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The moment Tony Popovic eventually brought together his initial Socceroos squad, the recently appointed coach outlined a series of requirements. A lot were clear and direct – perfect in light of the turmoil following his abrupt appointment, following Graham Arnold’s resignation, and with fewer than three weeks to get ready for vital 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against China and Japan.

Popovic maintained that any player who hoped to represent in a Socceroos shirt would need to adopt an “elite” mentality to deserve, or keep that honour. But there was an additional point. Not so much an order and an invitation to excel – and one that has been thrown sharper into perspective with any step taken on the journey towards the World Cup in North America.

“My expectations were to do something remarkable, in my first talk to the players,” Popovic says. “That stays constant.”

Approximately a year on from that team talk in an Adelaide hotel, many of other things have changed, even if Popovic’s goals are the same. The coach, for one, appears genuinely at home as Socceroos manager. The 52-year-old’s reputation for austerity sharply contrasts with the expansive and at times cheerful figure engaging openly for over an hour in what have become periodic discussions with football media. Likewise have the performances of his team progressed, with thoughts of a defeat to Bahrain and tie with Indonesia appearing fairly remote after successes over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June booked the Socceroos’ berth in next year’s worldwide tournament.

Those victories 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 performance that has taken the Socceroos to the unlikely brink of crashing pot two in the World Cup draw. The results of November exhibition games against Venezuela, at the moment 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 – loom large in this regard.

Although Popovic admits that he began in the job expecting to only be able to depend on a core group of players, he now thinks the group he can rely on has grown. This isn’t just through the rise of young players such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as real international players. There are also the cases of Miloš Degenek’s return from the sidelines and Paul Izzo’s growth into a genuine Socceroos keeper with the capability to compete with Maty Ryan.

“The squad has entirely changed in my mind – of what’s attainable with players that have entered,” Popovic says. “I first thought, ‘OK, this is my group; I don’t really have much beyond this. Just make it work and make them better.’ Now, I think like there are 15, 20 players that have come into that, and I’m convinced there are additional ones to come that I believe can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This unexpected emergence of talent, and the shift in outlook it has sparked in Popovic, has created opportunities for players on the fringes of the squad. Even those not yet regarded within those ranks can keep faith that, in June next year, they could be on the flight. A player like Adrian Segečić might be about to miss a month of playing due to an ankle injury, but if he – or any other player – keeps to perform steadily, 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 halt on that – to announce 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 feel that they have an chance. Why can’t there be another player that comes in in June?”

But this expansion, in a way, brings us back to Popovic’s initial talk as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to exceed expectations him, to do something remarkable and exceed the predictions 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 pigeonhole ourselves into ‘let’s be participants at the World Cup, and let’s go home and pat each other on the back for being there’.

“I repeat it to the group: one day, Australia will go very far in the World Cup. And why not this group? Why do we have to wait two or three World Cups, when I’m observing and applauding something special from the Socceroos? Why should we have limits? Why not do it now?”