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When Tony Popovic finally gathered his first Socceroos squad, the new coach presented a set of expectations. A lot were straightforward and to the point – ideal given the upheaval around his abrupt appointment, in the wake of Graham Arnold’s departure, and with less than three weeks to get ready for critical 2026 World Cup fixtures against China and Japan.

Popovic maintained that any player who aspired to wear a Socceroos shirt would need to embrace an “elite” attitude to deserve, or keep that distinction. But there was an additional message. Not so much an order and a call to greatness – and one that has been brought clearer into perspective with any step taken on the road towards the World Cup in North America.

“My visions were to do something extraordinary, in my introductory talk to the players,” Popovic says. “That remains the same.”

A little more than a year on from that gathering in an Adelaide hotel, many of other things have shifted, even if Popovic’s expectations are the same. The coach, for one, seems genuinely settled as Socceroos boss. The 52-year-old’s image for strictness sharply contrasts with the open and at times light-hearted figure engaging openly for over an hour in what have become periodic sit-downs with football media. So too have the performances of his team progressed, with memories of a setback to Bahrain and stalemate with Indonesia feeling rather far off after successes over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June guaranteed the Socceroos’ berth in next year’s worldwide tournament.

Those wins came as part of an 11-game winning streak under Popovic, one that was only broken away by the United States earlier this month. It’s momentum that has taken the Socceroos to the surprising precipice of crashing pot two in the World Cup draw. The performances of November warm-up matches against Venezuela, currently ranked 50th in the world, and 13th-ranked Colombia – as well as Ecuador’s games against Canada and New Zealand, and the remaining games of European qualifying – are significant in this regard.

While Popovic concedes that he started in the job expecting to only be able to rely on a core group of players, he now thinks the group he can trust has grown. This doesn't only come through the emergence of youngsters such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as genuine international players. There are also the examples of Miloš Degenek’s reappearance from the obscurity and Paul Izzo’s growth into a bona fide Socceroos keeper with the capability to push Maty Ryan.

“The squad has entirely changed in my mind – of what’s achievable with players that have come in,” Popovic says. “I first thought, ‘OK, this is my group; I don’t fully have much apart from this. Just get by and make them better.’ Now, I believe like there are 15, 20 players that have entered that, and I’m certain there are others to come that I trust can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This unforeseen rise of talent, and the transformation in outlook it has brought about in Popovic, has paved the way for players on the fringes of the squad. Even those not yet viewed among those group can hold out hope that, come June next year, they could be on the roster. A player like Adrian Segečić might be about to be absent for a month of playing due to an ankle injury, but if he – or any other player – continues to play regularly, then the coach is emphasizing they’re in with a shot of being part of his plans.

“I don’t want to put a restriction or a halt on that – to announce in March that this is our squad, and there may be one or two more additions,” Popovic says. “No, I want every player to know that they have an possibility. Why can’t there be an additional player that comes in in June?”

But this expansion, in a way, brings us back to Popovic’s introductory speech as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to exceed expectations him, to do something outstanding and exceed the predictions others have for them, he wants his team to have the same attitude.

“Saying I want to do something special is just ‘we don’t want to have limits’,” Popovic says. “We don’t want to box ourselves into ‘let’s be participants at the World Cup, and let’s go home and celebrate for being there’.

“I keep saying it to the group: one day, Australia will go very far in the World Cup. And why not this group? Why do we have to wait two or three World Cups, when I’m watching and cheering something special from the Socceroos? Why should we have restrictions? Why not do it now?”