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Who made the final 26-man Socceroos World Cup squad?

IA

Ian Ransom

Published 3 weeks ago

Former Italy under-20 international Cristian Volpato's last-minute decision to switch allegiance to Australia has ⁠paid off with inclusion in Tony Popovic's World Cup squad.

[p]The Italy-based playmaker, who turned down a chance to play for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/australia/xSrf6qMM/"]Australia[/a] ‌at the 2022 World Cup, is one of two uncapped players in the squad, ‌along with Japan-based striker Tete [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/yengi-kusini/SrcFKJ6h/"]Yengi[/a] who was a surprise ‌call-up to the team's pre-tournament camp in Florida.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/volpato-cristian/2B5YqXFG/"]Volpato[/a] only joined the squad ‌early on Saturday, a day after his decision to ditch [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/italy/hlKvieGH/"]‌Italy[/a] was confirmed by Football Australia.[/p][p]Yengi, the younger brother of fellow Australia forward Kusini Yengi, was selected after missing the 1-0 friendly loss to World Cup ‌co-hosts [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mexico/O6iHcNkd/"]Mexico[/a] at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.[/p][p]Popovic ⁠had telegraphed the core of ‌his squad from his selections at the Sarasota camp but had a ​few hard choices to make after the Mexico defeat.[/p][p]He ultimately decided on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/beach-patrick/d6MmYtl5/"]Patrick Beach[/a] as his third goalkeeper at the ​expense of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gauci-joe/vu6c27jr/"]Joe Gauci[/a], with captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ryan-mathew/YBLvziIh/"]Mat Ryan[/a] to start in the Socceroos goal and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/izzo-paul/v5z7HY7j/"]Paul Izzo[/a] to deputise.[/p][embed guid="f57ae76e-dd98-40e2-a924-1cada950a666" url="https://x.com/Socceroos/status/2061183458882490827" social-type="twitter" /][p]Yengi's inclusion meant no ⁠place for forward [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/borrello-brandon/4lYfHs3S/"]Brandon ​Borrello[/a], while winger [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/boyle-martin/f7Wzffpk/"]Martin Boyle[/a] was also cut four years after an injury ruined his hopes of playing at Qatar 2022.[/p][p]Defender [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rowles-kye/dppVYtQu/"]Kye Rowles[/a] also missed out on the 26-man squad.[/p][p]"[b]Some difficult decisions had to be ‌made – that’s the nature of major tournaments,[/b]" Popovic said in a statement.[/p][p]"[b]But it’s also a credit to all the players involved over the past few weeks who worked extremely hard during an extended and challenging pre-camp.[/b]"[/p][p]The squad includes 17 World Cup debutants, including 18-year-old defender [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/herrington-lucas/4ApZ8wCi/"]Lucas Herrington[/a] and 21-year-old [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sydney-fc/6JsBlXVI/"]Sydney FC[/a] midfielder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/okon-engstler-paul/2TYezBuo/"]Paul Okon-Engstler[/a] who was rewarded for good form in the A-League.[/p][p]Central defender [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/souttar-harry/Aw73uj0d/"]Harry Souttar[/a] and winger [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/leckie-mathew/pxSEDSGF/"]Mathew Leckie[/a], Australia's heroes at Qatar 2022, have been included ‌after coming back from long battles with injury.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/melbourne-victory/Qql6CzOP/"]Melbourne Victory[/a]'s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/velupillay-nishan/fahbBTEI/"]Nishan Velupillay[/a] ​and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mabil-awer/EZJnz8L7/"]Awer Mabil[/a] join [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/irankunda-nestor/OdWRR5EU/"]Nestory Irankunda[/a] and striker [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/toure-mohamed/SfbYnjVB/"]Mohamed Toure[/a] ‌in Popovic's forward setup.[/p][h2]Australia World Cup squad: [/h2][p]Patrick Beach, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/behich-aziz/pnjldJ6K/"]Aziz Behich[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bos-jordan/fZFBMyjl/"]Jordan Bos[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/burgess-cameron/xrp5IqqC/"]Cameron Burgess[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/circati-alessandro/x0EJsbc8/"]Alessandro Circati[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/degenek-milos/n1S8eZb9/"]Milos Degenek[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/devlin-cameron/AB6yoWr5/"]Cameron Devlin[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/geria-jason/EFDlG9Go/"]Jason Geria[/a], Lucas Herrington, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hrustic-ajdin/phFkXFtU/"]Ajdin Hrustic[/a], Nestory Irankunda, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/irvine-jackson/SvwMecZH/"]Jackson Irvine[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/italiano-jacob/x2rPoBfJ/"]Jacob Italiano[/a], Paul Izzo, Mathew Leckie, Awer Mabil, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/metcalfe-connor/zqXaHPUa/"]Connor Metcalfe[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/o-neill-aiden/bucq8fAg/"]Aiden O’Neill,[/a] Paul ⁠Okon-Engstler, Mat Ryan, Harry Souttar, ⁠Mohamed Toure, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/trewin-kai/GGToShT2/"]Kai Trewin[/a], Nishan ‌Velupillay, Cristian Volpato, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/yengi-tete/YTFoCLya/"]Tete Yengi[/a][/p]

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