Iran became the second Asian side to secure their place at the 2026 World Cup after twice coming from behind to draw 2-2 with Uzbekistan in Tehran, handing organisers a likely diplomatic headache.
Iran, the second-highest ranked AFC side in the FIFA standings, needed only a point to join Japan in qualifying for the finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Iran will, however, head to North America with relations strained as US President Donald Trump takes a hard line over opening new nuclear talks with Tehran.
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The Group A leaders were made to work hard at the Azadi Stadium by upward-trending Uzbekistan, with Mehdi Taremi scoring seven minutes from time – his second of the match – to seal the point.
“We have to thank the fans who filled the stadium today, and thank God they did not leave empty-handed,” said Iran captain Alireza Jahanbakhsh.
Seeking to qualify for a first World Cup, Uzbekistan opened the scoring on 16 minutes through Khojimat Erkinov, before Inter Milan striker Taremi scored his first of the night shortly after half time.
Parity lasted only one minute, with Abbosbek Fayzullaev restoring Uzbekistan’s lead.
Again, Taremi was the man to pull his team back into the game and ultimately book a spot in North America, when he finished past goalkeeper Utkir Yusupov late on.
Iran will be appearing at a fourth successive World Cup and seventh in all. Taremi expressed his “happiness” with the result but admitted his team had “tactical problems” after conceding twice.
Uzbekistan remain on course for an inaugural appearance at the finals. Sitting second on 17 points, they require a win from the concluding double-header in June either away to third-placed UAE or at home to Qatar, in fourth.
The UAE climbed to four points behind Uzbekistan following their 2-1 victory in injury time against North Korea in Riyadh, with Qatar three points further back after their 3-1 defeat to Kyrgyzstan in Bishkek.
The top two go straight to the World Cup, with teams finishing third and fourth in the three Asian groups entering a further round of qualifying.
Iran’s players celebrate after the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asia zone qualifiers group A football match between Iran and Uzbekistan, on March 25, 2025 in Tehran. (Photo by AFP)Source: AFPIran’s players celebrate after scoring during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asia zone qualifiers group A football match between Iran and Uzbekistan, on March 25, 2025 in Tehran. (Photo by AFP)Source: AFP
Earlier on Tuesday, the Socceroos beat China 2-0 to boost their chances of automatic qualification, but Saudi Arabia stayed in touch in Group C with a goalless draw in Japan.
Australia’s victory, courtesy of first-half goals from Jackson Irvine and Nishan Velupillay, left the Socceroos second in Group C on 13 points with two to play, three points ahead of Saudi Arabia with a much better goal difference. Japan are already sure to finish top.
Australia host Japan and travel to Saudi Arabia for their final qualifiers in June, leaving the race for the second direct qualification place on a knife edge. China stay bottom on six points, but they can progress to a further qualifying stage by finishing third or fourth.
Indonesia moved into fourth on nine points thanks to a 1-0 win over Bahrain. Oxford United forward Ole Romeny scored his second goal in as many games to give Netherlands and Barcelona great Patrick Kluivert his first victory since becoming manager.
In Group B, Son Heung-min’s South Korea remain top and favourites to progress, but they put in another toothless performance as they were held at home for the second match in a row – this time 1-1 by Jordan.
Iraq could have gained ground but conceded late twice to lose 2-1 to Palestine in Amman.
One-nil down from the 34th minute, Palestine equalised two minutes from time before grabbing a winner in the 97th minute, for their first victory of the third round.
Iraq stay third and one point behind second-placed Jordan, who are three off the summit.
Leaders South Korea face a tricky trip to Basra in June before a final home clash against Kuwait.
Oman are fourth on 10 points following their 1-0 win against Kuwait in Ardhiyah, with Palestine fifth and Kuwait rooted to the bottom.
TEAMS QUALIFIED FOR THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP SO FAR
Australian midfielder Patrick Yazbek’s omission from the latest Socceroos squad was not because of him being sanctioned for violating America’s Major League Soccer anti-discrimination policy.
The former Sydney FC player has been suspended for two matches by MLS for an incident that took place in his club Nashville’s 2-0 loss last weekend to Austin FC.
Yazbek’s first-half comment towards an Austin player led to referee Rosendo Mendoza delaying play for five minutes.
Before play restarted, Yazbek – who was making his MLS debut and just his third appearance in all competition for Nashville after joining them last month from Norwegian outfit Viking in a transfer worth – was substituted.
Socceroo and former Sydney FC midfielder Patrick Yazbek has been sanctioned for violating the MLS anti-discrimination policy. Picture: Mark Evans.Source: Supplied
Yazbek, 22, has been banned from playing in Nashville’s matches against Orlando City on September 1 (AEST) and Atlanta United on September 15, and will be required to complete a “restorative practice program”.
A Football Australia spokesman has confirmed the comment was not a racist slur.
It’s understood Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has spoken to Yazbek since the incident.
However, the FA spokesman said Yazbek’s suspension was not the reason he wasn’t chosen in the Socceroos squad announced on Friday for FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Bahrain (Thursday night, Gold Coast) and Indonesia (September 10, Jakarta).
Yazbek made his Socceroos debut in Australia’s 5-0 win over Lebanon on March 26.
However, he wasn’t selected in the Socceroos squad for June’s matches against Bangladesh and Palestine.
The Premier League campaign is over for another year – and while Ange Postecoglou and Mile Jedinak were flying the Australian flag as coaches for Tottenham Hotspur, there were no Aussie men on the field.
It’s a different story, of course, in the women’s top flight in England – the Women’s Super League – with 14 Australians playing there this campaign.
But back to the men. In Europe’s top five leagues (England, Germany, Italy, Spain, and France), just one Socceroo, Denis Genreau, appeared this season for France’s top-flight Toulouse.
Cristian Volpato, the Sydney-born starlet who has not yet decided whether to represent Australia or Italy at the senior international level, also featured in Italy’s top tier with Sassuolo.
It’s a sad decline from the days of Aussies like Aaron Mooy and Maty Ryan regularly featuring in the Premier League. But the good news is that next season things could be different.
A flurry of Socceroos have earned promotion to the big five leagues, leading Socceroos coach Graham Arnold to say yesterday: “For the national team in the future, it should be great for us.”
And there’s a host of up-and-coming youngsters at top-flight teams who will be hoping to crack the senior sides.
Remarkably, when the new season begins we could see as many as 20 Aussies on the books at clubs in the five biggest leagues in world football.
Genreau in action against Roma in a friendly last year.Source: AFP
PREMIER LEAGUE
Three Australians secured promotion from the Championship this season: Cameron Burgess and Massimo Luongo with Ipswich Town, and Harry Souttar with Leicester City – the latter team winning the second tier.
Burgess, 28, was an ever-present for the Tractor Boys this season, playing 40 games and becoming a brick wall in defence for a team that lost just six of 46 league matches. He burst into the Socceroos squad only in September 2023, but has already become arguably the nation’s first-choice centre-back. His three-year contract at Ipswich is now up, but the club has an option to extend that for one more year. At a minimum, that looks like a certainty at this point – but a new long-term deal is also well and truly on the cards after a stellar season.
Cameron Burgess (C) celebrates a goal in what has been a spectacular promotion season.Source: Getty Images
Luongo, now 31, played 43 of the team’s 46 league games, starting the vast majority of those in the midfield. After earning a recall to the Socceroos last October and November after a four-year-exile, he retired from international football in December last year ahead of January’s Asian Cup. After 45 caps and six goals for the green and gold over a long career, Luongo wanted to focus on ensuring Ipswich earned promotion to the Premier League – and fair enough too.
It’s been a remarkable career renaissance for the Aussie, who looked to be sliding away from the top echelons of global football just 18 months ago. He joined Ipswich in January 2023 on a six-month deal, then helped them get promoted to the Championship. That earned him another one-year deal, and by this January, he signed yet another contract with Ipswich. That runs for next season with the option to extend another year.
Signing three contracts with the club in just over 12 months shows how impressive his form revival has been, and he’s earned the ultimate prize of finally playing in the top flight – 12 years after he came so close to debuting in the Premier League when he was twice an unused substitute for Tottenham.
The big question now is whether Luongo will reverse his international retirement and rejoin the Socceroos on the road to the 2026 World Cup. It’s unlikely. But based on form he would undoubtedly be welcomed back into the green and gold fold by coach Graham Arnold.
Luongo has been stellar this season.Source: Getty Images
The situation with Harry Souttar is far less rosy. The towering centre-back has been in virtual exile at Leicester this season as they topped the Championship, playing just three league games all season (one start).
Not that it has had an impact on his Socceroos’ minutes – he’s played every minute of the eight games since September and has been picked for Australia’s matches against Bangladesh and Palestine next week.
It’s the perfect opportunity for Souttar to put himself in the shop window.
Socceroos coach Graham Arnold said: “Harry is obviously one that I will sit down with when he gets here and see what’s happening because it’s important.
“Not just for us, but also for Harry Souttar that he sorts out his club career and gets back playing because it’s gone on a bit too long now.”
Souttar’s contract at the Foxes doesn’t expire until mid-2028, but he’ll be desperate to seal a transfer that can offer him regular minutes, barring the unlikely scenario that Leicester sell either of their starting centre-backs Jannik Vestegaard or Wout Faes.
Will he move to a Premier League rival?
He’s just 25 years old and still has his best years ahead of him, but after a year on the sidelines it’s unlikely that a top-flight club will immediately make him a starting centre-half, meaning he could well end up on the bench. It’s a high-risk, high-reward transfer window ahead.
A move to Scotland to join brother John at Rangers was mooted in January but didn’t eventuate – but in order to get immediate playing time, heading to Scotland or back to the Championship seems a safer bet.
Despite his lack of club minutes, Souttar continues to impress for the Socceroos.Source: Getty Images
While those three Socceroos stars headline the list of Australians likely to play in the Premier League next season, there’s a host of up-and-comers on the books of big clubs.
The most likely to earn his chance this season is Joe Gauci at Aston Villa. 23-year-old Gauci signed for the Premier League’s fourth-place finishers in February from Adelaide United on a deal initially worth nearly $2.5m.
He’s behind the 2022 World Cup winning goalkeeper, Argentina’s Emiliano Martinez, who also won the Golden Glove at that tournament as well as the being named The Best FIFA Goalkeeper in 2022 and winning the Yashin Trophy in 2023.
But finishing fourth in the Premier League means Villa will now play in the Champions League as well as two domestic cups (the FA Cup and League Cup).
Their hectic schedule means Gauci will fight 34-year-old Robin Olsen for back-up duties – and with injuries always a possibility, the rising Australian talent could even get a chance in the Premier League. Olsen, for example, played five league games this season.
And Gauci has the chance to put his name up in lights in a fortnight when Socceroos captain Maty Ryan is rested for the matches against Bangladesh and Palestine – meaning Gauci is all-but-certain to start both fixtures.
Joe Gauci will be hoping for minutes at Aston Villa this season.Source: Getty Images
21-year-old Cameron Peupion is another player on the fringes of a Premier League side. He’s at Brighton and Hove Albion, and he’s already played once in the league – back in May 2023.
This season, he went on loan to League One side Cheltenham Town but struggled for minutes and was recalled in January, where he started for Brighton in both the League Cup and FA Cup. He was also on the bench (but unused) for six Premier League matches. Another loan move is possible, but with a new coach incoming, he’ll have the chance to impress in pre-season and push his case to stay with the first team.
Cameron Peupion (R) of Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup against Wolves.Source: Getty Images
Brighton also have a talented 19-year-old Australian goalkeeper in Steven Hall on their books, who joined from Adelaide United in January and has so far played two games in the Premier League 2 (underage/reserves competition). He’s on a deal until 2027 – so there’s plenty of time for him to rise up the ranks.
Another youngster to watch out for is Fulham’s Tyrese Francois. The 23-year-old has represented them twice in the league before, coming off the bench in the last game of the 2020-21 season and again in the second game of the 22/23 season.
This year, he made their PL bench five times in the first half of the season and picked up substitute appearances in the FA and League Cups before being sent on loan in January to Vejle BK in Denmark’s top tier.
He’s made 15 appearances there including starting their last 12 games. Now he’ll head back to Fulham, who finished 13th in the league this season. The young Aussie will be hoping to carry his strong form back from Denmark and into next season’s Premier League … and maybe even make that long-awaited first start.
It was all going so well for young box-to-box midfielder Alex Robertson this season. Sent on loan to Portsmouth from Premier League champions Manchester City, he became one of the first names on the team sheet at and drew huge praise as he guided them to the top of the table by the New Year. There were rumours that clubs like Everton were interested in a permanent transfer.
Then he tore a thigh muscle and his season was over – though his loan club went on to win League One and be promoted to the Championship for next season.
The 21-year-old already has two caps for the Socceroos and is viewed as an immense talent, but breaking into City’s stacked squad is a tall order. His serious injury was a major setback, but a transfer isn’t out of the question, nor is another loan move.
Robertson impressed for the Socceroos in 2023 before an injury setback.Source: AFP
Speaking of loan moves, that’s the expectation when it comes to Garang Kuol for the upcoming season. The teen talent has had a torrid time of things since signing for Newcastle from the Central Coast Mariners.
This season, he was sent on loan to Dutch side Volendam – renowned for playing youngsters. But then they sacked their chief and their coach in December, and Kuol has played just 32 minutes in 2024. Ouch.
He debuted for Newcastle last Wednesday in a friendly against Tottenham at the MCG, coming on to rousing reception from the Aussie fans before scoring a penalty in the shootout. He then earned his first start against the A-League All Stars, but failed to impress.
Manager Eddie Howe said after the first game that the young forward will be sent on loan again next year.
“It’s always very difficult to say for certain what’s gonna happen with a player at this stage because there’s a long way to go before the season starts,” Howe said.
“But possibly another loan spell for him I think will be important.
“He’s had a couple of loan spells now but I think he needs the next one to be a successful one.
“I think he needs the next one to be successful and we need him to play more game time and hopefully that’ll happen.”
Simply put, he needs minutes – and plenty of them – to continue his development and get him in the frame for Premier League action. That’s a fair way away at this point, but a strong pre-season could deliver a surprise.
Garang Kuol of Newcastle United FC in action during the exhibition match against the A-League All Stars.Source: Getty Images
GERMANY
The German Bundesliga is also certain to see Australians in action next season. Socceroos midfield veteran Jackson Irvine captained FC St Pauli to the top of the second tier and promotion to the top flight in recent weeks. He plays alongside Connor Metcalfe, who has become one of the first names on the team sheets for the Socceroos in the last 18 months. 31-year-old Irvine had six goals and nine assists in 27 league games this season – an impressive output from a midfielder, while 24-year-old Metcalfe had three goals and five assists in 30 appearances, mostly on the wings. The pair have been crucial to both their team and Australia’s hopes, so expect plenty of minutes for the dynamic duo next season.
Irvine and his teammates were mobbed by pitch invaders after winning Bundesliga 2.Source: Getty Images
Nestory Irankunda, viewed as one of the most gifted Australian youngsters in decades, sealed a record-breaking transfer to European giants Bayern Munich in November last season – where he’ll head after he impressed for the A-League All Stars last week against Newcastle. The 18-year-old attacker finished his time at Adelaide United with eight goals and six assists in 25 appearances this season, taking his overall tally in the A-League to 16 goals and eight assists in 60 games. Still a raw talent who has struggled at times with his emotions and the immense weight of expectation on his shoulders, Irankunda has just been called up to the Socceroos and is expected to debut against Bangladesh or Palestine.
He is likely to start out in Bayern’s reserve team or go out on loan. But Bayern will have a new coach next season – relegated Premier League side Burnley’s Vincent Kompany – and there’s precedent for an A-League star to break into the first team surprisingly quickly.
New Socceroo accidentally revealed | 00:57
That was the case with New Zealand’s Sarpreet Singh, who signed from Wellington Phoenix in July 2019. He played a couple of matches with the senior team in pre-season friendlies, then was sent to the reserve team (which plays in Germany’s third tier). After impressing there, he debuted in the Bundesliga in December 2019 – less than six months after signing for the club. So the opportunity for a rapid rise to the first team is there for Irankunda … if he can take it.
Irankunda was excellent against Newcastle, with an assist and a key role in another goal in the 8-0 win.Source: Getty Images
But Irankunda won’t be the only Aussie at Bayern Munich next season. Goalkeeper Anthony Pavlesic is only 18 and has a long way to go to reach the elite, but a two-and-a-half week trial earned him a transfer to Bayern last June. He’s been playing for their under-19 team – coincidentally 19 times this season. And he also made an appearance for the reserve team in October. The teen gloveman is an immense talent, but barring a host of injuries he’s unlikely to break into the senior side for another season or more.
One Aussie most fans may not have heard of yet is Rawley St John, a Sydney FC academy product who earned a massive move to VfB Stuttgart last July. Stuttgart this season finished a stunning second in the Bundesliga, ahead of Bayern Munich but behind a rampaging Bayer Leverkusen. St John has been playing for the under-19 team, but the gifted midfielder just turned 19 this week and will be hoping to rise up the ranks this season, the final one on his contract at the German club.
Versatile wide man Jacob Italiano is also at a top flight club, playing with Borussia Mönchengladbach. The 22-year-old joined there from Perth in 2019 and has since gone on to play 104 games for their reserves team, but is out of contract. A move could be on the cards.
Jacob Italiano playing for the Olyroos at the U23 Asian Cup in April.Source: Getty Images
FRANCE
As previously mentioned, Denis Genreau was the only Socceroo to feature in a top-five league this season. He played plenty of minutes last year to help Toulouse get promoted to France’s Ligue 1, and started this season strongly before injuries effectively ruined his season – seeing him not play in the league from November until the final game of the season last week. Having turned 25 this week, the five-cap Socceroo still has a year to go on his contract and will be hoping that a full pre-season gets him back into regular first-team action.
This year, Australian fans will be hoping for more Socceroos to join him in playing in Ligue 1.
Mohamed Toure, who plays for Reims, spent the season on loan at second tier Paris FC in an attempt to get match minutes. He scored in just his second game for his loan club, but like Genreau was then cut down by injury. He finished the season with just 175 minutes across 11 matches, and that solitary goal. He played three Ligue 1 games for Reims in his first year at France, but another loan move for the young striker who just turned 20 seems probable.
He has made just one appearance for the Socceroos so far, last October, but hopes are high that he can rediscover his scoring form and be a long-term number nine in the green and gold.
His older brother Al Hassan also plays in Ligue 2, while younger brother Musa has been linked to a transfer to Ligue 1 by FTBL in recent weeks – though at 18 is also likely to spend time in the reserves or on loan before breaking into the first team.
Toure showed flashes of his potential with the Olyroos at the U-23 Asian Cup.Source: Getty Images
ITALY
Rising Socceroos centre-back Alessandro Circati, just 20, played a key role in earning Parma promotion to Serie A this season.
The Italian-born star, who has one Socceroos cap but is included in the upcoming squad, joined Parma in 2021 on a long-term contract until 2027. But he quickly earned a spot in the senior side and has already played 55 games for the team, including 32 this season as they returned to the top tier for the first time since being from Serie A in 2020/21. He’s expected to remain a key figure in the first team when the new season commences – though there were rumours of a Premier League transfer in January.
“We played him against New Zealand and his maturity for a young boy was outstanding. We gave him that debut cap next to Harry Souttar and he’s got quality,” Socceroos coach Graham Arnold said yesterday.
“He’s done very well for us but it’s the club form and the club qualities that are the great things about the future of the Socceroos. With him getting promoted into Serie A, he’s going to play against some of the best strikers in the world and we’re going to benefit from that in the long run.”
He added: “We have Alessandro playing in Serie A next season which is incredible for the nation. And that was one of the most important things. We get rewarded with those types of things as a nation when the players are doing well at their clubs and playing at the highest level.”
Alessandro Circati before making his Socceroos debut last October.Source: Getty Images
Another Italian Australian in Serie A is Cristian Volpato, who debuted for heavyweights Roma back in December 2021 under legendary manager Jose Mourinho. Mentored by all-time great Francesco Totti, the so-called ‘King of Rome’, Sydney-born Volpato has been the subject of a long and dramatic tug of war between Italy and Australia over his international allegiances, which included Volpato turning down representing Australia at the 2022 World Cup. This international window, he is representing Italy’s Under-20s instead of the Socceroos.
“I’ve been in touch with a Christian and his mother, and the kid has chosen to play for Italy in this camp in under 20s in a tournament,” Arnold said on Wednesday.
“I’m always in contact and I’m encouraging him to play for Australia, but at the same time the kid has to want to, and his mum and his dad have to want that as well.”
Socceroos fans are still hoping the 20-year-old attacking midfielder opts for the green and gold.
He left Roma, where he played 14 games for the senior side, to join Serie A rivals Sassuolo in June last year for €7.5 million. He played 25 games in all competitions this season, largely off the bench, with one goal and one assist.
Having come through at Roma under legendary coach Jose Mourinho before moving to Sassuolo, hopes are high that Volpato will play for Australia.Source: Getty Images
Sassuolo finished second-last and will be relegated to Serie B next season – meaning Volpato will need a transfer if he wants to continue playing in the top flight.
It’s likely that Volpato will be allowed to leave, given he fell out favour in the latter stages of the season when the club replaced their coach in a bid to avoid relegation, although he did start their final game of the season.
He has been linked to clubs in Serie A, as well as Spain’s top division, La Liga – which would also make him Australia’s only player in that competition.
Another young gun is 19-year-old Sebastian Esposito, who made a stunning move from Melbourne City to Serie A side Lecce in December despite never playing for City’s senior side. But the physically strong and aerially talented centre-back has plenty of potential – and he’s been on the bench for the senior team five times this season while playing 19 games for the under 19-team – including 18 straight where he played the full match. He was a standout for Australia’s under-20s team in a pair of matches last year, and looks one for the future.
AUSTRALIANS CURRENTLY AT TOP-FLIGHT CLUBS
Premier League: Cameron Burgess, Massimo Luongo, Harry Souttar, Cameron Peupion, Joe Gauci, Steven Hall, Tyrese Francois, Alex Robertson, Garang Kuol
Bundesliga: Jackson Irvine, Connor Metcalfe, Nestory Irankunda, Anthony Pavlesic, Rawley St John, Jacob Italiano
Ligue 1: Denis Genreau, Mohamed Toure
Serie A: Alessandro Circati, Cristian Volpato, Sebastian Esposito.
Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has revealed that Cristian Volpato has rejected selection in Australia’s squad to instead play for Italy’s under-20 team next month.
Arnold’s quest to entice the Sydney-born, Italy-based Volpato to pledge his allegiance to Australia hit another hurdle when the Sassuolo attacking midfielder turned down the chance to play or the Socceroos against Bangladesh and Palestine next month.
“I’ve been in touch with a Christian and his mother, and the kid has chosen to play for Italy in this camp in under 20s in a tournament,” Arnold said on Wednesday after his announcing is latest 25-man squad.
“I’m always in contact and I’m encouraging him to play for Australia, but at the same time the kid has to want to, and his mum and his dad have to want that as well.
“The last conversations I had with him, which was not that long ago when I suggested (about picking him) for this camp and this (international) window, it was more based around that he wanted to play for Italy in the under 20s.”
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Cristian Volpato still won’t commit to representing Australia. Picture: Paolo Bruno/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
Volpato still remains eligible to represent Australia at senior level.
“It’s not like if he plays for other junior national teams that can’t play for Australia or the Socceroos, but kid at this moment has chosen that,” said Arnold, who added that Volpato had a “lot to think about” following Sassuolo’s relegation to the Italian second division.
While Volpato remains uncommitted to playing for Australia, fellow Italy-based player Alessandro Circati is set to add to his maiden Socceroos cap next month after being recalled to Australia’s squad.
“He played against New Zealand (in October last year) and his maturity for a young boy is outstanding,” Arnold said of the 20-year-old defender, whose club side Parma has been promoted to Italy’s top-flight.
“He’s obviously got the quality and you will see him play in either one or two of these games (against Bangladesh and Palestine).
“It’s important that he gets to know us well, but he’s fit in perfectly into the Socceroos when he’s been in camp. He’s done very well for us, and … him getting promoted to (Italy’s) Serie A, he’s going to play against some of the best strikers in the world, and we’re going to benefit from it.”
Former Australian international Zeljko Kalac branded Nestory Irankunda’s shock Socceroos ultimatum as “sickening” and felt the Bayern-bound teen was not ready for international football.
The 18-year-old, who is eligible to represent Australia, Burundi and Tanzania, stated he would “of course” consider representing either of the latter two countries if he continued to be overlooked by Socceroos boss Graham Arnold.
“I haven’t been called up for a few of the squads now,” Irankunda added in the post-match press conference after the A-League All Stars’ 8-0 thrashing of Newcastle.
“I’m still thinking on what I’m going to do in the future at national level so we’ll see.”
However, Irankunda’s comments left Kalac, who made 54 appearances for Australia, with a foul taste in his mouth and insisted the Socceroos shouldn’t be held ransom by a teenager.
“Sickening, sickening that a player actually thinks he’s got the rights to blackmail where he’s going to play,” Kalac told foxsports.com.au.
“These young players don’t realise that there’s a lot of good players that play for their national teams. To come out with comments like that and say if you don’t pick me I’m going to go somewhere else, I’d be saying, ‘On your bike’.
“Because we’re not going to be blackmailed on giving away national team jerseys.”
Kalac acknowledged Irankunda “is a good player”, but insisted the electric 18-year-old has “still got a lot of common sense to go through his head”.
“Because as we know now, football’s not just about your ability on the field,” Kalac said.
“It’s about what you do off the field with your comments. You’re in the public eye and need to lead by example and get these younger players to follow you.”
Kalac was also sceptical of whether Irankunda is at the level required to play for the Socceroos, but trusted Arnold and his Socceroos staff to know if he’ll be up to the task.
“Look, do I think he’s an international player just yet? No,” Kalac said.
“Is he worth having a look at? Yeah. I think all national team staff would be looking at all these players.
“If they don’t feel that he’s ready for international football yet, you don’t bring players into an international scenario if they’re not ready for it. There’s our U20s, there’s our U23s, there’s plenty of stepping stones before you get into the international team.”
Irankunda is in line to represent the Socceroos in upcoming World Cup qualifiers. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Kalac spoke to foxsports.com.au ahead of the bumper clash between Italian giants AC Milan and AS Roma at Optus Stadium in Perth on Friday.
Milan will be managed by one of Kalac’s former teammates, Daniele Bonera, after the club parted ways with Stefano Pioli at the end of the Serie A season as Lille’s Paulo Fonseca will reportedly be the Rossoneri’s next boss.
Fonseca will no doubt be casting his eye over the clash as several Milan players look to prove themselves to the incoming boss.
But Kalac believes it shouldn’t matter if there’s a new manager arriving or not, any chance to pull on the Milan jersey is “an opportunity” they must take with both hands.
“Last night I had two ex-teammates here, Serginho and Daniele Bonera, they were just saying these are all opportunities,” Kalac said.
“At big clubs, opportunities come few and far between. When you get that opportunity, you’ve got to take it.
“Every player who pulls on a Milan jersey, let me tell you, it’s not a friendly, it’s an opportunity.”
Australian soccer wunderkind Nestory Irankunda has sensationally threatened to play for another country if he does not start getting selected by the Socceroos.
The Bayern Munich-bound teenager dropped the huge bombshell after taking part in the A-League Men’s All-Stars’ 8-0 demolition of a severely-depleted Newcastle United side at Marvel Stadium on Friday night.
Irankunda was born in a Tanzanian refugee camp and his parents are from Burundi, so he is eligible to play for either country.
The 18-year-old, who has scored 16 goals from 60 matches with Adelaide United, including a memorable hat-trick against Western United in March, is yet to represent Australia.
The closest he has come is being a train-on player for two friendlies against Ecuador last year.
Bayern Munich-bound Nestory Irankunda is yet to represent Australia, and could spurn the Socceroos. Picture: Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
“Yeah of course,” Irankunda said when asked if he would seriously consider playing for another country if he kept getting overlooked by Socceroos coach Graham Arnold.
Irankunda said he initially hoped that his move to Europe would enhance his chances of playing for Australia, but he is now non-committal on the prospect.
“As of now I’m not too sure how things are going to go,” Irankunda said.
“I haven’t been called up for a few of the squads now. I’m still thinking on what I’m going to do in the future at national level so we’ll see.
“I’m still eligible for Tanzania and Burundi as well but obviously it’s a dream of mine to play for the Socceroos and if the opportunity comes again then hopefully it comes sooner and I take it.”
ALM All stars absolutely PUMP Newcastle | 01:26
Arnold was in attendance at Marvel Stadium and would’ve been more than an interested onlooker as Irankunda made a splash as a constant attacking menace down the right after entering the game in the 70th minute.
“I reckon I showed the people at the game what I can do and hopefully Arnie has seen it and if not then I can’t really say much,” he said.
The Socceroos are next in action in June when they face Bangladesh and Palestine in a pair of World Cup qualifiers.
Newcastle United might have fielded an extremely inexperienced team – the average age of their starting line-up (aside from their goalkeeper) was 19.5 – but considering Irankunda is only 18 himself, the budding star gained lots of confidence ahead of his move to Germany given how well he performed against similarly-aged players who are already in the European football system.
Nestory Irankunda showcased his suite of skills in a short cameo for the All Stars. Picture: Michael KleinSource: News Corp Australia
“I thought it’d be pretty hard. I was pretty nervous before coming on but then obviously I felt more relaxed after the first two minutes and I’m very confident now going over to Europe,” he said.
“I’m not too excited but I’m excited at the same time. It’s going to be great to try something new, one of the best clubs in the world so pretty excited to go meet the new players.
“I’m not too nervous either. I don’t know what it is. I can’t really explain how I feel.
“When it’s time for me to be over there then obviously I’ll start feeling nervous.”
A-League golden boot winner Adam Taggart, who himself has made the trip to Europe, most notably with English club Fulham and Scotland’s Dundee United, thinks Irankunda has what it takes to become a success over there.
“He’s obviously shown everyone why he’s so exciting and he’s got the whole country excited about him,” Taggart said.
“Obviously one of the biggest clubs in the world has gone to sign him so he should go over there with all the confidence and enjoy it.”
The Socceroos are through to the next stage of AFC (Asian Football Confederation) qualifying for the 2026 World Cup – and with two games in hand.
In the next stage, 18 nations are split into three groups of six. The teams play their group rivals twice each – home and away.
The top two teams from each group qualify directly for the World Cup in 2026.
The Socceroos will be hoping to achieve that result – but there are still spots for grabs if they miss out on the top two spots, so long as they finish in the top four teams in their group.
The six teams who finish third and fourth are then placed into two groups, with the top team from each group qualifying for the World Cup.
The second-placed teams play off against each other for the chance to compete in an inter-confederation playoff.
All this is to say that the expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams means there’s plenty of places for AFC nations to compete in the tournament.
But for the Socceroos, they’ll be hoping to get the job done at the next stage.
Yengi goal gives Socceroos perfect start | 00:52
WHY THE NEXT MATCHES AREN’T DEAD RUBBERS
While the final two fixtures in this stage of qualifying seem to be dead rubbers, there’s a crucial reason why Arnold and the Socceroos are taking them very seriously: FIFA rankings.
The groups in the next stage are decided by seedings based on rankings – which means the top three teams in Asia are all drawn into different groups.
The Socceroos are hoping to be one of the top three highest-ranked teams in the AFC and therefore avoid being drawn in a group with heavyweights such as Japan and Iran, currently the top two ranked teams in the AFC.
As it stands, the Socceroos are ranked 23rd on the live rankings, just above South Korea – who were held to a shock draw by Thailand last Thursday but beat them on Tuesday night.
If the Socceroos win their final two matches, they’ll retain their place as the third-ranked AFC team and therefore avoid Japan and Iran in the next round.
Arnold said: “Next camp, I’m saying this openly and honestly, those FIFA ranking points are crucial at this moment, winning these games.”
Further down the track, FIFA rankings also come into play when it comes to the World Cup draw – so every match is important.
That also means we might not see too much experimentation when it comes to June’s fixtures against Bangladesh and Palestine.
Arnold said: “I’m not into giving caps away. To earn a cap, it needs to be deserved and the reward of it.
“But some of the older boys, maybe they need a break – especially after they come off the back of the (2022) World Cup and they go back to their clubs, and then they’ve had an Asian Cup in the middle of their season. So maybe they’ll need a break.”
He added: “Sometimes they come with us, it’s 10 days of their holidays gone and they got a shorter break. Some players, after a long season, they need a good holiday, clear the brain, freshen up, then we get ready to go again.”
Australian Head Coach Graham Arnold. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
EMOTIONAL MOMENTS SHOW SPECIAL CONNECTION
There were two especially touching moments in Tuesday night’s victory.
The first came inside two minutes, when Craig Goodwin teed up his former Adelaide United teammate Kusini Yengi for a maiden international goal. The pair celebrated by doing Goodwin’s typical goal celebration together.
The second was when debutant Patrick Yazbek assisted second-gamer John Iredale for his own maiden international goal, with Iredale in tears as he was mobbed by teammates.
Yengi said to Network 10: “To score my first goal is amazing.
“Me and Goody have a great connection. We played together at Adelaide. He assisted my first professional goal at Adelaide and now assisted my first goal at the Socceroos. It’s an amazing moment for me and to have that moment with Goody as well is even more special.”
Goodwin said of that moment: “Really, really happy for him. He’s gone across to England and put in some really good performances there (with Portsmouth) and he’s starting to get his opportunity now at national team level. I’ve spent a lot of time with him at Adelaide and I think he’s someone who has a really bright future ahead of him.
“As his game develops and he starts to play more games and gets more consistency at that level, I think he’s someone who has the potential to go really high in the game.
“With the physical attributes that he has, and if he can fine tune some of the other areas, he’s going to be very tough to handle.”
Speaking of Iredale’s emotional maiden goal, Goodwin added: “It’s brilliant. You’ll never be able to really recreate that moment – scoring your first goal for your nation. For me it was scoring against Vietnam in Melbourne. I had the same thing, the same emotions that come over you because it’s everything you dream of as a kid.
“To be able to score for your nation – and for these boys to do that – you are fulfilling a childhood dream. It’s brilliant for him.”
Goodwin continued: “We are a tight-knit group. It’s great. Every chance we have to celebrate boys, you can see every person ran over to Kas (Kusini) when he scored, everybody ran over to Johnny when he scored. Even boys are applauding when lads are coming on to make their debut with Patty (Yazbek) and Nissy (Nisbet).
“So it’s a fantastic group that we have here and we’re really proud when we can celebrate each other.”
There certainly was plenty to celebrate.
Khalil Khamis of Lebanon and Patrick Yazbek of Australia. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
‘PRETTY HORRIBLE TACKLE’ ADDS TO INJURY WOES
For all the positivity to come out of the big win, there was a very sad scene: Ajdin Hrustic limping off the pitch with the help of two trainers, hardly able to use his left foot at all. Hrustic had copped plenty of whacks all night with no protection from the referee, and it all culminated in a horror tackle in the 51st minute which left him in a crumpled heap on the turf.
Coach Graham Arnold was bitterly disappointed at the incident, saying afterwards: “The medical side, the medical team are looking after (Hrustic). But I will say if there was VAR that was red. It was a pretty horrible tackle, when you look at it back.”
“He’s hobbling around the dressing room,” he added.
Making just his second Socceroos appearance since June 2023 – and his first start since September 2022 – it was a nightmare outcome for Hrustic, who had showed flashes of brilliance in both matches. He assisted Craig Goodwin’s first goal with a sensational dink over the backline and should have scored himself when Goodwin teed him up with a superb cut-back in the first half.
But after a horror year and a half, where serious injury and then club exile saw him tumble out of the Socceroos’ spotlight, Hrustic seemed poised to get back to his best and make up for lost time.
“I’ve still got unfinished business with the World Cup,” he said after Thursday’s win.
“I’ve got a lot to work for and there’s a lot ahead of me. I’m taking it step by step, but I’m excited.”
Fingers crossed it’s only a minor injury, because the Socceroos can ill-afford to suffer more blows to their squad.
Riley McGree and Jordy Bos went down in Thursday’s win, while the squad is already without a host of star names including starters Aziz Behich and Martin Boyle, plus the likes of Alex Robertson, Marco Tilio, even Mat Leckie.
With the Socceroos not back in action until June, hopefully a host of players return to fitness and are available for contention.
If not, Arnold will be well-pleased with the performances of his youngsters and can be confident they’ll be ready to take another step up.
The Socceroos are closing in on a second-straight victory over Lebanon – and a place in the next stage of World Cup qualifying – after an early goal to talented young striker Kusini Yengi, his maiden international strike.
Having taken five minutes to score in Thursday night’s clash between the same teams, this time the Socceroos started even quicker, finding the net after just 115 seconds.
Australia overloaded the left wing with Connor Metcalfe sliding it through to the returning Craig Goodwin, who curls it in perfectly for 25-year-old poacher Yengi.
The striker was right in front of goal but he sent his first effort into the post before burying the follow-up.
From that point on, the Socceroos dominated proceedings but missed a hatful of first-half chances, witht he score 1-0 at the interval.
In the 10th minute, Yengi suffered a blow when his knee was sliced open, requiring some running repairs pitch-side – though the Australian was quickly able to get back on the field.
Just as it did on Thursday, the early goal immediately forced Lebanon to open up in search of a goal.
Lebanon carved out their first chance in the 13th minute when a handful of Australian errors at the back let Lebanon into the box from the right side, but Matar hits the side netting from a tight angle.
They had a sustained spell threatening Australia’s 18-yard box but Matar blazed an eventual shot miles over the bar.
In the 20th minute, Cameron Burgess played a delightful chip over the back line which deflects off Tniech for Connor Metcalfe. The youngster had plenty of time to line up his shot but could only manage a tame side-footed effort straight at the keeper.
The Socceroos continued to launch balls over the backkline, attempting to get in behind. Craig Goodwin (apparently) fouled the keeper after a delightful Ajdin Hrustic lob, before Mitchell Duke failed to keep his cross in play when he races to the byline a minute later.
In the 30th minute, Goodwin should have had a second assist when Yengi played a pass out to the left-winger, who drilled a perfect cut-back to Hrustic – but the Dutch-based playmaker sliced his shot into the stratosphere, looking down at the (rather pristine) pitch in frustration.
In the 38th minute, Lebanon had another opportunity from a rare corner, with a well-worked move getting the ball into the box – though Maty Ryan, finally having something to do, leapt sky-high to pluck it out of the air.
Australia, after the early goal, had felt in control of the fixture and never quite seemed to get out of second gear. In the 41st minute, right-back Gethin Jones finally goes on a run, earning a corner with Australia’s first attack down the right flank all night.
Earning a second-straight corner, the Socceroos then came with inches of a goal when Goodwin played a sublime trivela cross – using the outside of his boot – to the back post.
Harry Souttar jumped but nodded his header down into the post – the Socceroos once again unable to add to their tally.
And just before the half-time break, Ajdin Hrustic was flattened on the edge of the area but somehow was not awarded a free-kick.
PREVIEW
The Socceroos are looking for a win to secure their place in the next stage of World Cup qualifying, after beating the same team 2-0 on Thursday in Sydney.
Back in Canberra for the first time since Harry Souttar’s memorable debut in 2019, the Socceroos have promised to put on a show for a sold-out crowd at GIO Stadium.
Australia coach Graham Arnold yesterday said there would be “four or five” changes to the Socceroos starting XI, and lived up to that by naming four changes.
But while he rotates the pack for this rematch with the Cedars – including a debut for 21-year-old midfielder Patrick Yazbek that is “more than 90 per cent” likely – Arnold is intent on securing a victory that will put the Socceroos through to the next round of World Cup qualifying.
The Socceroos still have two matches to play – against Bangladesh and Palestine in June – where victories will be important in terms of world rankings, which decide seedings for the next stage.
Gethin Jones comes in at right back to replace Nathaniel Atkinson. Craig Goodwin has recovered from a virus and comes in on the left to replace the injured Riley McGree.
Ajdin Hrustic starts in midfield instead of the suspended Keanu Baccus, while Mitchell Duke replaces Adam Taggart as one of the two forwards.
CONFIRMED SOCCEROOS XI (4-4-2, L-R)
Mathew Ryan,
Kye Rowles, Cameron Burgess, Harry Souttar, Gethin Jones
Craig Goodwin, Jackson Irvine, Connor Metcalfe, Ajdin Hrustic
Kusini Yengi, Mitchell Duke
LIVE BLOG
Follow all the action in our live blog below! If you can’t see the blog, click here.
The Socceroos struggled to create much in the way of chances, outside of a lucky fifth-minute goal from Keanu Baccus that he joked was deliberate – but really was intended as a cross.
Defender Kye Rowles made it 2-0 in the second half off a corner, but the Socceroos’ worrying inability to carve out opportunities from open play was on full display once again despite a win that moves Australia closer to the 2026 World Cup.
Even a change to a 4-4-2 formation didn’t spark much life into a Socceroos attack that has long struggled to break down opposing defences.
There was, certainly, flashes of brilliance and reasons for optimism. Ajdin Hrustic showed flashes of his instinctive, creative best – something the Socceroos have missed with the playmaker having been stuck in club purgatory for just about all of 2023, where he managed all of 45 minutes for the national team.
“He gives you that little bit of X factor,” coach Graham Arnold said. “Some of the flicks around the corner, the little chips over the top – those type of things are what we’re wanting, and what we need in the final third against some of these opponents.”
And there was the caveat that many of the players had just one training session together after assembling in Sydney, while Arnold also pointed to a Commbank Stadium turf that “wasn’t an easy pitch to play on”.
Here are the biggest talking points from the two-goal win in Sydney.
Keanu Baccus’ early goal failed to spark the Socceroos into life in a nervy win.Source: Getty Images
NO CLEAR ANSWER TO BIG NO.9 ISSUE
When Graham Arnold named his 25-player squad for this pair of fixtures, one thing stood out: the inclusion of a full SIX strikers.
Since the retirement of Tim Cahill, no number nine has well and truly made the shirt their own. There has been no shortage of good players given a shot in that position, but with focus turning to the World Cup in 2026, it remains one of the biggest headaches for coach Graham Arnold.
The biggest problem is that many of his striker options are in their 30s – and may not still be fit and firing by the time 2026 comes along.
In the current squad, there is 36-year-old Bruno Fornaroli, 33-year-old Mitchell Duke, and 30-year-old Adam Taggart, while Brandon Borrello is 28.
By the next World Cup, Arnold will be lucky to have all of them available for selection – or perhaps even a couple of them.
Kusini Yengi (25) started against Lebanon alongside Taggart – the two most in-form attackers at club level – while John Iredale (24) debuted off the bench alongside Duke.
The four each had promising moments but none made a real statement that they should be the starting No.9 moving forward.
No centre forward has scored for the Socceroos since before the Asian Cup in January – now a six-game drought.
All six of the players offer unique skill-sets, as Arnold said when announcing his squad.
“All of them bring something different,” Arnold said.
That was on full display tonight.
Taggart frequently ran in behind the defence, Yengi is strong and loves to dribble at opponents, Duke is an excellent hold-up player and tireless in pressing, and Iredale is fast and physical.
“Six centre forwards in the squad is an exciting prospect for us,” Jackson Irvine said this week, “and it will be interesting to see how that unfolds over the next couple of games.”
Tonight none of them put their name up in lights.
Arnold will have his fingers and toes crossed that one of the six grabs the reins on Tuesday and makes the number nine their own.
Kye Rowles was beaming after scoring a maiden international goal.Source: Getty Images
DEFENCE DOES THE JOB AGAIN
Thursday’s victory made it eight clean sheets from the Socceroos’ last ten matches – an impressive record in defence.
Sure, all-but-one of those matches have come against lower-ranked opponents, but you can’t deny that the Socceroos success is being built on a foundation of a strong defence – even if that clean sheet was somewhat fortunate, given Lebanon finished the better side and struck the post late on.
Harry Souttar continues to defy his lack of club minutes at Leicester City in England’s second tier, while Cameron Burgess has converted his strong form for Leicester’s high-flying Championship rivals Ipswich Town into solid performances for the Socceroos. The third centre-back, Kye Rowles, has become one of the most dependable performers for the team, even despite being pushed out to left back to replace the injured Aziz Behich.
The depth at centre-back is extremely pleasing – as is their knack of scoring goals.
“That’s what we need, we need everyone to score!” Arnold told Channel 10 with a wry smile.
Souttar already has 11 to his name for the Socceroos, while man of the match Rowles scored his first against Lebanon.
Rowles and Souttar are both 25, while Burgess is 28. The trio could have locked down the centre-back spots for the foreseeable future.
Meanwhile Maty Ryan, the captain and first-choice number one, was typically solid between the sticks and made two fine saves.
While depth on at both fullback spots remains something of a concern, the defence – and particularly that core group of four players – is in rude health.
The defence was excellent once again.Source: Getty Images
INJURIES WILL FORCE MORE SHUFFLING … AND MORE CHANCES
Arnold’s selections for the Asian Cup and this pair of World Cup qualifying fixtures made it clear that he’s looking towards the future.
Asked pre-game if it felt like a ‘new phase’ for the team, Arnold told Channel 10: “Yeah look, the things I said before the Asian Cup about regenerating the squad came – hopefully – through thick and clear.
“With some of the older boys out injured in this game – Craig Goodwin, Mat Leckie’s still injured, Martin Boyle, Aziz Behich – the young ones that we gave a chance at the Asian Cup, this is a great opportunity for them.”
Keanu Baccus (25) and Connor Metcalfe (24) were both impressive after being named in the starting XI on Thursday night, while the returning Ajdin Hrustic also reminded Arnold what he can offer the team.
But a pair of first-half injuries – to Riley McGree and 21-year-old Jordy Bos – means that Graham Arnold will be forced into more changes for the Lebanon rematch in Canberra on Tuesday.
Arnold immediately ruled both out of that match, while Baccus earned a yellow card that will see him suspended on Tuesday night.
The Socceroos will have Craig Goodwin available, with the winger recovering from an illness and ready to play the second match.
“(Goodwin) is so good he’s already down in Canberra waiting for us,” Arnold said. “He’ll be available on Tuesday.”
21-year-old Patrick Yazbek and diminutive 24-year-old Josh Nisbet will be hoping to debut in the midfield in that game, while 23-year-old winger Samuel Silvera has been in strong form for Middlesbrough in England’s second tier and will also hope to get on the pitch.
While the raft of injuries to veteran players has left the squad short on experience, it’s a huge opportunity for the next generation to make their mark.
And should the Socceroos win on Tuesday, Australia will be guaranteed a place in the next stage of World Cup qualifying with two matches to spare.
In that case, matches against Lebanon and Palestine in June will become dead rubbers – and Arnold might be tempted to roll the dice on blooding a whole raft of young guns.
Australia’s position in the Asian Football Confederation has long been a topic of conjecture and debate.
The most obvious benefit of leaving Oceania for Asia back in 2006 was a seemingly easier path to the men’s World Cup finals, but the move was also intended to involve Australian football taking part in Asian competitions and spreading the word at all levels.
Anyone that has followed the journey knows Australia has a checkered history in that pursuit, sometimes opting against sending junior teams to continental tournaments, for example.
But at least the effort was made for major, senior competitions, or so we thought.
A cultural exhibition at the current Asian Cup in Doha, Qatar has painted Australian football in a poor light and led to some strong criticism.
Scott McIntyre, a journalist and Asian football expert, has posted a series of photos of stalls from some of the tournament’s competing nations.
The Australians have performed well on the pitch so far in Doha. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
He has included Syria, Oman, Palestine and Australia.
While three of those nations have packed their stalls, as McIntyre states, with “traditional wares/culture” including a “range of food, clothing and traditional games”, the Australian stall looks more bare than a Coles toilet paper aisle in a pandemic.
It’s not completely empty, mind you, bizarrely it is adorned with two bowling pins and a tennis ball.
There is also a brown paper bag, which may or may not be stuffed with budgie smugglers, Farnsey CDs or Australia Day merch, we’re not sure.
It has been confirmed to news.com.au that no one in Australian football was responsible for the stall in question.
A query to the Football Australia media department resulted in the following statement.
“Thank you for reaching out to us regarding the Australian stall at the Asian Cup,” it said in part.
The Syrian stall at the Asian Cup.Source: Twitter
“Upon discovering this activation, we promptly liaised with both the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) to understand the situation more comprehensively.
“It’s important to clarify that Football Australia was not involved and was not consulted in the planning or execution of this particular activation. The AFC and LOC have also informed us that they were not aware of it either.
“Our investigation and inquiries indicate that this was a private initiative from a developer from that precinct, conducted without consultation or engagement with Football Australia, the Asian Football Confederation, or the Local Organising Committee.
“We appreciate your effort in bringing this matter to our attention. Ensuring the representation and branding of Australian football is consistent and impactful at international events is of utmost importance to us.
“Although we were not involved in this instance, we are always keen to explore how we can proactively contribute to and enhance the presentation of Australian football at such prestigious tournaments.
“We are committed to supporting the promotion of football in Australia and ensuring our presence is felt positively at international events.”
And the Australian version. Photos: TwitterSource: Twitter
So it appears the virtually empty stall was the result of a local developer, who being in Qatar, perhaps wasn’t too clear on Australian culture or was unable to get their hands on some of those stuffed koalas with those little metal claws.
Still, the fact the Australian attempt is directly alongside the Syrian stall, which is jam-packed with all manner of clothes, jewellery and much more, only adds to the barren nature of the Aussie version.
The Socceroos have performed well at the Asian Cup, winning it in 2015 and reaching the quarter-finals this year, and have also been among Asia’s best performing teams at the World Cup over the past two decades.
But Australia’s efforts towards Asian football in general have long been the subject of inside jokes and snide remarks from other countries in the region, as this reporter can attest from a previous role working directly with football in Singapore for three years.
Those feelings towards Australia’s participation in Asia have continued, judging by some of the comments on McIntyre’s post.
Sadly, Australia’s perceived lack of culture was also highlighted.
“To be honest, I’m surprised that they found even that much culture in Australia,” was one comment.
“Because we think this kind of thing is beneath us, of course,” wrote another.
“It’s cus Oz tradition is booze which is haram,” suggested a third.
“Well Australia isn’t really in Asia so perhaps that makes sense,” wrote another.
Another X user felt it should have been a pretty easy task.
“How hard is it to put up a couple of shelves of ugg boots, akubras and RM Williams?” they asked.
Australia has made it to the last eight in the current edition of the Asian Cup, along with Japan, Iran, Qatar, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Jordan and Tajikistan.
The Socceroos face South Korea in the second quarter-final at 2.30am this Saturday, AEDT.
