Australia have always been capable of surprising the world on the biggest stage. From the Socceroos’ legendary run to the quarter-finals in 2006 to Mathew Leckie’s iconic goal against Denmark in 2022, this is a nation that finds a way to punch above its weight when it matters most.
Under Tony Popovic, the Socceroos arrive at the 2026 FIFA World Cup as one of the most interestingly constructed squads in the tournament. Seventeen players are set to make their World Cup debut, but the experienced core of Mathew Ryan, Jackson Irvine, and Leckie brings the tournament know-how to guide them through.
Australia are in Group D alongside the United States, Paraguay, and Turkey. Here are the 10 best Australian soccer players at the 2026 World Cup.
1. Mathew Ryan — Goalkeeper (Captain)
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 34 | Club: Levante (Spain)
Mathew Ryan is the captain, the most experienced player in the squad with 104 caps, and at the 2026 World Cup he equals the Australian record held by Tim Cahill and Mark Milligan by appearing at his fourth tournament.
His career has taken him through Valencia, Brighton, Arsenal, Real Sociedad, and now Levante in La Liga, where he helped the club retain their top-flight status in 2025/26. He has been Australia’s number one for over a decade, and his ability to organise a defence and perform under knockout pressure is the foundation Popovic builds everything around.
He is one of the best goalkeepers the Socceroos have ever produced and the calm authority this squad needs.
2. Jackson Irvine — Midfielder
Position: Midfielder
Age: 33 | Club: FC St. Pauli (Germany)
Jackson Irvine is Australia’s midfield leader and one of the most important players in this squad. With 82 caps and 14 international goals, his double-figure goal return from midfield tells you everything about his contribution at both ends.
He captains FC St. Pauli in the Bundesliga and is heading to his third World Cup. He sets the tempo, covers enormous ground, and organises Australia’s pressing from the centre of the park. Without the injured Riley McGree, his leadership becomes even more critical.
He is one of the best central midfielders Australian football has produced and one of the most durable players in this squad.
3. Mathew Leckie — Forward
Position: Forward/Winger
Age: 35 | Club: Melbourne City (Australia)
Mathew Leckie is a Socceroos legend heading to his fourth World Cup alongside Mathew Ryan. His goal against Denmark in the 2022 Round of 16 is one of the most iconic moments in Australian football history.
With 80 caps and 14 international goals, he has been an ever-present on the Australian right flank for over a decade. Now at Melbourne City at 35, his experience in counter-attacking situations remains valuable. Australia’s threat on the break runs through him, and Popovic will be counting on him to deliver one more defining moment.
He is one of the best footballers over 35 at this World Cup and the heartbeat of the Socceroos attack.
4. Nestory Irankunda — Forward
Position: Winger/Forward
Age: 20 | Club: Watford (England)
Nestory Irankunda is the most exciting Australian footballer to emerge in years. Born in Kigoma, Tanzania to Burundian refugee parents and raised in Adelaide, his story is remarkable before his talent is even considered.
He left Adelaide United to join Bayern Munich as a teenager in 2024, breaking the A-League transfer record, before joining Watford in 2025. He scored twice as a substitute in Australia’s 5-1 win over Curaçao in March and has 5 goals from 15 caps. His pace and finishing make him the most explosive attacking threat in this squad.
He is one of the most exciting generational talents at this tournament and one of the fastest players in Group D.
5. Harry Souttar — Defender
Position: Centre-Back
Age: 27 | Club: Leicester City (England)
Harry Souttar is Australia’s most physically dominant defender and one of the most dangerous aerial threats in the entire squad despite playing centre-back. With 38 caps and 11 international goals, his goal return from defence is exceptional and reflects his impact at set pieces, both defensively and offensively.
Scottish-born but committed to Australia, he has twice recovered from major injuries just in time to perform at a World Cup. He missed large portions of the 2025/26 Championship season with Leicester, but his ability to dominate in the air and organise the defensive line gives Australia the defensive foundation to compete with any attack in Group D.
He is one of the brothers who play for soccer a different country as his brother plays for Scotland.
He is one of the best centre-backs at this tournament and one of the most physically imposing defenders Australia has ever sent to a World Cup.
6. Ajdin Hrustic — Midfielder/Forward
Position: Attacking Midfielder
Age: 29 | Club: Heracles Almelo (Netherlands)
Ajdin Hrustic went into the 2022 World Cup as a Europa League winner with Eintracht Frankfurt and he enters 2026 as one of Australia’s most technically gifted players in the attacking third.
Now at Heracles Almelo in the Dutch Eredivisie after spells at Hellas Verona and other European clubs, Hrustic has 37 caps and 4 international goals. His passing range and ability to create from deep or from the right flank are qualities that Popovic relies on heavily in his attacking structure.
He is one of the best playmakers Australia has and provides the creative link between midfield and the forwards that makes Australia’s attack function.
7. Awer Mabil — Winger
Position: Winger
Age: 30 | Club: Castellón (Spain)
Awer Mabil scored one of the penalties in the shootout against Peru that sent Australia to the 2022 World Cup and remains one of the most important attacking players in this squad. With 38 caps and 10 international goals, his record reflects the consistent threat he poses in wide areas.
After seven years in Denmark and a spell at Cádiz in La Liga, he now plays for Castellón in Spain. His strength, stamina, and agility on the left wing give Popovic real width and directness in his system. He is one of the most direct dribblers in the squad and one of Australia’s most experienced wide threats.
8. Jordan Bos — Defender
Position: Left-Back/Wing-Back
Age: 23 | Club: Feyenoord (Netherlands)
Jordan Bos is one of the most exciting young defenders Australian football has produced in years. He plays his club football at Feyenoord in the Eredivisie, one of the most attacking-minded clubs in European football, which tells you exactly the kind of full-back he is.
With 27 caps and an impressive 4 international goals for a defender, Bos is dynamic going forward, capable of delivering quality crosses and contributing with goals. He scored the winner against Cameroon in Australia’s March friendly, showing he is in form heading into the tournament. He is one of the best young full-backs in Australian history.
9. Mohamed Touré — Forward
Position: Forward
Age: 22 | Club: Norwich City (England)
Mohamed Touré is one of the most exciting young strikers to emerge from Australian football and his inclusion in this squad represents a significant vote of confidence from Popovic. With 10 caps and 2 international goals at just 22, he plays in the EFL Championship with Norwich City and has developed rapidly.
He is strong, mobile, and capable of playing as a centre-forward or off the wing. In a squad where established strikers are scarce, Touré’s emergence gives Popovic a genuine option in the attacking third and a player capable of producing the unexpected moment that changes a World Cup group game.
He is one of the most promising young players at the 2026 World Cup and a player the Australian football community believes will be a fixture in the Socceroos for the next decade.
10. Connor Metcalfe — Midfielder
Position: Midfielder
Age: 26 | Club: FC St. Pauli (Germany)
Connor Metcalfe plays alongside Jackson Irvine at FC St. Pauli in the Bundesliga, and the two form one of the most effective club-and-country midfield partnerships in the squad. With 36 caps and experience in the Bundesliga, Metcalfe provides energy, discipline, and coverage that allows Irvine and the more attacking players to express themselves.
He is tenacious in the press, covers the ground quickly, and is a consistent performer who gives Popovic the midfield reliability needed in a group that features the host nation and physical opponents. He is one of the best defensive midfielders Australia have.
Conclusion
Australia arrive at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with their best mix of experience and youth in years. Ryan, Leckie, and Irvine have been here before and know what it takes. Irankunda and Bos represent a generation of Socceroos talent that is only getting started.
Group D is tough, but Australia have shown before that they can shock the world. A result against Turkey in their opener would set the tone for a memorable tournament.
Other players worth watching include Alessandro Circati, Cristian Volpato, Aziz Behich, and Miloš Degenek.
Who do you think will be Australia’s standout player at the 2026 World Cup? Let us know in the comments!
