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As soon as Tony Popovic finally brought together his maiden Socceroos squad, the new coach presented a range of requirements. A lot were unambiguous and direct – ideal in light of the disruption around his sudden entry, after Graham Arnold’s departure, and with under three weeks to get ready for vital 2026 World Cup qualifiers against China and Japan.

Popovic asserted that any player who hoped to wear a Socceroos shirt would need to adopt an “top-tier” mindset to deserve, or continue to earn that honour. But there was an additional point. More an inspiration and more an evocation – and one that has been cast clearer into view with each step taken on the path towards the World Cup in North America.

“My expectations were to do something remarkable, in my first talk to the players,” Popovic says. “That stays constant.”

Approximately a year on from that gathering in an Adelaide hotel, plenty of other things have changed, even if Popovic’s goals remain the same. The coach, for one, appears genuinely settled as Socceroos manager. The 52-year-old’s image for discipline stands in stark contrast with the expansive and at times cheerful figure holding court for over an hour in what have become semi-regular discussions with football media. Similarly have the results of his team progressed, with recollections of a loss to Bahrain and draw with Indonesia appearing fairly distant after wins over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June booked the Socceroos’ berth in next year’s worldwide tournament.

Those wins came as part of an 11-game undefeated streak 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 brink of entering pot two in the World Cup draw. The results of November exhibition games against Venezuela, presently placed 50th in the world, and 13th-ranked Colombia – as well as Ecuador’s games against Canada and New Zealand, and the last games of European qualifying – carry weight in this regard.

Although Popovic concedes that he started in the job thinking to only be able to count on a core group of players, he now feels the selection he can trust has swelled. This doesn't only come through the breakthrough of talented youth such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as genuine international players. There are also the likes of Miloš Degenek’s reappearance from the wilderness and Paul Izzo’s growth into a true Socceroos keeper with the capability to challenge Maty Ryan.

“The squad has entirely changed in my mind – of what’s possible with players that have entered,” 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 feel like there are 15, 20 players that have joined that, and I’m convinced there are additional ones to come that I feel can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This unforeseen emergence of talent, and the transformation in thinking it has sparked in Popovic, has created opportunities for players on the edges of the squad. Even those not yet considered amongst those group can keep faith that, by June next year, they could be on the flight. A player like Adrian Segečić might be about to miss a month of playing due to an ankle injury, but if he – or any other player – persists to deliver steadily, then the coach is stating plainly they’re highly likely of being part of his plans.

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

But this broadening, in a way, leads back to Popovic’s first talk as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to surprise him, to do something remarkable and go beyond the expectations others have for them, he wants his team to have the same mindset.

“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 participants at the World Cup, and let’s go home and pat each other on the back for being there’.

“I keep saying 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 watching and applauding something special from the Socceroos? Why should we have restrictions? Why not do it now?”