A New Era for the Socceroos
Cristian Volpato’s dramatic last-minute switch from Italy to Australia has been met with a significant reward, as he has been selected for the World Cup. Coach Tony Popovic has expressed confidence in the young and inexperienced squad, stating that they can make an impact right now.
Volpato, a 22-year-old playmaker from Sassuolo, leads the 26-man Australian squad alongside 25-year-old striker Tete Yengi, who is also uncapped. Both players have earned their spots in the World Cup squad before making their debuts for the national team.
However, the news was not all positive for some players. Veteran forward Martin Boyle, defender Kye Rowles, forward Brandon Borrello, and goalkeeper Joe Gauci were all left out of the squad. Boyle, in particular, faced heartbreak again after being injured ahead of the 2022 World Cup and missing out once more.
Volpato initially declined Graham Arnold’s offer to join the 2022 World Cup squad, but his decision changed when he decided to switch his allegiance to Australia. The 22-year-old Sassuolo winger arrived at the camp on Saturday morning, just in time for the training session but too late to feature in the 1-0 loss to Mexico.
Popovic praised Volpato’s potential, saying, “There’s a lot of growth and potential still there, which pretty much sums up a lot of our players at the moment.”
Key Players and Squad Composition
Captain Mat Ryan and veteran Mathew Leckie are heading to their fourth World Cup, joining the exclusive group of Tim Cahill and Mark Milligan. However, they are the senior figures in a squad that features 17 players selected for their first cup and eight players aged 23 or under, including 18-year-old centre-back Lucas Herrington.
“Without a doubt he deserves to be here,” Popovic said about Volpato. Star defenders Alessandro Circati and Jordy Bos, as well as dynamic attackers Nestory Irankunda and Mohamed Toure, are also part of this youthful core. Young midfielder Paul Okon-Engstler rounds out the group.
Popovic emphasized that while the core group may grow over time, he does not want to “water down expectations.” He believes that the current squad is capable of performing at the highest level.
“Will they be better in four and eight years? Without a doubt, but that’s not to say they’re not good enough now. If they weren’t, I wouldn’t play them, and I wouldn’t have them in the squad,” he said.
Popovic added, “None of these boys are here to … just sit on the side and not be involved. I want them all to give me a headache every week, and I believe in these young boys. I think they should believe in themselves more, and I know that will come with time. But they should feel assured and confident that they have a coach that believes in them, and that’s why they’re selected, and they know they are selected for this World Cup. They’re not selected for future ones, they’re selected for this one.”
Upcoming Fixtures
The Socceroos will play their final warm-up game against Switzerland on June 6 (June 7 AEST) in San Diego. They then face Group D opponents Turkey in Vancouver on June 13 (June 14 AEST), the United States in Seattle six days later, and Paraguay in Santa Clara on June 25 (June 26 AEST).
Tete Yengi, the younger brother of fellow Socceroo Kusini Yengi, impressed at Japanese club Machida Zelvia, on loan from Scottish outfit Livingston. Harry Souttar and Leckie were selected after overcoming injury to make their first Socceroos appearances since 2024 in the Mexico friendly. Aziz Behich, Jackson Irvine, and Milos Degenek reach their third World Cup.
Socceroos World Cup Squad
Goalkeepers: Patrick Beach, Paul Izzo, Mat Ryan
Defenders: Aziz Behich, Jordan Bos, Cameron Burgess, Alessandro Circati, Milos Degenek, Jason Geria, Lucas Herrington, Jacob Italiano, Harry Souttar, Kai Trewin
Midfielders: Cameron Devlin, Jackson Irvine, Connor Metcalfe, Mathew Leckie, Paul Okon-Engstler, Aiden O’Neill
Forwards: Ajdin Hrustic, Nestory Irankunda, Awer Mabil, Mohamed Toure, Nishan Velupillay, Cristian Volpato, Tete Yengi*
- First World Cup selection
