Don’t panic, Australia. Popovic says Socceroos are ‘ready’ for the real thing

June 7, 2026 — 10:59am

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San Diego: If you’re looking at Australia’s pre-World Cup form and you’re only focused on the result, you’re doing it wrong.

That is, at least, what coach Tony Popovic wants you to think. He says he got everything he wanted out of the Socceroos’ 1-1 draw against Switzerland, describing it as an “exercise” in preparation - and not a true measure of where they sit a week out from their first game of the tournament against Turkey.

Fans who got up early back home on Sunday morning (AEST) would have preferred to watch a more complete performance from the Socceroos, but that’s not what this was about.

For Popovic and his coaching staff, this was just another brick in the wall they are trying to build with a squad of mostly World Cup first-timers; another training session (albeit an opposed one, against by the world’s No.19-ranked side) in their lead-in to next weekend’s World Cup opener against Turkey.

This was a dress rehearsal, but only in a logistical sense. Both Australia and Switzerland play a game at the World Cup starting at midday local time - for the Socceroos, it’s their second Group D fixture against the United States - so they agreed to treat this friendly at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego as a dry run, to see if there are any kinks in their routines that........

© The Sydney Morning Herald