<\/p>\n
As the Socceroos bowed out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the most painful way possible<\/a>, there\u2019s an undeniable feeling gripping Australia. <\/p>\n 2030 simply can\u2019t come quick enough. <\/p>\n Tszyu v Spence Jr. | Sunday July 26 from 11am AEST | Tim Tszyu takes on the biggest name in his career so far – future hall-of-famer Errol Spence Jr, in a can\u2019t miss event for boxing fans around the world. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n The Socceroos lost to Egypt in Dallas on Saturday morning, meaning they still <\/i>haven\u2019t won a World Cup knockout stage game after a third time of asking. <\/p>\n Having gone 1-0 down early, Australia pushed the Round of 32 match to extra time following a second-half own goal. Then, thanks to some last-ditch heroics, it forced a penalty shootout against Mo Salah\u2019s side. <\/p>\n It then all went wrong with centre backs Harry Souttar and Lucas Herrington missing their penalties, while Egypt went a perfect four from four.<\/p>\n The campaign is now all over. Egypt will play the winner of Argentina or Cabo Verde in the Round of 16 on Wednesday.<\/p>\n For Australia, the good feeling remains given this is a young group that could well be developing into the Socceroos\u2019 next golden era.<\/p>\n Even so, there will be an unmistakeable feeling that some mistakes were made along the way. <\/p>\n Scroll down for our Socceroos Talking Points! <\/i><\/i><\/b><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n FULL WORLD CUP SCHEDULE ><\/a><\/b><\/p>\n \u2018MASSIVE CALL\u2019: Popa explains bombshell 119th-min call as laptop image exposes masterstroke that sunk Aussies <\/a><\/b><\/p>\n MATCH REPORT: Socceroos OUT in shootout heartbreak after huge Popa gamble stuns in fiery thriller<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n \u2018RECKLESS\u2019: Heat on ref from bitter Socceroos foe as \u2018terrible tackle\u2019 leaves Aussies seething<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n Popa sheds light on Mat Ryan sub… | 00:26<\/p>\n POPA\u2019S FINAL WORLD CUP GAMBLE<\/b><\/p>\n He may have named an unchanged line-up, but Tony Popovic had one last selection gamble up his sleeve this World Cup late in extra time.<\/p>\n With a nailbiting encounter heading towards a penalty shootout, Popovic made the decision to take off goalkeeper Patrick Beach and replace him with veteran shot stopper Mat Ryan.<\/p>\n The Socceroos boss stunned before the tournament opener against T\u00fcrkiye when he left regular captain Ryan on the bench in favour of the 22-year-old.<\/p>\n Beach quickly proved to be an inspired selection, however, making eight saves and keeping a clean sheet against T\u00fcrkiye.<\/p>\n The Melbourne City keeper became an instant household name and even had Melbourne\u2019s St Kilda Beach named in his honour.<\/p>\n There was speculation about whether Popovic might abandon Beach in the lead-up to the final group against Paraguay.<\/p>\n Socceroos legend Mark Schwarzer called for Ryan\u2019s experienced to be used in that all-important clash.<\/p>\n Popovic backed in Beach for that encounter, but at the most critical juncture of Australia\u2019s campaign, he backflipped on his call on who would stand between the posts.<\/p>\n Beach kept Australia\u2019s hopes alive with a super, save of the tournament contender in the 93rd minute as he somehow tipped Ramy Rabia\u2019s header from point blank range over the bar with one-hand.<\/p>\n But in his fourth World Cup, Popovic trusted Ryan to step onto the pitch for the first time in the tournament and handle the pressure cooker of the penalty shootout.<\/p>\n Zlatan sends message to 18yo Aussie | 00:41<\/p>\n If it was pre-planned, Beach did not know about it.<\/p>\n The 22-year-old confirmed post-game that he only learned he would be coming off when his number was called by the assistant referee.<\/p>\n The Egyptians were ready for the prospect of Ryan in goal, however.<\/p>\n After the whistle blew to end added time, they gathered around a laptop to watch footage of France and Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe putting a penalty past the Australian.<\/p>\n Their homework cleared paid off as Ryan failed to make a save from four, well-struck penalties, including Mohamed Salah\u2019s Panenka which caught Ryan out for moving early.<\/p>\n When asked to explain the move that replicated Graham Arnold\u2019s decision to ditch Ryan for \u2018The Grey Wiggle\u2019, Andrew Redmayne, in the qualifying playoff against Peru four years ago, Popovic said: \u201cI think that was always an option for us and then you have to see how the game progresses.\u201d<\/p>\n Unfortunately for Australia, there is a fine line between genius and looking silly.<\/p>\n As Egypt kept their cool, Popovic\u2019s decision did not look like a masterstroke as he had hoped for.<\/p>\n \u201cThese are the decisions that you have to make as a coach and the risks that you have to take,\u201d Newcastle Jets manager Mark Milligan said on SBS.<\/p>\n \u201cLooking back in the tournament, two big decisions against T\u00fcrkiye that paid off (also starting Paul Okon-Englster over Jackson Irvine).<\/p>\n \u201cFor me, unfortunately, the decisions made after that probably didn\u2019t come to life like he would have hoped.\u201d<\/p>\n Socceroos FUME after Bos is taken out | 00:30<\/p>\n \u201cI think that\u2019s exactly right,\u201d former Socceroo Tommy Oar replied.<\/p>\n \u201cNot to apportion the blame on him – that\u2019s part of football – but it\u2019s about learning the lessons from those mistakes now.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat Millsy touched on earlier, fundamentally when you go out to win a game of football and that intent is instilled and they have that belief, it\u2019s front foot, attacking football, these things seem to go your way more often than not.<\/p>\n \u201cRather than waiting for something to go wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018GO AND HIT THE BACK OF THE NET\u2019: PENALTY CALL STUNS<\/b><\/p>\n No one will be hurting more than Harry Souttar and Lucas Herrington \u2013 the duo who missed their penalties in the shootout.<\/p>\n For most of the game, the two pair, who formed two-thirds of Australia\u2019s centre back trio alongside Alessandro Circati, were heroic.<\/p>\n Skipper Souttar, who later handed over the captain\u2019s armband to Mat Ryan when he came on the pitch, was the target that led to the own goal for Australia\u2019s equaliser.<\/p>\n At the other end of the pitch, the towering 27-year-old made a pivotal block in the dying minutes of added to extend the contest to extra-time.<\/p>\n As Egypt surged in the final 15 minutes of the extra period, he also made a superb last gasp tackle to deny Mohamed Salah.<\/p>\n While moments later 18-year-old Herrington made an excellent block of his own.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, those efforts to save the game will not be sticking in their minds right now.<\/p>\n Souttar stepped up first in the penalty shootout and blasted his attempt over the bar.<\/p>\n Herrington did likewise when he was Australia\u2019s fourth penalty taker and his miss put Egypt on the brink of victory.<\/p>\n Jackson Irvine and Awer Mabil were the other Socceroos who stepped up to the spot.<\/p>\n Former Scotland midfielder Scott Brown was baffled that striker Mohamed Toure was not one of the four penalty takers.<\/p>\n \u201cAustralia put two centre-backs on penalties,\u201d he said on the BBC.<\/p>\n \u201cYou want to see your strikers go and lead the team and hit the back of the net.<\/p>\n \u201cTour\u00e9 has been on fire for Norwich this season, scoring nine goals.<\/p>\n \u201cGo and hit the back of the net instead of putting an 18-year-old on.\u201d<\/p>\n Former England forward Chris Sutton replied: \u201cThere will be questions about why two centre-backs are stepping up to take the penalties for Australia.\u201d<\/p>\n Socceroos great Robbie Slater was left fuming, saying Herrington should never have been asked to kick in the penalty shootout.<\/p>\n \u201cThe minute Lucas Herrington stepped up for the penalty kick I felt angry. The whole country should be,\u201d Slater wrote for <\/a>CODE Sports<\/a><\/i>.<\/p>\n \u201cThis should never have been put at his feet. With Australia in a penalty shootout for World Cup survival surely someone in the Socceroos brainstrust should have said \u2018do we really want to hang this on an 18-year-old?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Slater declared the fault \u201clies with Australia\u2019s coaching staff\u201d, adding: \u201cThis was a moment that called for experience, hell, even one of our key attacking players.\u201d<\/p>\n Herrington has drawn huge praise this World Cup.<\/p>\n The teenager who joined MLS outfit the Colorado Rapids in January from the Brisbane Roar was linked with Barcelona on the eve of the tournament.<\/p>\n It was also revealed by The Athletic<\/i> that Liverpool has sent scouts to the US to watch him earlier in his club season.<\/p>\n Such a gut-wrenching moment will no doubt be hard to take, but Australian fans will be hoping it can be the making of Herrington, who no doubt has an exciting future ahead of him.<\/p>\n \u201cTwo of the defenders who missed today and unfortunately didn\u2019t force the keeper make a save,\u201d former Matilda Sarah Walsh said on SBS.<\/p>\n \u201cHe is leaning way too much back here. Looks pretty tired. Air-conditioned stadium – but Herrington, so proud of him stepping up to take this.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is no way that Popa would have said, \u201cYou\u2019re going to take it. You\u2019re going to take it.\u201d He would have put his hand up.<\/p>\n \u201cIf anything, it makes me admire him more to put himself in that position. The way he shook it off as well, taking everything in his stride and I\u2019m sure this will be just another learning curve for him. His future will be absolutely incredible and that\u2019s one huge positive we can take from this.\u201d<\/p>\n In a post-game interview, Irvine revealed that it was a set list of penalty takers with each player told which penalty they were going to take.<\/p>\n The midfielder said they have practised at training and it was no spur of the moment decision for Herrington and Souttar to step up. <\/p>\n AUSSIES NOT BOLD ENOUGH AS \u2018CRUCIAL NEXT STEP\u2019 BECOMES CLEAR<\/b><\/p>\n In the end, the Socceroos\u2019 recurring issue of struggling to find the back of the net reared its ugly head once again this World Cup.<\/p>\n Tony Popovic\u2019s team scored three goals in four matches.<\/p>\n The only goal to come from an Australian boot in their last 300 minutes of football was Cameron Burgess\u2019 own goal against the USA.<\/p>\n The Socceroos equalised against Egypt via an own goal.<\/p>\n And a Socceroo has still never scored a goal in a World Cup knockout game \u2013 the goal Graham Arnold\u2019s side scored against Argentina four years ago came via a deflection.<\/p>\n Nestory Irankunda started up front with Connor Metcalfe and Cristian Volpato on either side.<\/p>\n Volpato struck the crossbar from long range in just the fifth minute, while Irankunda once again battled when leading the line.<\/p>\n The 20-year-old is a more natural winger than a No.9, but even when he was replaced by striker Mohamed Toure, Australia\u2019s fortunes did not change.<\/p>\n If a winner was to come in the second half or in extra time, it was always going to come via a header due to the Socceroos\u2019 distinct height advantage.<\/p>\n It was a change of tact from the opening hour when Australia did the bulk of the attacking despite conceding an early goal.<\/p>\n Popovic\u2019s men still managed to have more shots by the end of the 120 minutes.<\/p>\n But in the final hour – spanning across the second half and extra-time – four-time World Cup Socceroo Mark Milligan felt like the Australians went into the shells.<\/p>\n With an equaliser secured, they appeared to look to take the game deep rather than push for a winner.<\/p>\n It led to a sustained period of pressure as Egypt pressed and Mohamed Salah\u2019s team ultimately carried that momentum forward into the shootout.<\/p>\n \u201cWe saw it in the first half that it felt that Egypt did have vulnerabilities when we were more aggressive playing out,\u201d Milligan said on SBS. <\/p>\n \u201cThere were a number of times we threatened, but no one was ahead of Nestor to capitalise on that. <\/p>\n \u201cApart from that early chance in the second half that Egypt had (when Omar Marmoush fired wide), which they probably should have capitalised on, I thought we were much more positive. <\/p>\n \u201cThis group of players is a much better team when playing with that kind of intent, and they got the reward for it – a very, very deserve own goal.<\/p>\n \u201cBut from there, we\u2019ve reverted back to what we\u2019ve come to expect from this side, through qualification and through the World Cup. <\/p>\n \u201cYes, it was disappointing, because, yes, they have good players, world-class players, but we have a fantastic team, fantastic players, a lot of young boys who are very, very promising, and up and coming. <\/p>\n \u201cWe need to back that as well. I think we should have gone into this game with the expectation that we win.\u201d<\/p>\n Milligan\u2019s teammate in Brazil in 2014, Tommy Oar, agreed.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is a misconception when you lose this defensive ability when you have the attacking intent,\u201d he replied. <\/p>\n \u201cIt is exactly the opposite because you spend more time defending. It is a shame going back into the shell in those moments when we have the ascendancy. <\/p>\n \u201cI hope we can learn the lessons from that. It has been a theme over the last 12 months. <\/p>\n \u201cPopa did so well to bring the professionalism but the next step with the ball is a crucial next step.\u201d<\/p>\n WHAT DOES THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE?<\/b><\/p>\n Despite the heartbreak, the future is undoubtedly bright for the Socceroos.<\/p>\n Tony Popovic rolled out three of the five youngest XIs in the tournament in the group stage.<\/p>\n While only Cote d\u2019Ivoire\u2019s squad was younger this World Cup.<\/p>\n In Australia\u2019s sole win of the tournament against T\u00fcrkiye, seven of the starting XI were aged 23 or younger.<\/p>\n That did not even include 18-year-old centre back Lucas Herrington or 22-year-old winger Cristian Volpato.<\/p>\n Herrington has been linked with Barcelona and has attracted interest from Liverpool.<\/p>\n Alessandro Circati has been linked with PSG, Atletico Madrid and several big Italian clubs.<\/p>\n Jordy Bos, who unfortunately had to leave the pitch injured at half-time after a dangerous challenge, had received plenty of speculation about a move from Dutch side Feyenoord to the Premier League.<\/p>\n While only yesterday, reports emerged of Watford rejecting an offer of almost $20 million for Nestory Irankunda from newly promoted Premier League outfit Hull.<\/p>\n There are clearly going to be Australia\u2019s playing in Europe\u2019s top five leagues in the near future.<\/p>\n But if they are to translate club success to international level, former Socceroo Mark Milligan believes the nation cannot assess simply competing at World Cups as being a pass mark.<\/p>\n \u201cThere moments are hard to see. I don\u2019t like seeing them. I\u2019ve lived those moments as well and we are now seeing it again,\u201d Milligan said on SBS.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen are we as a nation, as a federation as well, going to decide who we are and when we qualify, will that always be enough? What do we want moving forward?<\/p>\n \u201cLike I said, with this group of players, especially and Popa has done a fantastic job with them and getting them to where they are.<\/p>\n \u201cBut over the past 10 years, Ange to Arnie. Very good and different, different to Popa who is again a shift in what\u2019s happening. Looking at the continuity of what countries are trying to build because they have a clear approach.\u201d<\/p>\n Australia\u2019s Asian rivals Japan famously have a 100-year strategy for their football that ensures players are clear on expectations from a very young age.<\/p>\n That method will be put to the test against Popovic\u2019s team and other regional contenders in Saudi Arabia next year.<\/p>\n The only Australian XI at a World Cup to be younger than Popovic\u2019s against Turkiye was Ange Postecoglou\u2019s against Spain in 2014.<\/p>\n That group won the Asian Cup on home soil a year later.<\/p>\n Popovic must surely have his eye on silverware.<\/p>\n \u201cTo be fair to Popa, they\u2019ve just re-signed him and they\u2019ve got an Asian Cup coming up,\u201d former Matilda Sarah Walsh said on SBS. <\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s see what happens there. He finally has a team together with continuity. Yes, it was a fantastic run.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve played a lot of friendlies over that time, but I think the real test is Asian Cup there are expectations that they do really well and win that.\u201d<\/p>\n Milligan stressed that Football Australia must look more broadly to unlock the solutions to success, however.<\/p>\n \u201cAgain, is it on Popa? Or us as a footballing federation to come out and be clear?\u201d he pondered.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve watched this now as a fan. I want to know what the future of Australian football looks like.<\/p>\n \u201cAt this very moment in time, the crop of players he has, I think we\u2019ve been in the best place we\u2019ve been since the golden generation.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI agree completely. The shorter piece of how Popa should evolve this team moving forward, we don\u2019t do enough to create opportunities to score goals,\u201d former Socceroo Tommy Oar replied.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot from Bos and Toure in the front third and expecting miracles from them, I guess you could say, to get past. There is no repetition from us to have a formula to break down opposition teams and getting better in that formula, having accountability and how you can improve in that methodology. That\u2019s part of the next step and part of the evolution, to your point.\u201d<\/p>\n BEACH\u2019S HISTORIC DISPLAY<\/b><\/p>\n If the team of the tournament was chosen right now, there might be an Australian in it.<\/p>\n At least based on statistics, there should be.<\/p>\n Socceroos goalkeeper Patrick Beach is statistically the best goalkeeper of the World Cup so far.<\/p>\n The 22-year-old, who plies his trade for Melbourne City, prevented 2.2 goals this tournament, according to Opta stats.<\/p>\n More than any other shot stopper.<\/p>\n Beach looked like he was Australia\u2019s hero when he pulled off a remarkable save in the dying minutes of added time.<\/p>\n His one-handed tip over the bar with catlike reflexes is not the only save that will be added to his highlights reel this tournament.<\/p>\n There was also his superb full-stretched dive against T\u00fcrkiye where he got fingertips onto the ball to edge a long-range rocket into the post.<\/p>\n Conceding three goals in four games, including keeping two clean sheets, was the best ever return by a Socceroos goalkeeper at a World Cup.<\/p>\n The fact it came when he was expected to simply make up the numbers this tournament makes it all the more remarkable.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to be honest with the young ones who have come through, it was a massive, massive call to leave Maty Ryan out when he did,\u201d former Socceroo Tommy Oar said on SBS.<\/p>\n \u201cMaty Ryan did nothing to warrant that. Coming off the back of a fantastic season. Again, if it weren\u2019t for Beach, this tournament would have looked a lot different from this game.\u201d<\/p>\n Beach did not get the chance to try save Australia in the penalty shootout as Popovic entrusted Ryan for the biggest moment of the campaign.<\/p>\n Regardless, that decision will not take away from the fact that clubs aboard will surely come knocking for the youngster, who has still only played six times at international level.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, the transfer on his head is big now,\u201d Newcastle Jets manager Mark Milligan said on SBS.<\/p>\n \u201cPlaying at Melbourne City, I would be very shocked if he doesn\u2019t get a move abroad after what he has done on the biggest stage of all. Pressure does not seem to affect him.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n