The Socceroos have found a new way to compete with the world’s best

September 30, 2026 — 11:30am

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Across 30 years of coaching some of the greatest players and teams the world has ever seen, and having lifted practically every trophy worth winning, there’s not a lot left in soccer that surprises Carlo Ancelotti.

Tony Popovic’s Socceroos, apparently, just did.

“They played differently today,” the Brazil coach said after Tuesday night’s 4-2 result in Brisbane, having detected a clear stylistic shift from Australia since their World Cup campaign a few months ago.

“Honestly, I have to say they pressed really well, with high intensity. They are really well-organised, and they surprised us in this sense ... they put much more pressure in front, and we had more difficulty to build up from the back.

“It’s a really good team, in my opinion, a really good team. I have to say, in modern football there are no easy teams. They are all strong. Maybe you don’t have the quality that we have, but they are really powerful players, well-organised, strong in the duels.

“So: a really good national team.”

These were not empty platitudes from Ancelotti, but external confirmation that what you saw with your own eyes was real.

For long periods, Australia were Brazil’s equal – and not because they were physically aggressive, which they were, but because they dared to play. And while it didn’t deliver a result, the contrast with the way they played at the World Cup was stark, and what it suggests about the future of this team, with January’s Asian Cup on the horizon, is thrilling – especially with the injured Jordan Bos, Mohamed........

© Brisbane Times