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The moment Tony Popovic finally gathered his maiden Socceroos squad, the fresh coach outlined a range of standards. Most were unambiguous and to the point – perfect given the upheaval around his sudden arrival, in the wake of Graham Arnold’s resignation, and with fewer than three weeks to prepare for vital 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against China and Japan.

Popovic asserted that any player who hoped to wear a Socceroos shirt would need to take on an “premier” mindset to earn, or maintain that honour. But there was another message. Not so much an order and more an evocation – and one that has been brought sharper into view with each step taken on the journey towards the World Cup in North America.

“My visions were to do something special, in my first talk to the players,” Popovic says. “That remains the same.”

A little more than a year on from that team talk in an Adelaide hotel, plenty of other things have changed, even if Popovic’s ambitions are the same. The coach, for one, appears genuinely settled as Socceroos head. The 52-year-old’s image for austerity stands in stark contrast with the open and at times light-hearted figure speaking freely for over an hour in what have become semi-regular sit-downs with football media. Likewise have the results of his team improved, with thoughts of a setback to Bahrain and stalemate with Indonesia appearing fairly remote after wins 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 snapped away by the United States earlier this month. It’s momentum that has taken the Socceroos to the unlikely brink of entering pot two in the World Cup draw. The performances of November warm-up matches against Venezuela, at the moment ranked 50th in the world, and 13th-ranked Colombia – as well as Ecuador’s games against Canada and New Zealand, and the final games of European qualifying – loom large in this respect.

While Popovic concedes that he began in the job thinking to only be able to depend on a main squad of players, he now thinks the pool he can trust has expanded. This isn’t just through the rise of youngsters such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as real international players. There are also the examples of Miloš Degenek’s comeback from the wilderness and Paul Izzo’s blossoming into a true Socceroos keeper with the ability to compete with Maty Ryan.

“The squad has totally 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 really have much outside of this. Just manage and make them better.’ Now, I believe like there are 15, 20 players that have come into that, and I’m certain there are additional ones to come that I believe can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This unforeseen emergence of talent, and the change 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 hold out hope that, by June next year, they could be on the roster. A player like Adrian Segečić might be about to be absent for a month of playing due to an ankle injury, but if he – or any other player – persists to play consistently, then the coach is making clear they’re every chance of being part of his plans.

“I don’t want to put a cap or a halt on that – to reveal 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 believe that they have an possibility. Why can’t there be another player that joins in June?”

But this growth, in a way, brings us back to Popovic’s introductory speech as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to impress him, to do something remarkable and go beyond the expectations others have for them, he wants his team to have the same attitude.

“Saying I want to do something special is just ‘we don’t want to have limits’,” Popovic says. “We don’t want to confine ourselves into ‘let’s be participants 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 a long way in the World Cup. And why not this group? Why do we have to wait two or three World Cups, when I’m sitting back and cheering something exceptional from the Socceroos? Why should we have restrictions? Why not do it now?”