2026 World Cup Squad

[melbcityguy]

Wow I would not want to play Mexico in Mexico their crowd was LOUD

 

[Robbos]

Wow I would not want to play Mexico in Mexico their crowd was LOUD

They have not lost a game at home for 13 years.

It would be very intimidating. They want blood.

 

[Robbos]

They have not lost a game at home for 13 years.

It would be very intimidating. They want blood.

They are Frigging 'LOCO' over there about their football.

 

[Quicky]

So guys the squad remains 26 strong with no cruel cuts like in cricket, rugby league. Does this mean that all members will get on the paddock at some stage or some held in reserve.

I doubt we'll use the full squad but Popovic does like to rotate.

 

[JS96]

Anyone know what heritage Beach has to get that olive skin?

 

[Bbouy]

Anyone know what heritage Beach has to get that olive skin?

Don't quote me on this but I believe I heard somewhere once that he is Maltese.

 

[HonestSpursFan]

Don't quote me on this but I believe I heard somewhere once that he is Maltese.

Joe Gauci is Maltese. He also plays as a backup goalie for the Socceroos, and also played for Melbourne City.

 

[Bbouy]

Joe Gauci is Maltese. He also plays as a backup goalie for the Socceroos, and also played for Melbourne City.

Well aware of that!

 

[highkick05]

Patrick Beach 22 yo man
Played only 1 A-league season - won the A-League
3 NT Caps?
Guys about as green as it gets to be doing this , at this level.
We might finally be getting things right

 

[HonestSpursFan]

Well aware of that!

I did a quick Google search and I couldn’t find anything about his ethnicity. You could be right though, even though he doesn’t have a Maltese surname plenty of Maltese marry people of other ethnicities (even in Malta itself).

 

[JS96]

Hrustic won't see a minute I reckon. Degenek and Trewin very late to hold a lead.

 

[melbcityguy]

Like to see Herrington played so we lock him in

 

[melbcityguy]

I'm really curious what the team cohesion is like because the way poppa chooses the squad there has to be tension

 

[JS96]

Like to see Herrington played so we lock him in

He'll defect to Germany after not playing.

 

[JS96]

I'm really curious what the team cohesion is like because the way poppa chooses the squad there has to be tension

Makes you wonder a bit. A week is a long time.

I think Ryan and Irvine won't enjoy being leaders but not featuring.

Burgess looked dejected but the players know it can happen to anyone.

I think many players question Leckie's inclusion and if the system still confuses them they won't be happy.

 

[Bunch_of_hacks]

Big fuck up not picking Boyle, Robertson and Goodwin. Would have dropped leckie and Vel

 

[Dan_The_Red]

Goodwin was hardly deserving of a squad place similar to Leckie, but probably worthy of taking to the early May camp. Then again perhaps with Goodwin in the side we'd actually have some decent set piece delivery. All the corners have been woeful. How can experienced pros struggle to swing a corner in?

 

[JS96]

Goodwin would've been a valuable squad member. We've still not used Hrustic among others.

 

[JS96]

If it wasn't clear already, the squad picks are a bunch of contradictions.

Fitness is valued yet Leckie gets picked. Velupillay was out for an entire 12 months and got a late reprieve.

Popovic doesn't really like ball players but then Volpato comes in at the last. In turn he's shafted Triantis, Segecic and Robertson who either fit an essential ball player or ball winner category.

You'd think some of the coaching staff would've said 'Hey Tony, you know we might need some ball players to adapt to different match situations.'

Popovic would've said Volpato was enough.

To think how raw Mabil and Yengi are in his set up but can enter with his utmost confidence while also picking players evidently redundant or not even trusted, the squad is full of wasted spaces and deployment. Hrustic, Trewin, Mabil and Devlin might not see any minutes despite being very feasible options to alleviate some of the issues we've had.

 

[HappyGuus]

Too late for a call up? Straight swap for Bos on the left.