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2026 World Cup Squad

Quicky said:
I think it is our tactic.
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There's only one or two players in that squad who haven't impressed me at some stage. Even O'Neill who's getting panned a lot showed improvement in the FIFA+ games, and ordinary players don't captain Standard Liege. Hrustic I never liked because of attitude and possession turovers but again he has impressed recently (but pathetic penalty). Boyle also, who can sometimes spend more time on the ground than on his feet, is getting back to his peak Socceroo form. Yazbek is a big question mark, haven't seen enough of him. Why is he there ahead of Balard or Nisbet or Devlin or Bacchus? The midfield was once our strength, the issue being who to leave out. Now it's our weak point. Of course, a lot of team selection debates just come down to personal likes and dislikes. People notice different things during matches. Also, we never see who trains well or poorly.
Overall I reckon the thing to remember is that we really do punch above our weight. We finished 11/32 in Qatar with similar quality squad. Looking to 2026 WC, in our group TUR and USA have more players not only in top leagues but in top clubs in those leagues, and Paraguay have 3 Premier League players and one at Palmeiras. Yet we could conceivably top this group. The Socceroos are a classic case of the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
 
grazorblade said:
Feel bad for boyle after him doing his acl last world cup and working hard to be part of this squad

I want to want him there but i dont haha

I wonder if scicluna makes it
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I think Scicluna's a chance. I got the impression they wanted that change of association paperwork done for this friendly window and didn't make it. That suggests he's in the thinking. Although was he one of the train on players? The Mexico friendly will be telling.
 
Quicky said:
I think Scicluna's a chance. I got the impression they wanted that change of association paperwork done for this friendly window and didn't make it. That suggests he's in the thinking. Although was he one of the train on players? The Mexico friendly will be telling.
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Shame that friendly is after the squad submission
 
grazorblade said:
Feel bad for boyle after him doing his acl last world cup and working hard to be part of this squad

I want to want him there but i dont haha

I wonder if scicluna makes it
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your seriously confused, must be all those spread sheets - out done over with another we won't miss Thankyou for your early service the rest has been meh sorry mate - enjoy rest of your club career.
 
LFC said:
your seriously confused, must be all those spread sheets - out done over with another we won't miss Thankyou for your early service the rest has been meh sorry mate - enjoy rest of your club career.
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You dont fewl bad for a player who did his acl just before the world cup when he was a standout in qualifiers? I do feel for him and would love this to be a redemption story but he is well down my pecking order
 
bad luck is bad luck - IF he was a key player sure I'd wish him for the best but I know what he'll bring to the table - its not much imo.
Sorry brutal is brutal WC is 4yrs, can't afford the same same again again, we must move forward.
 
Quicky said:
Football360's squad. It's pretty vanilla. Probably pretty close though.

View attachment 6310
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It wouldn't be my team if I were the coach BUT I think this is almost exactly what Popovic will select.

Barring injuries, the defence and midfield will be exactly as listed, and probably 80% chance those are the attackers we bring too.

Look, it's a strong squad especially comparing it to the squad we brought to the last World Cup. This is far better and the young talent inclusion has skyrocketed.

I expect a lot of the older players to either retire from international football post World Cup or Asian Cup. Irvine, Behich, Duke, Goodwin, Degenek, Boyle, Mabil etc. Been good servants but it's time for the younger players to come through and for us to finally catch up to the rest of the world.
 
I just watched the last Suited and Booted episode. They had only 9 locks (only 1 in midfield) for the WC squad. I would say 10 because I'm sure Izzo is on the plane (not that he suits the way we want to play). I just find it strange that everyone is coming out with their expected Socceroo. If there are truly that many options as @Decentric said the other day why are all the analysts sticking to trying to pick Popa's side. Is this some sort of Groupthink to make us feel better if we get such a vanilla squad as @Quicky called it.

Years gone by we had football journos with balls. Now we have cheerleaders. If we are to progress as a football nation we need to be challenging the decisions being made - not nod sagely when the decree has come down from the mountain for fear of losing access.
 
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socceroosmad said:
There's only one or two players in that squad who haven't impressed me at some stage. Even O'Neill who's getting panned a lot showed improvement in the FIFA+ games, and ordinary players don't captain Standard Liege. Hrustic I never liked because of attitude and possession turovers but again he has impressed recently (but pathetic penalty). Boyle also, who can sometimes spend more time on the ground than on his feet, is getting back to his peak Socceroo form. Yazbek is a big question mark, haven't seen enough of him. Why is he there ahead of Balard or Nisbet or Devlin or Bacchus? The midfield was once our strength, the issue being who to leave out. Now it's our weak point. Of course, a lot of team selection debates just come down to personal likes and dislikes. People notice different things during matches. Also, we never see who trains well or poorly.
Overall I reckon the thing to remember is that we really do punch above our weight. We finished 11/32 in Qatar with similar quality squad. Looking to 2026 WC, in our group TUR and USA have more players not only in top leagues but in top clubs in those leagues, and Paraguay have 3 Premier League players and one at Palmeiras. Yet we could conceivably top this group. The Socceroos are a classic case of the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
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I also didn’t know much about Yazbek until I saw a highlights reel (I think on one of the threads here) of him shutting down Messi. It was very impressive.
 
www.smh.com.au

His dad is a former Socceroos captain, but Paul Okon jnr is no nepo baby

With his father part of the coaching staff, scrutiny was always coming – but the budding Sydney FC midfielder has more than earned his place in the national team.
www.smh.com.au www.smh.com.au

Agree he should be there regardless of who his dad is but i think he undermines his case by just asserting that his dad wouldnt treat him different to every other player. Im sure he wouldnt intend to
 
grazorblade said:
www.smh.com.au

His dad is a former Socceroos captain, but Paul Okon jnr is no nepo baby

With his father part of the coaching staff, scrutiny was always coming – but the budding Sydney FC midfielder has more than earned his place in the national team.
www.smh.com.au www.smh.com.au

Agree he should be there regardless of who his dad is but i think he undermines his case by just asserting that his dad wouldnt treat him different to every other player. Im sure he wouldnt intend to
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Sorry - I know it would be tough on him - but to me he is not ready. He shows a lot - but he also has a lot to learn. Vugari tweeted he was all class. What I saw was a player that was embarrassed by a young player in Rose a few times early, missing a long range shot in true Ruben Z style and then proceeding to foul Rose for 20 -25 minutes (though rarely sanctioned by the ref) before he settled down to play the game. You can't be distracted like that at a World Cup.
 
So who are the smokies for the World Cup Squad? There's alway's one or two.

I see these as two types. Injury returns and strong late form. I'll add another category, the consistently over-looked and under-appreciated.

Some options for each category.

Injury returns: Souttar, Silvera, C. Goodwin, Luongo, Leonard

Late form surge: Younis, Scicluna, A. Goodwin

Overlooked: Sapsford, Bennie, Nisbet.

Who would you add? Who would you pick?
 
Quicky said:
So who are the smokies for the World Cup Squad? There's alway's one or two.

I see these as two types. Injury returns and strong late form. I'll add another category, the consistently over-looked and under-appreciated.

Some options for each category.

Injury returns: Souttar, Silvera, C. Goodwin, Luongo, Leonard

Late form surge: Younis, Scicluna, A. Goodwin

Overlooked: Sapsford, Bennie, Nisbet.

Who would you add? Who would you pick?
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I don't think Craig Goodwin and Massimo Luongo will get game time before the World Cup and we need to wait and see how Souttar and Silvera run first but they'll definitely make the playing list along with Marcus Younis and possibly Zac Sapsford. I'd also pick Josh Nisbet given his remarkable form for Roda JC Kerkrade in Eerste Divisie this year and Daniel Bennie so we can lock him to the green and gold jersey in the future.
 
Quicky said:
So who are the smokies for the World Cup Squad? There's alway's one or two.

I see these as two types. Injury returns and strong late form. I'll add another category, the consistently over-looked and under-appreciated.

Some options for each category.

Injury returns: Souttar, Silvera, C. Goodwin, Luongo, Leonard

Late form surge: Younis, Scicluna, A. Goodwin

Overlooked: Sapsford, Bennie, Nisbet.

Who would you add? Who would you pick?
Click to expand...
Kuol probably

Also some random who has australian heritage no one has heard of
 
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