Australia’s national football team, the Socceroos, will be captained by goalkeeper Mat Ryan for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Bahrain and Indonesia. Ryan, who took a break from international duty in June, returns to lead the team alongside a number of other key players.
Winger Craig Goodwin is also back in the fold after recovering from a rib injury sustained in April. Goodwin has impressed for Al-Wehda in the Saudi Pro League, showcasing his talent and form. Both Ryan and Goodwin are among seven changes made to Graham Arnold’s squad for the upcoming matches.
The Socceroos are aiming to qualify for their sixth consecutive World Cup, two years after reaching the Round of 16 in Qatar. They will face Bahrain on the Gold Coast on September 5th and then travel to Jakarta to take on Indonesia five days later.
Other notable additions to the squad include Switzerland-based winger Awer Mabil, who returns following a recovery from injury. He is joined by Scotland-based defender Lewis Miller and holding midfielder Aiden O’Neill, both of whom have also overcome injury setbacks. Central defender Thomas Deng has also been included in the squad, alongside winger Sam Silvera.
Meanwhile, a number of A-League players are taking a break during their off-season, including forwards Daniel Arzani and Mathew Leckie. Despite an injury scare at training with Bayern Munich, Australia’s most exciting young player, 18-year-old Nestory Irankunda, retains his place in the squad.
Arnold expressed his confidence in the team’s blend of experienced and youthful talent, emphasizing the importance of their combined experience in guiding the squad through the qualification journey.
Australia is placed in Group C of Asian qualifying alongside Japan, Saudi Arabia, and China. The top two finishers in the group will earn automatic berths to the 2026 World Cup finals in North America.
The Socceroos will be hoping to build on their impressive form in the previous phase of qualifying, where they secured a perfect record with wins over Palestine and Bangladesh. With a strong squad and a clear objective, Australia is looking to make a strong statement in the upcoming qualifiers.
