SARASOTA, Florida -- Australia have been dealt a major blow ahead of the World Cup after confirmation that attacker Riley McGree will miss the tournament through injury.
McGree, 27, was forced off with an injury in the 76th minute of Middlesbrough's playoff final loss to Hull on Saturday and watched on from the sidelines as Boro went on to lose in heartbreaking fashion after Oli McBurnie's dramatic 95th-minute winner.
An anticipated starter for Australia at the World Cup, his exit from that fixture sent an immediate jolt through a pre-tournament training camp the Socceroos have been staging in the Florida city of Sarasota -- a camp that Mcgree likely would have already been at if not for Southampton being booted from the playoffs over the "spygat" scandal.
And just over 48 hours on from his exit at Wembley, national team staff confirmed on Monday afternoon that the injury the Gawler-native suffered was set to keep him out of the World Cup.
He becomes the fourth Australian ruled out of the tournament through injury in recent weeks, with Hayden Matthews and Nick D'Agostino already having departed camp with knocks, and Patrick Yazbek suffering a quad injury in the warm ups of Nashville's Concacaf Champions Cup loss to Tigres in early May.
McGree's absence represents a major blow to Australian coach Tony Popovic, who was expected to utilise the South Australian as one of his inverted wingers throughout June.
The attacker previously provided the assist for Mat Leckie's goal that defeated Denmark and secured Australia's progression to the knockout stages of the 2022 World Cup, as well as set up Aziz Behich for the goal that defeated Japan and all-but secured qualification for this tournament last June.
Leckie shapes up as one of the potential replacements for McGree in the Australian XI, with Connor Metcalfe of St Pauli, Hibernian winger Martin Boyle, CD Castellón's Awer Mabil, Melbourne Victory attacker Nishan Velupillay, and Watford flyer Nestory Irankunda other potential options.
Australia will name their final 26-player squad for the World Cup on June 1, following a friendly against Mexico at Los Angeles' Rose Bowl on May 30.
The Socceroos will then open their tournament proper against Türkiye in Vancouver on June 13, before facing co-hosts the United States in Seattle on June 19 and Paraguay in Santa Clara on June 25.
With the last European club seasons concluding over the weekend, it's anticipated that the final additions to the team's pre-camp extended squad will jet into Florida in the coming 24 hours, with a selection of players also set to depart as Popovic begins to zero in on his final 26.
