<\/p>\n
Socceroos boss Tony Popovic has thrown a World Cup lifeline to three of Australia\u2019s stars from the nation\u2019s equal-best Round of 16 run four years ago.<\/p>\n
Popovic and several Australian players fly out on Wednesday to begin a pre-World Cup campaign in Florida, among them will be Mathew Leckie and Harry Souttar.<\/p>\n
\ufeffGet all the latest football news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Leckie holds a special place in Australian footballing history having scored the goal against Denmark that sent the Socceroos to the knockout stage in Qatar in 2022.<\/p>\n The 35-year-old has not worn the national colours for two years, however, meaning he has never played under Popovic.<\/p>\n Leckie was recently sidelined for five months with a hamstring injury but returned in time for the A-League finals with Melbourne City.<\/p>\n Even though City were beaten by Auckland FC on penalties in their elimination final on the weekend, Popovic liked what he saw from Leckie.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you watch the game just played, Mathew Leckie was the best player on the park at 35 with no football under his belt,\u201d Popovic told reporters of the veteran who spent a decade playing club football in Germany earlier in his career. <\/p>\n \u201cThat, a young player can\u2019t do just yet. That\u2019s the difference.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what you need at a World Cup. Will he make the World Cup? It will come down to his body.<\/p>\n \u201cBut if you just look at the quality he could do at 35 with no football under his belt, a young player can\u2019t do that.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s just normal. He will maybe do it in time with experience, maturity and strength. They offer something different. They offer raw talent, the quality they have. You can see something is there.<\/p>\n \u201cBut we\u2019re not talking about friendly games now. We\u2019re talking about the World Cup.<\/p>\n \u201cI think he showed on the weekend the difference. That\u2019s the difference.\u201d<\/p>\n Souttar was another star of the Qatar campaign with the towering centre back make plenty of crucial tackles in the group stage victories over Tunisia and Denmark as well as in the Round of 16 loss to Argentina.<\/p>\n The 27-year-old returned to the relegated Leicester City\u2019s final two Championship games of the season after 15 months on the sidelines as a result of a ruptured Achilles.<\/p>\n Souttar managed to mark his return with a goal in Leicester\u2019s 1-1 draw with playoff bound Millwall.<\/p>\n The 203cm tall centre back\u2019s aerial threat is also a major asset to the Socceroos, having scored 11 goals in 36 appearances for the national team.<\/p>\n Popovic is clearly eager to ensure he is ready to go next month.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you watch him perform and you watch those two games, there is presence, there is aura, there is a leader,\u201d Popovic said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can\u2019t get that in a young player overnight.\u201d<\/p>\n The early stages of the Socceroos\u2019 Florida camp is about giving the likes of Leckie and Souttar the chance to build their fitness to show Popovic they will be physically ready for the World Cup.<\/p>\n They will be joined by fellow star of four years ago Mitch Duke – who scored the winning goal against Tunisia – in arriving to camp early to prove their fitness.<\/p>\n Other early arrivals include Portsmouth\u2019s Hayden Matthews as well as Duke\u2019s Macarthur teammate Anthony Caceres, Western Sydney\u2019s Brandon Borrello, Brisbane\u2019s Nick D\u2019Agostino and Melbourne Victory\u2019s Nishan Velupillay. READ MORE<\/b><\/p>\n PL Wrap \u2014 \u2018Unbelievable\u2019: PL title race swings AGAIN as blunder sparks City \u2018implosion\u2019 in six-goal thriller<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n PL Talking Pts \u2014 \u2018Didn\u2019t see it coming\u2019: Spurs shock flips survival script; Utd circus may finally end<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n