ABC News
[ Source: ABC News ]
Amidst the steamy euphoria of the Socceroos’ direct qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, coach Tony Popovic allowed himself a smile.
And my word hasn’t he earned it!
But barely hidden in that smile was another layer of steely resolve that suggested this special Socceroos team was not done yet.
“We’ve done the first part, qualifying automatically,” Popovic told Paramount+ at full time of the Socceroos’ come-from-behind 2-1 victory in Jeddah.
“Now, the next part is to be bigger and better at the World Cup.”
Better may be subjective — personnel is unlikely to change dramatically in the next 12 months or so before the tournament kicks off — and in some regards, there is little to improve.
World Cups are, of course, hard-won by some of the greatest names in world football with the sort of depth that Australian fans can only dream of.
But tournaments are not the places to be flashy.
Character matters almost as much as skill.
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