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As soon as Tony Popovic finally brought together his maiden Socceroos squad, the fresh coach presented a set of expectations. The majority were unambiguous and concise – suitable given the upheaval around his unexpected arrival, following Graham Arnold’s exit, and with under three weeks to get ready for vital 2026 World Cup fixtures against China and Japan.

Popovic insisted that any player who aimed to wear a Socceroos shirt would need to embrace an “elite” mindset to secure, or continue to earn that distinction. But there was a further point. Less a demand and more an evocation – and one that has been cast sharper into focus with each step taken on the journey towards the World Cup in North America.

“My visions were to do something extraordinary, in my introductory talk to the players,” Popovic says. “That stays constant.”

A little more than a year on from that meeting in an Adelaide hotel, many of other things have shifted, even if Popovic’s goals are the same. The coach, for one, appears really at home as Socceroos head. The 52-year-old’s reputation for austerity differs greatly with the open and at times jovial figure engaging openly for over an hour in what have become semi-regular sit-downs with football media. Similarly have the results of his team changed, with recollections of a setback to Bahrain and tie with Indonesia seeming quite remote after successes over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June guaranteed the Socceroos’ place in next year’s international tournament.

Those wins came as part of an 11-game undefeated streak under Popovic, one that was only broken away by the United States earlier this month. It’s performance that has taken the Socceroos to the surprising precipice of crashing pot two in the World Cup draw. The results of November exhibition games against Venezuela, currently positioned 50th in the world, and 13th-ranked Colombia – as well as Ecuador’s games against Canada and New Zealand, and the remaining games of European qualifying – loom large in this respect.

Although Popovic admits that he arrived in the job thinking to only be able to count on a main squad of players, he now thinks the selection he can call upon has grown. This doesn't only come through the emergence of young players such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as real international players. There are also the cases of Miloš Degenek’s return from the sidelines and Paul Izzo’s growth into a bona fide Socceroos keeper with the potential to challenge Maty Ryan.

“The squad has entirely changed in my mind – of what’s achievable with players that have entered,” Popovic says. “I first thought, ‘OK, this is my group; I don’t fully have much outside of this. Just manage and make them better.’ Now, I feel like there are 15, 20 players that have entered that, and I’m certain there are more to come that I trust can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This unexpected rise of talent, and the shift in mindset it has inspired in Popovic, has opened the door for players on the fringes of the squad. Even those not yet regarded amongst those circle can remain optimistic that, by June next year, they could be on the roster. 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 perform regularly, then the coach is stating plainly they’re in with a shot of being part of his plans.

“I don’t want to put a limit or a halt on that – to declare in March that this is our squad, and there may be one or two more new faces,” Popovic says. “No, I want every player to feel that they have an chance. Why can’t there be an additional player that joins in June?”

But this broadening, in a way, brings us back to Popovic’s first talk as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to impress him, to do something outstanding and rise above the predictions 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 boundaries’,” Popovic says. “We don’t want to confine ourselves into ‘let’s be contenders at the World Cup, and let’s go home and celebrate for being there’.

“I repeat 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 observing and praising something remarkable from the Socceroos? Why should we have restrictions? Why not do it now?”