Why you probably won’t see your dream Socceroos front three against Paraguay

June 22, 2026 — 11:41am

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San Francisco: Talent is not enough. It never has been for Tony Popovic.

That has been a consistent theme of his time as Socceroos coach: being a good player is not enough, having one good game is not enough, being capable of moments that nobody else can produce is not enough. Not if you can’t produce enough of them.

To earn enough trust to consistently start matches, a player must prove to Popovic that they can execute for 90-plus minutes, and even longer if necessary – and then do it again and again. They must be able to repeat high-intensity efforts, carry out defensive responsibilities and maintain concentration when fatigue sets in. Talent gets you into the squad, reliability gets you into the starting XI, and durability keeps you there.

Which brings us to the defining question of Australia’s 2026 campaign thus far: Why didn’t the Socceroos’ most eye-catching players start against the United States?

The verdict from most observers is that Popovic got it wrong. From Harry Kewell and Mark Schwarzer to Craig Foster and Kevin-Prince Boateng, the overwhelming view from pundits is that he made critical selection errors in the 2-0 defeat that must be rectified on Friday (12pm AEST) against Paraguay.

Specifically, he needs to start any two of Nestory Irankunda, Cristian Volpato or Connor Metcalfe behind Mohamed Toure. To refuse is to commit the unconscionable sin of not “having a go”.

Why won’t Popovic do it? Well, he really would like to. But he believes that, right now, he probably can’t.

In an interview with this masthead before the World Cup began, Popovic effectively anticipated this........

© The Age