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The moment Tony Popovic finally brought together his maiden Socceroos squad, the recently appointed coach detailed a series of expectations. Most were clear and direct – suitable given the upheaval around his abrupt entry, in the wake of Graham Arnold’s resignation, and with under three weeks to get ready for crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers against China and Japan.

Popovic maintained that any player who hoped to pull on a Socceroos shirt would need to take on an “top-tier” attitude to deserve, or maintain that distinction. But there was another point. More an inspiration and more an evocation – and one that has been cast clearer into perspective with each step taken on the road towards the World Cup in North America.

“My visions were to do something remarkable, in my introductory 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, a lot of other things have changed, even if Popovic’s expectations remain the same. The coach, for one, looks genuinely at home as Socceroos head. The 52-year-old’s standing for strictness sharply contrasts with the approachable and at times cheerful figure engaging openly for over an hour in what have become periodic discussions with football media. Similarly have the fortunes of his team changed, with memories of a loss to Bahrain and stalemate with Indonesia appearing fairly distant after wins over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June guaranteed the Socceroos’ spot in next year’s international tournament.

Those victories came as part of an 11-game winning 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 unexpected edge of crashing pot two in the World Cup draw. The results of November warm-up matches against Venezuela, at the moment positioned 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 – are significant in this context.

Although Popovic admits that he began in the job assuming to only be able to rely on a core group of players, he now feels the pool he can call upon has expanded. This doesn't only come through the rise of young players such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as real international players. There are also the examples of Miloš Degenek’s reappearance from the obscurity and Paul Izzo’s development into a bona fide Socceroos keeper with the potential to compete with Maty Ryan.

“The squad has totally changed in my mind – of what’s achievable with players that have come in,” Popovic says. “I first thought, ‘OK, this is my group; I don’t truly 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 others to come that I feel can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This unexpected emergence of talent, and the transformation in outlook it has brought about in Popovic, has opened the door for players on the fringes of the squad. Even those not yet considered amongst those group can remain optimistic 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 – keeps to perform regularly, then the coach is emphasizing they’re in with a shot of being part of his plans.

“I don’t want to put a cap or a stop 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 chance. Why can’t there be one more player that joins in June?”

But this expansion, in a way, leads back to Popovic’s initial address as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to exceed expectations him, to do something outstanding and go beyond the expectations others have for them, he wants his team to have the same mindset.

“Saying I want to do something special is just ‘we don’t want to have limits’,” Popovic says. “We don’t want to pigeonhole ourselves into ‘let’s be participants at the World Cup, and let’s go home and congratulate ourselves for being there’.

“I emphasize 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 sitting back and cheering something special from the Socceroos? Why should we have limits? Why not do it now?”