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The moment Tony Popovic eventually assembled his first Socceroos squad, the recently appointed coach presented a range of standards. A lot were clear and to the point – suitable considering the turmoil following his unexpected arrival, following Graham Arnold’s exit, and with less than three weeks to prepare for crucial 2026 World Cup fixtures against China and Japan.

Popovic insisted that any player who aimed to pull on a Socceroos shirt would need to adopt an “top-tier” attitude to secure, or keep that distinction. But there was an additional point. Less a demand and more an evocation – and one that has been brought more distinctly into view with every step taken on the road towards the World Cup in North America.

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

Approximately a year on from that meeting in an Adelaide hotel, many of other things have changed, even if Popovic’s ambitions are the same. The coach, for one, seems genuinely comfortable as Socceroos boss. The 52-year-old’s reputation for strictness differs greatly with the open and at times light-hearted figure holding court for over an hour in what have become frequent sit-downs with football media. So too have the results of his team improved, with recollections of a loss to Bahrain and tie with Indonesia seeming rather distant after successes over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June booked the Socceroos’ spot in next year’s worldwide tournament.

Those victories came as part of an 11-game unbeaten run under Popovic, one that was only ended away by the United States earlier this month. It’s form that has taken the Socceroos to the unlikely precipice of breaking into pot two in the World Cup draw. The performances of November warm-up matches against Venezuela, at the moment positioned 50th in the world, and 13th-ranked Colombia – as well as Ecuador’s games against Canada and New Zealand, and the final games of European qualifying – carry weight in this respect.

Even though Popovic concedes that he started in the job assuming to only be able to count on a key players of players, he now believes the selection he can call upon has grown. This doesn't only come through the emergence of youngsters such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as authentic international players. There are also the examples of Miloš Degenek’s return from the obscurity and Paul Izzo’s blossoming into a genuine Socceroos keeper with the ability to compete with Maty Ryan.

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

This unexpected emergence of talent, and the shift in outlook it has inspired in Popovic, has opened the door for players on the fringes of the squad. Even those not yet viewed among those circle can remain optimistic that, come June next year, they could be on the roster. A player like Adrian Segečić might be about to sit out a month of playing due to an ankle injury, but if he – or any other player – keeps to deliver steadily, then the coach is emphasizing they’re every chance of being part of his plans.

“I don’t want to put a cap or a stop on that – to reveal in March that this is our squad, and there may be one or two more inclusions,” Popovic says. “No, I want every player to feel that they have an chance. Why can’t there be an additional player that steps up in June?”

But this broadening, in a way, leads back to Popovic’s initial talk as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to impress him, to do something outstanding and exceed the expectations others have for them, he wants his team to have the same philosophy.

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

“I repeat it to the group: one day, Australia will go deep in the World Cup. And why not this group? Why do we have to wait two or three World Cups, when I’m sitting back and applauding something exceptional from the Socceroos? Why should we have boundaries? Why not do it now?”