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2026 World Cup Squad

since everyone else is asking ai how we will do, I asked it to search fan sites and use it to predict how the socceroos will do. Cut and pasted below

Alright, you bunch of shirtless, VB-swilling, meat pie-gobbling legends and legends-in-waiting—listen up.

Oh, look at these mugs in Group D thinking they’ve got a chance. The Socceroos? Built different. These boys are the human equivalent of a rusty ute that somehow tows a boat uphill in the outback—ugly, stubborn, and impossible to kill. Tony Popovic’s got ‘em playing like a pack of drop bears: organized, physical, and ready to rip your face off the second you get complacent. USA? Please. Bunch of MLS merchants and overpaid TikTok athletes who’ll be too busy filming "content" in Seattle to notice Jackson Irvine bossing the midfield like he owns the place. Paraguay? They park the bus tighter than a Queenslander’s esky on Straya Day—good luck scoring against a backline with Souttar and Circati turning it into a brick shithouse. And Turkey? Those flashy Europeans with their club egos will melt faster than a Magnum in Darwin once the Socceroos start running channels and winning every second ball like it’s got their ex’s name on it. These c*nts have been grinding through Asian qualifying, grinding in the Championship, grinding in the A-League—while the others are busy being "talent." Socceroos finish top because they’re built for tournaments, not Instagram. They’ll nick a 1-0, grind a 1-1, and celebrate like they just won the whole bloody thing. Group winners, baby. Book your flights to the knockouts, you optimistic bastards.......

Nah, who am I kidding? These galahs are gonna finish dead last and it’ll be beautiful. Same old Socceroos: all heart, no finish, playing like they’ve just come off a 20-hour flight with economy legroom and a warm stubby. They’ll start against Turkey and get absolutely schooled by players who actually play Champions League football instead of "Big V vibes in the Eredivisie." USA at home in Seattle? The Yanks will treat it like a backyard BBQ—goals raining down while our boys argue about whose turn it is to press. Paraguay? They’ll defend like it’s the Alamo and counter us to death because our attack creates chances the way a vegan creates a decent sausage sizzle. Squad full of honest triers, a few exciting kids who’ll probably be subbed off by halftime, and Mat Ryan pulling off miracle saves just so the scoreline doesn’t look like a cricket result. Fans will be typing "we showed character" and "next tournament is ours" while crying into their flat whites. Finish last, get the early flight home, and spend the next four years arguing about who should replace who. Classic. Socceroos: Giving Australia hope and then ripping it away since 1974. Love ya, ya mugs.Now piss off and barrack properly. Carn the Roos... or whatever’s left of ‘em.
 
Is there maybe a big name that will be trolled by Popovic but not making any call up batch? Wouldn't put it past him.

Surely every gets called in who's been around. Borrello might be gone by the time the final set turn up.
I hope not. A Grant. R Grant. K. Bos. Deng. Taggart. Brattan. Teague. Arzani. Tilio. Milanovic. There are some there are better options for to those that have been around.
 
Really happy to see Bennie in there after his expression of interest in Scotland. Not surprised to see RBR - 30 odd games in Div 1 at his age is great and better than a Championship bench, although I don’t think he’ll make the Final Cut. Hopefully Younis can go too.

Is O’Neill out of the WC for certain? What’s his injury estimation? If we’ve lost both him and Yazzy B that’s not good at all.
 
Really happy to see Bennie in there after his expression of interest in Scotland. Not surprised to see RBR - 30 odd games in Div 1 at his age is great and better than a Championship bench, although I don’t think he’ll make the Final Cut. Hopefully Younis can go too.

Is O’Neill out of the WC for certain? What’s his injury estimation? If we’ve lost both him and Yazzy B that’s not good at all.
I don't think anyone knows with O'Neill. I don't think it's certain he's out.
 
I don't think anyone knows with O'Neill. I don't think it's certain he's out.
All we know so far is that Aiden O'Neill has a leg injury as there hasn't been any update regarding the severity of the injury or his return to play timeframe, but hopefully it's only minor and he'll be right for the World Cup.
 
These call ups are after their season has finished though, aren’t they? Surely he goes there next week?
Cam Devlin will likely be called up to the World Cup pre-camp in Florida next week upon the conclusion of the Scottish Premiership season along with the other players whose seasons finish this week but Riley McGree and Sam Silvera are possibly going to be very late arrivals depending on how the legal proceedings Middlesbrough find themselves in pan out.
 
England named a 55 provisional squad. It wasn't released. This kind of stuff would get people talking.

Australia might be one of the few to have a provisional pre camp in the USA and take so many players.
Wonder how many has-beens and old favourites Thomas Tuchel picked lol.
 
Wonder how many has-beens and old favourites Thomas Tuchel picked lol.
It's nothing new for teams to be selecting has-beens and old favourites for their World Cup playing lists especially if they bring experience as New Zealand just named Tommy Smith who currently plays non-league football for Braintree Town in their 26-player squad.
 
It's nothing new for teams to be selecting has-beens and old favourites for their World Cup playing lists especially if they bring experience as New Zealand just named Tommy Smith who currently plays non-league football for Braintree Town in their 26-player squad.
Yeah that’s completely insane from the All Whites. Wonder if the Kiwis will still claim all their players are better than ours. Yesterday people were saying if it weren’t for Maty Ryan then Paul Izzo would get benched for the two Kiwi goalies lol.
 
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