ESPN's Socceroos Cup Diaries has all you need to know about Australia's journey in North America, all in one place. Join Joey Lynch and Alex Hatzikostas as they go behind the scenes in the Socceroos camp and give the inside word on all the action at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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June 30: Memories of knockout games past
How many times have you watched that Lucas Neill challenge on Fabio Grosso? 10 times? 20 times? 50 times? Was seeing it once enough, and you never want to see it again? Given that it represented the turning point in one of the other two occasions that the Socceroos have previously reached the knockout stages, it's probably going to get a run at least once or twice before they face Egypt in the Round of 32 this coming Friday [Saturday AEST].
Cristian Volpato, for his part, reckons he's watched that moment at least 100 times, and he's got a closer connection than most: previously represented by Francesco Totti, who scored the penalty, and at one point coached by Grosso himself.
"It's crazy, because my ex-agent was Totti, who scored," Volpato grinned. "And then my coach is the one who won the penalty! I spoke to Grosso, he just remembers, he was just saying that he didn't even know what he was doing, he felt a bit of contact, he went down. They got the pen, Totti just shot as hard as he could."
Volpato, for his part, is fully locked into Australia after making a dramatic switch from Italy on the eve of the World Cup -- probably a good thing, given the Azzurri have now missed three straight. He started his first game at the tournament against Paraguay, with Jordan Bos on the right, and the flanker liked what he saw.
"Chris and I didn't really discuss anything; it was just free flowing," Bos said. "It was easy to play with him, we had a good connection on the field and stuff like that."
June 29: Volpato reveals the human side to social discourse
The road that Cristian Volpato has travelled to reach the FIFA World Cup has been a long and winding one, a journey that has seen him go from being released by two different A-League clubs to being on the verge of playing a role in what could be the Socceroos' first-ever knockout stage win when they face Egypt in Dallas, Texas, in the round of 32.
Along the way, there has been plenty written and said about the youngster, still just 22-years-old. Some of it was penned, famously, by himself, on Snapchat after a Socceroos defeat against Japan in World Cup qualifying. And there have been times when those around him have been transparent in keeping the conversation around him going. But plenty has been written about him by others, too, and some of this has crossed obvious lines; the perils of fostering a conversation that can become too obsessed with dual internationals and dehumanising them to a level wherein personal attacks and prejudice can become acceptable.
"I'm human, like everyone else," Volpato said. "I'm addicted to my phone, like 90% of the people, as well, in the world. And I see everything. Sometimes there's going to be stuff said about you. There's going to be good things, there's going to be bad things.
"But I feel like, as a footballer, you just have got to be resilient. Sometimes you can use it as fuel as well, and I like to use that as well."
Volpato and Co. will fly out to Dallas on Tuesday.
June 28: When does Popovic pick his starting XIs?
It's not accurate to say that Socceroos boss Tony Popovic likes to keep us all guessing with his line-ups. In fact, he's really not a fan of that whole discourse. But the coach's habit of chopping and changing his lineup -- he's never actually started the same XI in back-to-back games as Socceroos boss -- means that we're left wondering just what new intrigue the teamsheet will bring on gameday.
Of course, the players get a bit more of an insight than us, what with the whole needing to execute Popovic's tactics and all. But did you ever wonder when?
After the game against Türkiye, Patrick Beach said that he found out that he would be donning the gloves two days before Australia's upset 2-0 win. Lucas Herrington, however, said on Sunday that there isn't so much a formal announcement, so much as clues are given in the way the team trains.
"It's sort of just based on training, you can get a good idea," Herrington, who has been linked with moves to Liverpool and Barcelona, said. "I think everyone's ready to play, so everyone's got to be ready."
"We find out like maybe two days before the game, because that's when we really need to work on the finer details defensively and offensively," added his teammate Connor Metcalfe.
June 27: Salah injury casts doubt over his availability
The Socceroos will chase history against Egypt on July 3, seeking to secure their first-ever knockout win at the FIFA World Cup at one of America's great sporting cathedrals: Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Twice the side has reached this point in the past, back in 2006 and 2022, and on both occasions, they fell tortuously short, falling 1-0 to Italy in Germany and 2-1 to Argentina in Qatar.
There is hope that this time, however, in 2026, it could be this young Socceroos side that breaks through. And hope, that most wicked of emotions, will only increase if Egypt's talisman, Mohamed Salah, is unavailable after being forced off in the second-half of their draw with Iran on Friday.
"I talked to Salah, and he said he's going to be okay, and it's not a big injury," Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said on Friday. "We still have time to talk to the medical staff. I think he will be back, and when I spoke to Salah, he assured me he's going to be okay."
Speaking on Saturday morning, however, Socceroos assistant coach Hayden Foxe struck a cautious tone surrounding Salah's status.
"It didn't look good for him to come off in such an important game at 1-1, to come off at that moment," Foxe said. "So you think there might be something there, but he's a player of enormous talent. I'm sure he'll be doing everything that he can to play in this game.
"To try and combat them type of players, you don't put too much emphasis, but you have to respect that and you have to acknowledge that...then you might play a way where you can force him into a wide area or an area where he's not getting a lot of the ball in between the lines."
June 26: All Whites still looking for Kiwi history
In the end, New Zealand didn't get that historic first win at a men's World Cup. They came close, twice, leading both Iran and Egypt, but ultimately couldn't go on with it, and saw their campaign end with a 5-1 thumping at the hands of Belgium. How to take those leads and run with them is set to be one of the major themes the players take from the tournament, as well as a desire to continue to test themselves at higher levels and better prepare for the heavyweights of Asia, Africa, and Europe.
And coach Darren Bazeley, for his part, who is out of contract in December, wants to be part of that.
"I'd like to continue," he said on postgame. "For sure. It's been a great campaign. I've loved every minute of it. And the experience here at a World Cup has been amazing. We've had some moments where we've started to show the type of team we can be. We haven't got the win that we wanted, but it was always going to be tough. Pretty proud of some of the football the players have played; to be able to say there's a New Zealand team playing that style of football. Which was really important to the players. They wanted to play a certain style.
"There'll be a review. I'll be involved in the review, and I suppose people will make decisions at some stage, around the future."
June 25: Everyone has a role
Tony Popovic is apparently a bit of a metal head, so we can't quite be sure of what he thinks of Meat Loaf's "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad." Two out of three, though, is how it's gone for the Socceroos at the 2026 FIFA World Cup: a win over Türkiye and Thursday evening's 0-0 draw with Paraguay enough to overcome their 2-0 loss to the United States and see them into the knockout stages.
Two out of three is also how some fans Down Under, as well as the ex-Socceroos that make up the punditry class, may describe the coach's XIs, with Popovic coming in for significant praise for his surprise selections against Türkiye, under fire for his calls against the United States and, it appears, more praise for his six changes against Paraguay. The coach, however, made clear following the draw, when asked about those half-dozen changes, that he's not a fan of this discourse.
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"I know the big debate for you guys is who and why someone is selected every week," said Popovic. "But if you look back on where we started, over 70 players have played since we've been here for the Socceroos. All 26 players are here to play a role. It's not 11 players only, because before the first game, you would have told me you're surprised with a selection, and if we didn't get the result, you'd be the first one saying why did I select them?
"Then we leave a couple out of the second game, then you ask why those two are not selected, and now we make six changes, and now you ask me again, why are those six in and the other ones out?
"That will continue, because that's the analysis that we have back home. I'm not going to go into that.
"What I will say is that every player is important. No one is entitled to the shirt, and each game is different, with different circumstances and different situations for each game at a different time. For this game, this is the team I believe needed to play. That's it, and I'll always make my decision."
June 24: Who steps in for Italiano?
Having deployed a back five since he took over as Socceroos boss, wing backs play a critically important role in coach Tony Popovic's system. They not only serve as defensive figures but also as key outlets moving the ball up the pitch, as well as providing width as the wingers tuck inside to serve as dual No. 10s.
The news that Jacob Italiano will miss this Thursday's clash with Paraguay with a groin injury, therefore, will give the coach some headaches. Without a natural backup, Popovic will likely need to turn to Kai Trewin, Jason Geria, or even Aziz Behich to fill the void -- all of whom would be playing out of position and who are more known for their defensive work rate than attacking impetus (albeit, Behich is underrated going forward).
Mercifully for the coach, he'll still retain Jordan Bos on the opposite flank. But the Feyenoord flyer hasn't quite been himself throughout the Socceroos two opening games at the World Cup, with more than 60% of their attacks coming down the right as opponents key in on stopping the Point Cook product.
"Look, Jordy Bos is an important player for us," assistant coach Paul Okon said on Tuesday. "I think it was a challenge certainly in the first half [against the U.S.] for Jordy, with the way America set up, and [Weston] McKennie kept coming into their pocket. And it meant that Jordy got dragged out a lot, which ultimately cost him a little bit of energy, extra energy through his legs. So maybe we didn't see the best version of Jordy Bos. The second half was a lot different for him
"And if we are to get to where we want to get in the tournament, starting with Paraguay, we're going to need Jordy Bos certainly to give us that thrust going forward."
June 23: Australia looking for Paraguay's flaws
To mention that the Socceroos staff are willing to pore over every detail is, at this point, becoming hackneyed. Be it throughout qualification, a pre-World Cup camp in Florida, or even preparing for the various scenarios that could govern their knockout stages, Tony Popovic and his staff have demonstrated a willingness -- nay, an obsession -- with doing everything they can to find any kind of advantage they can.
So no prizes for guessing that the staff are going to exhaustive lengths to prepare for their clash with Paraguay this Thursday, a fixture that, if they win or draw, will seal second spot in Group D. They've looked at the Paraguayans' grinding 1-0 win over Türkiye, they've examined their 4-1 thumping at the hands of the United States, and beyond.
"We've looked at that game," assistant Paul Okon said when asked about the U.S game. "If I'm honest, I go to bed at night, and I've got my laptop in front of me. We watch an enormous amount of games, we analyse everything, we leave no stone unturned. I know it's cliché, but we really do look at everything.
"We have looked at the U.S. game, we've taken things from that, but we've taken things from every game; we'll bring it together. That's what we're doing at the moment, that's what our video analyst, Mikey [Michael Mantikos], does so well, together with all of us.
"We'll put together something for the players that'll be quite clear, a clear message of what we need to do in every part of the game, and hopefully that leads to all of us in two days' time leaving Levi's Stadium with a smile."
June 22: Socceroos call for Friday early mark
With the fate of their progression to the round of 32 in the balance, the Socceroos clash with Paraguay on Thursday is a sizable one. And with the game set to kickoff at noon on Friday on the Australian east coast -- after average audience of over three million tuned in for their win over Türkiye at a similarly friendly time slot -- it carries the potential to be one of the most watched games in the team's history, too.
That's, of course, if people are able to get out of their working and school commitments, or at least juggle them, to tune in. But anyone preparing a pitch for their boss or teacher can now point to an appeal from defender Jason Geria to boost their case.
"Let them watch it!" Geria said. "Wheel some TVs in the classrooms, I think [kids have] got iPads anyway, so just put it on there. Bosses, if you can let your employees watch, we love the support that we've received so far at the fan sites around Australia, in the clips of people in their living rooms or with their friends and family, the pubs.
"It's been amazing. 12 p.m. on a Friday, it doesn't get much better, leading into the weekend. So if they can let them, let their employees or let their students watch. I think that'd be amazing."
After an impressive second half performance against the United States, Geria has advanced his case to start against Paraguay. But the odds of seeing Mathew Leckie against the South Americans, or again this tournament, would appear to be shrinking -- the attacker seen watching on from the sidelines at training on Monday after suffering a suspected hamstring injury against the U.S.
June 21: Walking the tightrope
As if preparing for a crunch clash with Paraguay wasn't enough to worry about for the Socceroos -- their clash with the South Americans in Santa Clara on Thursday evening set to determine their knockout stage fate -- several members of the squad will also have the added consideration, or headache, of possible suspension hanging over their heads.
While FIFA will wipe yellow cards following the group stages, any suspensions earned on the final group matchday will carry over to the round of 32, meaning that four players -- Jacob Italiano, Alessandro Circati, Harry Souttar, and Jordan Bos -- must avoid a caution against the Paraguayans if they don't want to sit in a potential knockout fixture to follow. Invariably, it's something that will weigh on the mind but, in the view of assistant coach Mile Jedinak, it's something that you can't allow to alter your game too much.
"It's part of the reason why you're here, and at this moment, it's sticking to what the processes have been to get to this point," said Jedinak. "There's not going to be a magic formula to all of a sudden change, and things fall into place.
"We've got our processes of what we want to try and do, how we prepared the boys, definitely since I've come in. We've tried to make that consistent with the messaging, and I'm pretty sure that it won't differ too far away from that, because I think that's also important.
"The players need to feel that and make them understand that we are preparing for a game, albeit, yeah, we know it's a World Cup game, and what's at stake, but it's important that we're clear in those moments, and, more importantly, that translates to the players."
June 20: Lessons from Denmark
Four years on from the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the Socceroos find themselves in a remarkably similar situation heading into their final group game. Defeat Paraguay on Thursday evening, just as they did against Denmark back in Doha, and they'll ensure they advance out of their group in second-place. Lose and, while it's far less likely this time around, given the extra security blanket that comes with eight of the third-placed finishers advancing in 2026, and they could go home.
"It's funny, we also had a really tough start in that game," Jackson Irvine, one of the handful of players in the squad who featured in that clash, mused. "The first 10 minutes, they came flying out of blocks, and we had to survive a little bit in that game as well; it's part of football at this level.
"Reflecting on the build-up to that game, [keys to succeeding are] appreciating the situation, understanding the magnitude of what you're trying to achieve and what's at stake, but still playing the individual moments, focusing on what you can control. As players, at the end of the day, that's the main thing: focusing on what you can control. That's your own individual part, then within the structure of the team and what you're trying to do. If we can do that well within this game, I think it will, it will lead to a positive result."
The hero from that evening, however, may not be able to feature in the meeting with Paraguay; Mathew Leckie suffering what is thought to be a hamstring injury in Friday's defeat to the United States and is undergoing further assessment in Oakland on Friday.
June 19: Biff? No Miffed! (with the referee)
One of the biggest talking points in the lead into Australia's 2-0 defeat to the United States on Friday was the physicality that was likely to come. And it absolutely delivered in that sense, with a series of crunching challenges laid and seven yellow cards total dished out. Australia coach Tony Popovic, though, felt that it never crossed a line, particularly the line that exists in the World Cup.
Instead, beyond what the Australian contingent felt was an incorrect decision to overturn an offside call and award Alex Freeman a 43rd-minute goal - one that former Premier League referee Andy Davies believed was the correct decision - German referee Felix Zwayer made several decisions - and failed to make several decisions - that the Socceroos felt should have gone their way as the game progressed.
"I didn't think it was physical, really," Popovic said post-game. "I thought it was just as you'd expect at this level of competition, the World Cup. I thought the referee gave too many fouls away, in all honesty. Sometimes you didn't have to do much to win a foul. And on the other occasions, you had to do a fair bit to get one. But that's for the referees to assess their referee. But overall, I didn't think the game was too physical."
Attacker Nestory Irankunda, meanwhile, was a bit more forthright.
"The ref was having a stinker today," Irankunda said. "But it is what it is. He was giving every call to the USA. I get it, but at the same time, there are two teams on the field, so you have to give the calls both ways. And he didn't do that today."
June 18: Mentality Monsters
In stark contrast to some of his nation's punditry class -- whose central role in the build-up to the two nations' clash on Friday has been met with bemusement by the American press pack -- United States coach Mauricio Pochettino was effusive in his praise of the Socceroos in his pre-game press conference on Thursday afternoon.
As one would expect after the Socceroos' decisive rearguard action secured a 2-0 win over Türkiye last week, the Argentine coach noted the Australians' defensive fortitude and lightning-quick transition, but, above all else, he lauded their mentality, declaring the United States needed to believe as their opponents did if they were to compete. And Harry Souttar, newly minted as a World Cup captain, said that attitude was a long-time project.
"I don't think that's a short-term thing," Souttar said. "I think it takes a long time to grow that belief. But certainly, being in camp, since the start of May, every training session has gotten better, the standard has gotten better.
"In terms of the belief side of things, I think it's just looking around the dressing room and looking beside you, who you're walking out into the pitch with, and seeing the threats that we've got on our team. We've got some really exciting players, some young hungry players, that experience as well. When you blend that together, it makes for a good starting XI."
June 17: Trewin plays down Australia-USA furore
Alongside New York City FC teammate Aiden O'Neill, Kai Trewin is just one of two MLS representatives in Tony Popovic's squad for the World Cup -- a collection that at one stage looked like it would be significant, but has now been cruelled by a combination of injuries and omissions. The Canberran made the switch to the Big Apple in January, moving from Melbourne City as he kept one eye on the World Cup but moreso targeting a step up in competition and a new phase in his career.
"There's definitely similarities," Trewin said of Australia and the United States. "I'd say the media in Australia is a lot more positive towards the Socceroos, which is great compared to the US. The US media sometimes are a bit harsh towards their national team, who are doing a great job at the moment -- that's the main difference. There's a lot more positivity around us, and especially in Australia."
Some of these barbs from the American media have been directed towards the Socceroos since the World Cup draw. And just days out from their meeting in Seattle, they've become one of the game's main storylines. Trewin acknowledged that the players saw viral clips, but their reaction of the players was mostly to "take the p---."
"I'm sure most of the boys are on social media, so when there's a clip or something, everyone sees it, all the boys that are on social media," he said. "It's a little bit spoken about, and sometimes it's a bit funny. But there's nothing more to it, it's just a funny clip."
June 16: Football friends! Circati vs. Pulisic
There's been something of an escalating war of words between the United States and Australian punditry class in the build-up to the two nations' Group-D clash on Friday evening, one that both sets of players have been doing their best to hose down.
Socceroos defender Alessandro Circati, however, revealed that the looming meeting at Seattle Stadium, while high stakes, also offers him the chance to catch up with a friend, Christian Pulisic.
"Christian is sort of a mate of mine," said Circati. "I know him very well, and I think he's a great player. His season has been a little bit stop-and-start, but keep that aside, I think he's phenomenal.
"Just look at the clubs he's played at, what he's won, the last three or four seasons he's had at AC Milan -- they speak for themselves. He's a great opponent; he's probably their best player. So, it'll be good. He's a friend of mine. Be good to face him."
Circati has come up against Pulisic once so far in his club career, with the American getting on the scoresheet but the Australian claiming bragging rights when Parma downed Milan 2-1 in August 2024.
June 15: Has Australia been underrated?
The Socceroos are ready to silence their American doubters with actions not words, as United States players insist they won't get caught out like "overconfident" Türkiye.
Tensions have been simmering since December's draw when American pundits started writing off Australia, including CBS pundit Mike Grella who described the fixture as a "lay-up" for Mauricio Pochettino's team.
Ahead of the Türkiye clash, Grella indicated it said something about Australia's quality that Nestory Irankunda was their best player. Irankunda then scored a wonderful goal and dazzled in that win.
"I did see it," Irankunda said of Grella's comments. "But at the end of the day, you've got to let these people talk. They came, they did their talking, but they couldn't back it up on the field and we got the win."
June 13: Ranking the Türkiye win -- Australia's greatest ever?
Sitting here amongst a sea of bleary-eyed but very happy Australian fans at Vancouver airport, and reading the debate on whether the USMNT's demolition of Paraguay was the greatest performance in their history from Jeff Carlisle, Sam Borden and Cesar Hernandez, it got me thinking: Where does the Socceroos' 2-0 upset win over Türkiye rank in their greatest ever results?
Certainly, it's right up there -- a top-five all-time result before we even start. Few outside Australia gave them much chance against Türkiye -- Turkish midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu definitely didn't -- only for Tony Popovic's Australian side to produce a masterclass in soaking up pressure and taking your chances.
Given the sheer emotion that accompanied it, the 2005 penalty shootout win over Uruguay to end a 32-year absence from the World Cup will remain the Socceroos best result for a while yet, short of something miraculous, while the 2015 Asian Cup's crown on home soil remains their best-ever achievement. Beyond that, though?
Australia's fifth-ever win at a World Cup absolutely moves ahead of a 2010 victory over Serbia that wasn't enough to secure group stage progression, and also vaults a win over Tunisia four years prior to that. On the other side, as remarkable as the performance and result was, it probably doesn't match the explosion of emotion that came with Tim Cahill and John Aloisi securing a come-from-behind, 3-1 win over Japan in their first game back on the world stage in 2006.
Perhaps, then, it's battling Mathew Leckie's remarkable run-and-gun to beat Denmark and secure Australia a spot in the round of 16 in 2002.
Saturday didn't secure knockout matches, of course, but it very well could have provided the foundation for doing so in the weeks ahead, and with the result secured with the youngest-ever World Cup lineup in Socceroos history, it's the type of evening that in decades to come might be seen as the start of a new chapter for Australian soccer.
Of course, all bets are off if they somehow stun another opponent when they face the United States in Seattle next week...
June 12: Popovic says Touré fit to play against Türkiye
Tony Popovic has declared that Mohamed Touré will be fit to play against Türkiye after being absent from training with what the Australian coach bluntly stated to be a "runny nose."
The health of Touré, 22, became one of the major talking points of the Socceroos' build-up to their opening World Cup fixture against Ay-Yıldızlılar when he was absent from training on Wednesday and then visible only performing light gym work in vision that the side distributed of their closed training session on Thursday.
Expected to lead Australia's line across the coming tournament, his status was therefore the first question put to Popovic when he fronted media for his official pre-game press conference on Friday.
"Everyone's healthy,' the coach responded. "Touré's fit as well.
"Everyone's available, which is what a coach wants leading to the first match"
Pressed on why the youngster hadn't trained, Popovic was blunt and to the point, simply stating: "He just had a runny nose and just didn't train."
Popovic was subsequently proven as good as his word in the Socceroos' final training session in the hours that followed, with Touré, alongside his 25 teammates, taking the field at Killarney Park.
June 11: Turkish delight for Aziz Behich
Aziz Behich has deep ties to Türkiye. Born to Turkish-Cypriot immigrants and growing up in the Melbourne suburb of Broadmeadows - an area he described to AAP as being "Little Istanbul" -- he was eligible to play for Ay-Yıldızlılar and grew up watching the Turkish Süper Lig, where his family supported Galatasaray. After breaking into professional football in the A-League Men, he went on to to effectively spend over half his career playing in there, logging stints with the likes of Bursaspor, İstanbul Başakşehir - where he a title - Kayserispor, and Giresunspor.
And now, at his third and potentially last FIFA World Cup, he'll face Türkiye for the first time in his career when the Socceroos open their campaign against coach Vincenzo Montella's side in Vancouver.
"When it comes to football, [the differences are] obvious, the passion, media and football is the number one sport -- that's all that matters in that country," he reflected.
"You can go to any game there, and it's going to be crazy crowds; you can see the passion the fans have for their club. I think that's something we kind of miss in Australia: making football the number one sport. It's number one around the world, but just not in our country. That's the biggest, the biggest [difference] that I can think of: making it the number one sport."
June 10: Bos games, Touré doesn't train
Jordy Bos is many things. A gallivanting wing-back, one of the potential breakout stars of the FIFA World Cup, and increasingly looming as one of the new faces of the Socceroos. He is also, however, something of a gamer, with designs on breaking out not just in the world of football, but also the digital one of streaming.
Coming off a breakout season with Feyenoord, Bos is anticipated to be one of the Socceroos' key weapons in their coming campaign, his ability to burst up and down the touchline and the ruthless intent he displays nwhile doing so not only providing a significant goal threat, but also serving as a key outlet when seeking to move the ball up the pitch. Outside of that, though, he's pretty chillaxed, really.
"I think I'm a pretty chill guy," he said at the Socceroos' training camp on Wednesday. "I don't do a lot of my day. I like to stay home and play video games and stuff like that."
Of course, when you hear something like this, this generally leads to an obvious follow-up: what games do you play?
"I play Rainbow Six Siege, if anyone knows what that is It's a pretty good game," he grinned. "You might see me on YouTube one day, so stay tuned."
Bos' gaming will no doubt be a nice distraction for the Socceroos, especially with a potential injury cloud looming over Mohamed Touré.
June 9: Socceroos calm as World Cup controversy brews
One of the most striking things about the Socceroos camp in the build-up to their opening World Cup fixture is how calm everything is. The operation underpinning everything may be tightly wound and analysed to the last detail, but the players themselves seem to be cool as cucumbers, with nary a hint that a high-powered Türkiye awaits them on Saturday.
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Thoughts that sufficient respect and preparation aren't being directed towards Ay-Yıldızlılar can probably be safely discounted, given the obsessive attention to detail that coach Tony Popovic has demonstrated throughout his time in the dugout and team staff began scouting the Turks following the World Cup's draw -- as soon as they were revealed as one the potential European qualifiers in Group D.
Instead, assistant coach Hayden Foxe says an atmosphere of comfort -- without complacency -- has been actively fostered.
"I think that's just been created from day one here," Foxe told ESPN. "The environment, where they are able to feel free, express themselves and be who they are. They know what's required in terms of preparation and what they need to do before and after the games, and during camp, but I think, they're like most Australians, they're pretty laid back, and they are who they are.
"You don't put too much emphasis [to the outside noise]. We kind of think, 'yeah, there's a lot of outside noise, especially with social media and media' so. we try and keep them a little bit away from that, and not pay too much attention. We just focus on what we're doing here, and what our job is here, and what we're here to do."
June 8: Earning the trust of Tony Popovic
One of Socceroos boss Tony Popovic's biggest things is trust; of being confident in his players to meet the standards that he sets and execute what he needs them to. And this has only been magnified heading into a World Cup.
Given how intense his approach can be, and how exacting his benchmarks are, not every player is capable of earning it, and some simply aren't wired in a way that allows them to respond to his methods. Those who can pass his muster, however, find that they receive significant loyalty from a coach who memorably declared in a Melbourne Victory-produced Dream Big documentary, "When I see in someone's eyes, 'I want to get better every day,' I'll do anything for you, anything... but give me the wrong attitude, you're gone for me."
Paul Izzo, who has now worked with Popovic at Xanthi, Victory, and the Socceroos, is one such example. So, too, is Nishan Velupillay, who has been under his charge at both Victory and the national team.
"I wish I had met him earlier in my career," Izzo said on Monday. "He challenges me a lot, not just on the pitch, but I think off the pitch, as a professional, and even just as a man. For that, I'm extremely grateful. He's a coach that I tend to really respond well with. Sometimes it may seem quite intense [but] that's what I prefer. Who knows where I could have been had I had him early on in my career?"
Indeed, one of the recurring themes that has emerged from interviews with players throughout their World Cup preparation is the sense of confidence they've taken from the backing they've felt from Popovic. And Velupillay, whose selection raised eyebrows in Australia but who has consistently performed for the coach in green-and-gold, feels that more than most.
"Every player wants a coach who believes in them," he said. "He said it, the 26 that he's picked here, he believes in all of us. That's something that will grow as we play. If we can take that into these games, you'll see a different level of this team."
June 7: Blowing out the candles in Socceroos camp
The Socceroos celebrated not one, but two birthdays in camp on Sunday, with midfielder Cameron Devlin and Australian team chef Vini Capovilla -- something of a cult hero amongst both the Socceroos and Matildas -- marking another lap around the sun at the team's base-camp in Northern California.
Fortunately for the pair, the team's 1-1 draw against Switzerland on Saturday meant that the day was earmarked as a recovery one for the Australians, ensuring that, while there was still plenty to be done, it didn't carry quite the same intensity as one as the training days being logged ahead of their opening World Cup fixture against Türkiye.
"It's pretty special," said Devlin. "The day goes on as normal. Obviously, I'm calling back home and speaking to all my friends and family, my girlfriend. We had a game yesterday, so today's about recovery and doing all the right things, so it's a bit less full on as maybe a training day. Pretty cool to be having a birthday at a World Cup. I never thought I'd say that.
"[He and Capovilla have] shared a few birthdays over the years. I think our last one was in Bangladesh together, so this is a little bit better, being over here in the sun."
Given Popovic's somewhat fearsome reputation for nutrition and the finer details, it would seem unlikely that cake would be on the menu for Devlin and his teammates. The Hearts midfielder, though, thought Capovilla might sort the team out a slice or two.
"I think there might be a cake, but I don't think it'll be for us boys, I'm not sure," Devlin laughed. "It's just cool to be cool to be spending it with everyone here.
"I don't go around telling everyone they kind of see it online or whatever, and wish me a happy birthday. It's such a good group, it's a big Socceroos family -- players and staff. The boss [Popovic] wished me a happy birthday. It's super cool."
June 6: Positional battles arise for Socceroos
Drawing 1-1 with Switzerland, the Socceroos concluded their World Cup preparations in a manner instilling guarded enthusiasm on Saturday; starting slowly but eventually showing enough to suggest that, if they keep games tight, they can take points off anyone in Group D. Coach Tony Popovic rotated seven players in his XI, emphasising the need to get minutes into legs and prepare for the three games ahead. Nonetheless, even in this somewhat experimental setup, observations could be made.
Down back, for instance, Cameron Burgess helped instigate Tete Yengi's equaliser and, defensively, looked confident and assured. While Lucas Herrington has started the last two games, Popovic's repeated references to load management -- nobody in this side played more minutes than Burgess domestically-- and the relatively plug-and-play chemistry the Swansea City man has with Harry Souttar and Alessandro Circati suggests he's a chance to start against Türkiye.
At right wing-back, Jacob Italiano's natural affinity for the role was visible when he came on and, combined with Kai Trewin's struggles at the position in the first-half -- the New York City FC man looked much more comfortable when shifted to a No. 6 role -- his importance was reiterated. On the opposite flank, meanwhile, Aziz Behich was yet again one of the Socceroos' best but, simultaneously and almost paradoxically, the absence of Jordan Bos and the blur of pace, muscle, and intent he offers as an outlet was apparent during Australia's challenging opening period.
Further ahead, debutant Cristian Volpato had a few nice touches and looked more comfortable when he started to get between the lines following the first-half hydration break, but he also very much looked like a bloke that had just met his teammates for the first time a week ago and, as Popovic observed, needing to bring up his conditioning. He'll require time to get up to speed and, with Connor Metcalfe assisting Yengi and being one of Australia's best when he came on, he's likely going to get it.
But perhaps the two biggest questions of the week will be the midfield mix, and if Nestory Irankunda starts against Türkiye. On the latter, the 20-year-old took a while to find his footing but was Australia's most explosive player while on the park, with his seven turnovers won comfortably a career high.
June 5: Volpato, Yengi in line for debuts against Swiss
Tony Popovic has a few ideas that he wants to test against the Swiss at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday, as well as several players that he wants to get further minutes into ahead of their opening World Cup fixture against Türkiye. And this latter contingent, he indicated in his press-game remarks, could include uncapped attacking duo Cristian Volpato and Tete Yengi.
Neither Volpato or Yengi saw the field in the Socceroos' 1-0 loss to Mexico at the Rose Bowl last week, with the former only having just got off a plane after his sensational switch from Italy to Australia and the latter's training load still being managed after a busy few months with J1 League powers Machida Zelvia. That didn't stop Popovic from naming either in his 26-player squad the following day, however.
And with plenty of attention on Volpato, how he'll fit into how the Socceroos and how he'll intergrate into a tightknit dressing room, Popovic indicated he's seen enough of him on the training track this week to bring him into line for minutes.
"He's been a bit behind with his fitness, but he looked quite good today; probably the best he's looked, I'd say, in terms of free, in terms of his movement," said Popovic. "So if everything's okay tomorrow, I'm sure he'll get some game time.
"We've just got to get him fit. He hasn't played a lot of football, and he had eight to nine days off before he joined us. So, if I compare him to the group, he's probably at the bottom in terms of his conditioning right now. But he's working hard, he's trying to get up to speed, and we've seen some good inroads in the last couple of days."
Yengi, meanwhile, has also been working well on the training track over the past week, putting into place the lessons that a nomadic footballing career has brought him.
"He's come in and he had a lot more game time than Christian," Popovic said of Yengi. "We tried to bring his loads quite low, because he really had a busy schedule playing a lot of games -- a lot of minutes in every three or four days, and that's something he wasn't accustomed to until he got to Japan. So we just tried to keep him healthy and strong. The last couple of days he looks like he's starting to get into his rhythm, and yeah, hopefully we can give him some minutes tomorrow."
June 4: Devlin gets another World Cup chance
ALAMEDA, California - For a while, it wasn't looking like the World Cup was going to happen for Cammy Devlin. He was in brilliant form for Hearts - arguably the Scottish Premiership's player of the season heading into the new year -- but two windows had passed with him getting called into the Socceroos, only to fail to see the field. Then he picked up an ankle injury in January that ruled him out of contention for the March international window. Then, after returning to play, he picked up a strain that sidelined him once more, forcing him to miss an Edinburgh Derby.
It would have been easy to lose hope at that point; to feel that fate was conspiring against you and that it simply wasn't going to happen. And it wasn't unfair analysis to consider him a very long shot of making the final 26-player squad, especially when he didn't feature against Mexico in the final fixture before coach Tony Popovic ultimately made his final call. Devlin, though, kept the faith and was rewarded when he was revealed as one of the 26.
"I knew how badly I wanted to be here," Devlin told ESPN. "I was just desperate to be involved, and I just worked as hard as I could. I never lost belief in myself, because I've got to where I am today by working hard and really believing in myself and doing everything I can to achieve my dreams. I kept my head down, and was fortunate enough to be included in the pre-camp, and then I just told myself 'just do what you do, work hard, and see where it leaves you', and fortunately enough for me, it's yeah, I've got selected in the final 26."
Devlin is now at his second World Cup in North America, previously serving as an unused member of Graham Arnold's squad at the 2022 iteration in Qatar. And he's determined to do what he can to get on the park this time.
"I remember watching with my dad and my little brother, all the World Cups waking up early mornings, and now to be here is surreal," he said. "I've been fortunate enough to go to one before, so to be able to say I'm going to my second World Cup is something I never thought I'd be able to say. It's something that I don't take for granted. I'm chomping at the bit... I'm so excited and grateful to be given this opportunity by the boss and the staff, and I want to grab it by both hands. I'll work as hard as I can, do everything in my power to give the boss a headache to play my part as much as I can."
June 3: Geria gets a World Cup chance under Popovic
Jason Geria has had to be patient. For eight years, the defender found himself in the international wilderness, debuting for the Socceroos in 2016 when Ange Postecoglou picked him for a friendly against Greece, only for his phone to then fall silent. He felt that his form over that stretch had justified another look-in, but that elusive recall never came.
That was until Tony Popovic was named Socceroos coach. The new national team boss had worked with the defender at Melbourne Victory and knew what he was capable of. A call-up for qualifiers against China and Japan followed, and after coming on at half-time against China in Adelaide, Geria established himself as a fixture in Popovic's squads. And now, his persistence has paid off; one of Australian football's good guys is at the World Cup.
"I'm still processing it," Geria said. "I couldn't quite believe it for a little bit. It's been two days, and it's been incredible, being here, being at base camp, the hotel and processing that I'm part of something that I've worked for for such a long time. I'm a fan of this as well. I watched all these World Cups when I was a kid and always dreamed of being a part of one. So being here is just unbelievable."
Between his time at Victory and the national team, Geria has been working under Popovic for half a decade. Especially in the modern game, that's a long time for any relationship between a coach and player, let alone a coach with the exacting demands of the Socceroos boss. But the 33-year-old feels he's thrived in this environment.
"It either works, or it doesn't," Geria said. "There's no grey area. He demands a lot out of you, and he wants to work you to your complete maximum. There's players that don't really like that, there's players that can't handle that, and then there's other players who he gets the best out of. And I think I'm one of those. He's constantly pushing and, at times, has had more belief in me than I've had in myself. That's something incredible, something that's allowed me to be the best version of myself."
June 2: A day of rest for the Socceroos in Oaktown
After a whirlwind few days that have seen them jet from Florida, to Los Angeles, and, finally, the Bay Area, the Socceroos had the day off on Tuesday -- probably the final one they'll get between now and the end of their World Cup campaign. They'll return to the training track on Wednesday in front of a collection of local Oakland Roots and Oakland Soul supporters who won a ballot to get a chance to see them get put through their paces, in addition to getting a chance to get photos and autographs after the session ends. Who knows, some of the locals might even get to rub shoulders with new viral sensation Kai Trewin.
But while the Oakland locals have been keen to welcome the Australians with open arms, Tony Popovic's side are expecting a much more hostile reception when they travel to Seattle in a few weeks' time to face tournament co-hosts the United States. Fortunately for Harry Souttar and Co., though, their clash with Mexico in Los Angeles, in which close to all 78,479 fans in the Rose Bowl stands were supporting El Tri, they've been able to prepare for unfriendly confines.
"The atmosphere was incredible, like it was a few years ago in Dallas," Souttar said of the Mexico clash. "We're obviously going to face that type of atmosphere in the second game, against the United States, with the home crowd advantage.
"It's probably just one of those things that when the crowd's loud like that and you're trying to yell to players and instructions to players ... the good teams, you don't need to [yell and be heard over the crowd] because they already know their jobs, they know their roles, you know their responsibilities, and where to be."
June 1: Volpato looks to lay down Roots with the Socceroos
After landing the previous day, the Socceroos trained at their training base in Oakland for the first time on Monday, hitting the grass at the former facility of the Oakland Raiders and the current home of USL side the Oakland Roots and USL W League outfit the Oakland Soul.
Having only touched down on Saturday after confirmation of his shock switch from Italy to Australia, the session marked the first time that Cristian Volpato trained with his new teammates, with the 22-year-old a full participant in drills. It's an unusual situation, being named in a nation's World Cup squad before you've even completed a training session with them, and the Sassuolo attacker is one of two uncapped players in the squad that were tapped by Tony Popovic -- the other being well-travelled striker Tete Yengi.
"Really nice guys. They seem chill -- most boys are here," said Mathew Leckie, who was on a reduced training load alongside the other starters from Saturday's 1-0 friendly loss to Mexico. "They bring different qualities, and they're here for a reason.
"The boss obviously sees something where they can help us. They both can bring different strengths to the team.
"[Leckie's seen] obviously just today, but [Volpato] looked really good, sharp, tidy. He's another left-footed addition, which is always nice."
May 31: Leckie rides again in Socceroos World Cup squad
When 2026 began, we weren't sure if Mathew Leckie was going to play for Melbourne City again during the A-League Men season, let alone push for selection in the Socceroos' squad for the World Cup. And while he was able to rehab hip surgery undertaken in an attempt to address the underlying cause of his persistent soft-tissue injuries, the veteran was the first to downplay any kind of Copa Mundial charge when he made his return to City.
But after finishing the A-League season strongly, impressing in a brutal near one-month training camp in Sarasota, and logging his first national team appearance in 718 days against Mexico, Leckie was named to a fourth World Cup on Sunday -- both he and goalkeeper Mathew Ryan are set to equal Tim Cahill and Mark Milligan for the most ever appearances by an Australian man.
"A couple of months ago, god knows what he was thinking in terms of his football, with all the injuries that he's had," Popovic said of Leckie. "He's stayed very true to himself, in terms of his fitness and staying strong. And then he played that wonderful game in the [A-League Men] finals, and we offered him the opportunity to come in the early group [to Sarasota]. And I'm sure if he didn't do that, there's no way he'd be selected today.
"The luxury of Mathew Leckie is that he can play anywhere. He has the experience and maturity that you don't need a week or two of training in a position with him. You can basically show him a video, and he would know what to do. That's a luxury of having someone with his quality."
May 30: A game of two halves as Socceroos fall to Mexico
The bad news is that Australia has fallen to a 1-0 defeat against Mexico in their penultimate fixture before the FIFA World Cup, with Johan Vásquez's 28th-minute header lowlighting a poor start that they ultimately couldn't overcome.
- Read: Lack of goals concerning as Socceroos battle to hard-fought loss
The good news is that the Socceroos put forth a vastly improved performance in the second half and probably created more, better chances to score across the 90 minutes, only to fail to find the clinical edge they needed. In the view of coach Tony Popovic, that improvement offers a platform that can be built upon in their final pre-tournament fixture with Switzerland next week, as well as something that can give his side confidence.
"The players just need to believe a little bit more," Popovic said post-game. "We had the two best chances of the game. You're not going to get many chances in football. It's the World Cup you're preparing for; you don't get many chances. They didn't have a clear chance, but they scored from the corner."
May 29: Volpato sends shockwave through Socceroos
Cristian Volpato's imminent arrival into Socceroo camp has seized control of the narrative in the buildup to the Socceroos friendly with Mexico on Saturday evening, with Tony Popovic set to finalise his 26-player squad in the hours following.
While none of their journeys have approached the same level of saga as Volpato's, several members of the squad had dual eligibility at the time of their Socceroo debut, including defender Harry Souttar, whose brother John has been selected to represent Scotland at this year's tournament.
"From what I've seen, he's a very good player," Souttar said of Volpato. "There are, myself included, a lot of players in that team who have represented other countries from different age groups.
"Obviously, he's made a decision, and it's one that certainly all the lads are really looking forward to meeting him and getting him into camp, getting training, getting playing.
"He's going to make us a better team, simple as that. I look forward to seeing him."
Amid saying that he saw no downsides in bringing in Volpato, as well as batting away questions on the reasons and timeframe surrounding the switch, Popovic declared he had a fully fit squad for the clash with El Tri and the hostile 75,000 supporters they'll have at their backs.
May 28: Rose Bowl sells out as Socceroos relocate to the West Coast
After hitting the training track in Florida one final time, the Socceroos traded the Gulf Coast for the West Coast on Thursday, jetting into Los Angeles ahead of their pre-World Cup hitout against Mexico on Saturday. Set to be played at the iconic Rose Bowl, the site of the 1994 World Cup final, match organisers announced on Thursday that the game was set to sell out, with 75,000 largely Mexican supporting fans to pack into the venue and provide the Socceroos with a loud, hostile atmosphere.
Given that some players and staff have spent nearly a month in Sarasota, the change in scenery is probably a welcome one for the Australians, but Popovic told ESPN that he had yet to see any signs of cabin fever.
"Sometimes when you're in a camp environment, you can be in certain places where you feel after seven, eight, ten days, you've got to the end point, and you need to get out of there," Popovic said. "But Sarasota itself, the hotel, the people, this set-up we've got here at IMG, it's flown by. Some of the staff and players have been here longer than me, and they seem to still have a lot of energy enjoying the place. I think that's a good sign.
"We've seen everyone very positive and not feeling as though it's kind of dragged on. We've tried to balance the work and rest as well, and give the staff and players time off whenever we can to enjoy the beautiful city we're in. So it's been really good on all fronts."
May 27: Socceroos shift focus to Mexico friendly
The Socceroos' time in Florida is coming to an end, with the squad staging their penultimate training session as their thoughts start to turn to Saturday's friendly against Mexico at California's famous Rose Bowl -- one final chance to impress coach Tony Popovic before he finalises his 26-player squad.
The session at IMG Academy marked the first time that the eight players who flew into Florida on Monday had a chance to hit the training track with their teammates, with familiar faces such as Mathew Ryan and Alessandro Circati taking up their places alongside uncapped bolter Tete Yengi.
"It's part of the plan," Popovic told ESPN. "We still have time, so [preparation is] certainly not finished at this point. We've got some new players that have come in that have just finished [their seasons], and this will be their first session today.
"We've got today and tomorrow morning before we fly to LA, so hopefully by the time we get there, in cooler conditions, they will have settled."
May 26: Socceroos take a moment as final squad selection looms
The Socceroos enjoyed a rare morning off on Tuesday, with the 21 players that were already on the ground in Florida afforded the chance to rest and recuperate after another intense week on the training track. For the eight that joined Tony Popovic's training squad, it was chance to acclimate after flying in across the previous 24 hours.
With just the 29 players still on the ground in Sarasota, Popovic will need to whittle down his group by a further three before he can submit his final squad for the World Cup to FIFA on June 1, with one of the four goalkeepers -- almost certainly either Patrick Beach or Joe Gauci -- set to make way alongside two outfielders. Saturday's game against Mexico at the famous Rose Bowl certainly looms large over these battles.
The dreams of those sent home -- or not summoned to camp at all -- appear over, spare a rash of injuries requiring the summoning of emergency reinforcements in the days ahead.
For a full list of who remains in Socceroos camp, and who has departed, head ESPN's full breakdown of the Socceroos' World Cup training camp in Florida.
May 25: Worst fears confirmed for McGree, eight more arrivals
The Socceroos' worst fears were confirmed on Monday afternoon when it was revealed that attacker Riley McGree was set to miss the World Cup with the injury he picked up in Middlesbrough's playoff final loss to Hull City.
A near-certain starter had he been fit, the South Australian's injury, beyond being a devastating personal blow, will serve to completely change the dynamics of the Socceroos attack, with the likes of Mat Leckie, Nishan Velupillay, Connor Metcalfe, and Awer Mabil coming into focus as potential replacements in the inverted winger role that McGree filled so well.
Mabil, for his part, was one of the eight players named as final additions to the camp on Monday, alongside skipper Mathew Ryan, Alessandro Circati, Lucas Herrington, Kai Trewin, Kye Rowles, Paul Okon Jr, and late bolter Tete Yengi.
Announced as departing Florida, meanwhile, were Dylan Leonard, Anthony Cáceres, Daniel Bennie, Ante Šuto, Mitch Duke, Gianni Stensness, Alex Robertson, and Raphael Borges Rodrigues.
In being absent from the final round of call-ups, the World Cup hopes of the likes of Max Balard, Deni Juric, Fran Karačić, Eli Adams, and Craig Goodwin would also, heartbreakingly, appear done.
May 24: Socceroos go behind closed doors
The mood in Socceroos camp significantly shifted on Sunday after the team saw McGree limp off in Middlesbrough's playoff final loss. The 27-year-old shapes as a near-certain starter if fit, but national team staff continued to await the results of scans on the playmaker's hamstring.
Out on the pitch, Tony Popovic's efforts to zero in on his final 26-man squad took another step forward with the Socceroos playing a closed, controlled training fixture against local opposition -- much of the training game no doubt focused on Australia's attacking stocks, following McGree's injury and Nicholas D'Agostino's withdrawal from camp.
The 26 should come into greater focus in coming days when the Socceroos announce another six or so arrivals to camp, as well as the first non-injury related departures. Figures such as Matt Ryan and Alessandro Circati are obvious, but with 10 players that were part of the squad in March still absent, we're guaranteed some surprises -- and no doubt some heartaches -- in the days ahead.
May 23: On the ground in Sarasota
What's that? Two more people have been added to the Socceroos' pre-World Cup training camp in Florida!? No, it's not a pair of wonderkids plucked from the depths of NPL Victoria, it's ESPN's Joey Lynch and Alex Hatzikostas!
Each day, we'll bring you the latest and greatest in the form of ESPN's Socceroos Cup Diaries, and there's already plenty to discuss. Veteran Socceroos Jackson Irvine, Mathew Leckie and Harry Souttar were full participants in training on Saturday as they look to prove their form and fitness before coach Tony Popovic names his squad on June 1.
The side has suffered a blow, however, after confirmation that D'Agostino has withdrawn from camp with a leg injury that will dash his hopes of making the final 26-man squad.
A further collection of players is expected to fly in over the coming days, but Popovic and his staff are also now facing an anxious wait to find out if McGree will be one of them after he limped off with an apparent hamstring injury in Middlesbrough's playoff final loss to Hull City.