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The moment Tony Popovic eventually gathered his initial Socceroos squad, the fresh coach presented a series of standards. Most were straightforward and direct – perfect given the disruption surrounding his sudden entry, in the wake of Graham Arnold’s resignation, and with under three weeks to prepare for crucial 2026 World Cup fixtures against China and Japan.

Popovic maintained that any player who aimed to pull on a Socceroos shirt would need to take on an “elite” mindset to earn, or continue to earn that privilege. But there was another message. Not so much an order and an invitation to excel – and one that has been thrown sharper into perspective with each step taken on the road towards the World Cup in North America.

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

A little more than a year on from that gathering in an Adelaide hotel, many of other things have shifted, even if Popovic’s goals remain the same. The coach, for one, seems genuinely at home as Socceroos head. The 52-year-old’s reputation for austerity stands in stark contrast with the open and at times light-hearted figure engaging openly for over an hour in what have become semi-regular discussions with football media. Likewise have the fortunes of his team changed, with memories of a loss to Bahrain and draw with Indonesia appearing fairly far off after successes over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June booked the Socceroos’ spot in next year’s worldwide tournament.

Those victories came as part of an 11-game winning streak under Popovic, one that was only broken away by the United States earlier this month. It’s momentum that has taken the Socceroos to the unlikely precipice of breaking into pot two in the World Cup draw. The performances of November warm-up matches against Venezuela, presently placed 50th in the world, and 13th-ranked Colombia – as well as Ecuador’s games against Canada and New Zealand, and the last games of European qualifying – are significant in this context.

Even though Popovic acknowledges that he started in the job thinking to only be able to depend on a core group of players, he now thinks the group he can trust has swelled. This is not only through the emergence of talented youth such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as genuine international players. There are also the likes of Miloš Degenek’s reappearance from the wilderness and Paul Izzo’s development into a genuine Socceroos keeper with the capability to push Maty Ryan.

“The squad has totally changed in my mind – of what’s possible with players that have come in,” Popovic says. “I first thought, ‘OK, this is my group; I don’t really have much apart from this. Just get by and make them better.’ Now, I feel like there are 15, 20 players that have come into that, and I’m certain there are additional ones to come that I trust can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This surprising appearance of talent, and the transformation in mindset it has inspired in Popovic, has paved the way for players on the periphery of the squad. Even those not yet considered within those circle can keep faith that, by June next year, they could be on the plane. 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 consistently, then the coach is emphasizing 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 additions,” Popovic says. “No, I want every player to believe that they have an possibility. Why can’t there be an additional player that comes in in June?”

But this expansion, in a way, returns us to Popovic’s introductory talk as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to surprise him, to do something special and go beyond the hopes others have for them, he wants his team to have the same philosophy.

“Saying I want to do something special is just ‘we don’t want to have restrictions’,” Popovic says. “We don’t want to box ourselves into ‘let’s be participants at the World Cup, and let’s go home and celebrate 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 watching and cheering something exceptional from the Socceroos? Why should we have limits? Why not do it now?”