"The Socceroos are a reflection of Modern Australia." — Jackson Irvine
A sentiment never felt stronger than the moment Nestory Irankunda raced away, took a perfectly crafted touch in his full stride — taking out two defenders in the process — and coolly slotted past the Türkiye goalkeeper. What followed was a nostalgic moment carrying a message for the present, delivered by the future of this game.
This moment, the victory, and the variety of individuals on the field served up a lesson I have been trying to drive home: that Australian football's pathway up the international chain is drawing on the diversity of this country, producing a diverse range of player profiles and archetypes.
Technically gifted players. Physically blessed players. Tactically astute players. Workmanlike players. Maverick, X-factor profiles. Players who blend all or some of the above. The performance against Türkiye highlighted every one of those variances.
For so long there was a desire to play one way — to replicate exactly what other nations had done overseas — and the results were a frustratingly mixed bag. I believe Australian football got a bit lost trying to be unilateral in its approach to player development and the football being played. And that is simply not our strength. We are a country whose very core is a culmination of different cultures, societies, and ethnic groups. That is where our strength lies.
Where there was nothing but concrete and no soil, we have bloomed flowers — fertilised by effort and resilience. For a country rich in raw resources, we mustn't forget that the minerals to become champions of the world are there. We need to do our best to extract them.
The late, great Johnny Warren once stated: "We have to start talking about when we are going to win World Cups" — a belief echoed by rising centre-back Alessandro Circati. The Australian footballing community knows that its domestic leagues play second and third fiddle to other sporting codes. However, there has always been a bullish belief that Australian football is a sleeping giant waiting for its opportunity to erupt. It is the number one played sport in the nation, and support for overseas leagues like the Premier League and La Liga is enormous. Where the country has been lacking is in the funding, resourcing, and operational execution. As a multicultural society with a strong interest in the game, the intangibles to become a great footballing nation are already there.
Our domestic leagues have had times of hardship. Both the A-League and the NSL went through periods of serious turmoil, with the latter ultimately folding. Those difficult periods are often used as a battering ram to justify why the game doesn't deserve further support. However, despite the volatile nature of our member associations, Football Australia, and our domestic competitions, there have always been stark reminders of what this country can achieve.
The trailblazer Craig Johnston, part of the great Liverpool side of the 1980s. The NSL's success throughout the '90s and into the early 2000s. The Golden Generation and their ventures onto the world stage. The remarkable growth of the A-League throughout the 2010s, which brought the game to new audiences. The 2015 Asian Cup triumph. The emergence of Ange Postecoglou in European management. And now, what looks like a healthy influx of talented players who are ready to take on the world.
The satiating feeling of success when one of our own is flying high is enough to carry us through the dark periods — to sustain the feeling of optimism. The optimism being: if a country like ours, with such erratic and ever-changing football governance, can still produce these moments, why can't we take on board Johnny Warren's challenge and genuinely take on the world? What I will say is this — there is no doubt in my mind that the sentiment of Johnny Warren is one I carry wholeheartedly. With the rich resources and minerals beneath our soil, the capacity to become champions of the world is there.
Composed in possession and a good distributor from deep, strong in the tackle, a good reader of the game, and comfortable defending in wide areas — a well-desired trait for a centre-back in the modern era. Above all, he demonstrated the leadership qualities to marshal a team and carry the nation forward. He showed every one of those qualities against Türkiye.
Tony Popovic is no stranger to deploying a structured and controlled tactical approach. I noted in the build-up that for a team built on executing in moments and being a threat in transition, control had to be emphasised. Players who can slow and quicken the tempo at the appropriate times are a critical element of maximising a transition-based threat. Having too many players going at one pace too often ultimately opens the spaces between the lines and creates defensive vulnerability.
The midfield duo of Aidan O'Neill and Paul Okon-Engstler were able to deliver this balance. This performance was not just about a great off-the-ball effort — it was about effective utilisation of the football. A key part of deploying a low block is holding possession for sustained periods and not conceding too much territory. Constant concession of territory means being pinned further back, leading to even longer periods of defending inside your own box. The distribution of the midfield duo, combined with Circati's composure in possession, were the key elements in the Socceroos retaining the ball, advancing up the field, and finding players in the channels. This also allowed Australia to establish periods of sustained possession through patient build-up from the back — not just through transitions.
The match saw Australia disciplined in their approach with the out-of-possession shape a 5-4-1. The team sat in a flat back five, compact, with little space offered between the lines.
A way to disrupt this shape is to attack the half spaces in behind. A flat five typically gives up space between the centre-back and the wingback on both sides. With operators like Arda Güler and Kenan Yıldız — players capable of creating with minimal space — it was imperative that Australia's two central midfielders tracked runners in those half spaces and stayed diligent throughout.
The compactness between the lines — both vertically and horizontally — was disciplined. However, there are genuine concerns with this approach. Another way to disrupt a flat back five is to stretch it horizontally, creating distance between the defenders. Against a team with better creative quality spread across the pitch and stronger rest defence, the opposition could pin Australia back for extended periods and create gaps between players — a problem compounded significantly if Australia were to concede the opening goal. It is also worth noting that this style of football requires crucial interventions — tackles, interceptions, blocks — at key moments, and a goalkeeper who is elite at shot-stopping. The margin for error is slim.
Against higher-quality opposition, I would like to see an iteration of this structure where Australia transitions to a 4-3-3 in possession — Irankunda and Metcalfe as the wingers, with Circati stepping into the six role when we have the ball. This gives us the ability to have more numbers in midfield, further and longer periods of control and territory, without abandoning the defensive structure that is working.
Prior to Irankunda's goal, I noted that Mo Touré was able to get into a few 1v1 situations with a Turkish defender in the right-hand channels. Although physically gifted with an excellent eye for goal, I felt that Touré's qualities were not ideally suited to attacking defenders in those wide areas. I would prefer to see him in more central positions — using his frame and ability to hold, turn, and link with teammates.
That said, it highlighted something important: the clearest route into dangerous positions for Australia was getting balls into the channels and half spaces, with players making well-timed runs from deep. This, combined with sharp transitions, exposed the Turkish defence time and time again. Turkish defenders were not comfortable defending in wide channels — and when you have individuals like Jordy Bos, Irankunda, and Metcalfe, players who combine great athleticism with the technical quality to execute at pace, those spaces become decisive. Australia were presented with those opportunities, and Australia took them.
The goal. The touch. The composure. A nostalgic moment carrying a message for the present, delivered by the future of Australian football. His natural drift into an inside forward role created a problem Türkiye had no answer to.
Runs from deep. Runs into the channels. Central players who can create and score. Runners who play off them. This Australia team possesses all of those qualities.
A key theme for me throughout this World Cup is runs from deep, runs into the channels, central players who can create and score, and runners capable of playing off them. This Australian team possesses the players with exactly those qualities and traits. The message is clear.
Australia to the World — and back.
2026 World Cup Analysis