trewin (New York City)
Midfielders
Cameron Devlin (Hearts), Jackson Irvine (St Pauli), Mathew Leckie (Melbourne City), Connor Metcalfe (St Pauli), Aiden O’Neill (New York City), Paul Okon-Engstler (Sydney FC)
Attackers
Ajdin Hrustic (Heracles Almelo), Nestory Irankunda (Watford), Awer Mabil (Castellon), Mohamed Touré (Norwich City), Nishan Velupillay (Melbourne Victory), Cristian Volpato (Sassuolo), Tete Yengi (Machida Zelvia)
