The long and winding road the Socceroos have tread to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has come to an end. Does this give us a time to pause? To stop, touch the grass, and just be present for a while? Not on your life, because the grind of football is unyielding and there's always scope to look forward and wonder what might come next. Thus, with memories of Australia's heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat to Egypt still fresh, ESPN has taken a way-too-early look at who might be running out for the Socceroos when the next World Cup kicks off in 2030.
In truth, projections such as these, written so far out from the tournament, serve more as time capsules than accurate means of forecast. If a week is a long time in football, then four years is an age, and it's practically an inevitability that some players will fall from contention in the cycle to come, a few will pick up injuries, others will stick around longer than anticipated, and a handful will come from nowhere. Few would have picked Patrick Beach or Lucas Herrington to start at the 2026 World Cup in 2022, for instance, and they'd have been right not to, given that neither had yet made their professional debuts.
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But one of the reasons looking ahead to 2030 is such an appealing concept is because the age profile of the squad assembled in North America is such that Australia should, ostensibly, be a much-improved unit come the start of that tournament. Eight members of Popovic's recent squad, for instance, were all aged 23 or under, and all of them started at least one game. With four years to grow and improve with regular football at both club and international level, the theory goes that they'll be much-better players come the next World Cup.
This means that, while it's not as exciting as envisioning wholesale changes and getting lost in the appeal of potential, there should be a decent level of continuity in the squad across the next four years. Some youngsters will emerge, no doubt, and press their cases if they can find regular senior minutes, preferably at a decent level. Other players that are currently in their primes will transition into serving as older figures of leadership and experience, replacing those who call time on their careers.
Now, in keeping with the longstanding policy associated with ESPN's Socceroos Depth Charts, players who are currently representing another nation are not listed. This means that while players such as Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli (Chelsea, England), Antonio Arena (AS Roma, Italy), or Gianluca Okon-Engstler (Club Brugge, Italy) could end up representing Australia by the time the next World Cup rolls around, they're not included as they're currently playing in the junior international setups of other nations. Once they decide otherwise, a decision they should be allowed to make without undue external noise and pressure, they can then come into consideration.
With that said, though, here's ESPN's way-too-early look at the Socceroos potential stocks for 2030.
Goalkeeper
Starter: Patrick Beach
Reserves: Joe Gauci, Mathew Ryan
Other Contenders: Steven Hall, Paul Izzo
Still just 22 years old and one of the Socceroos' standout performers in North America, a carefully planned move to Europe and a strong push toward the 2027 AFC Asian Cup should give Beach every chance to establish himself for the 2026 cycle. Probably his most likely challenger, Gauci needs to ensure his next move, be it a loan from Aston Villa or a permanent transfer, gives him the platform to perform, but he's already demonstrated an ability to start internationally.
Hall kept for the Young Socceroos in their triumphant Under-20 Asian Cup and is on the books of Brighton & Hove Albion, making him an intriguing prospect, but the old guard also can't be ruled out, given their intangibles and extended lifespan of goalkeepers. Indeed, if he wants to push for it, a fifth World Cup is far from beyond the reach of Ryan, but whether he wants to go around again is a question only the Socceroos legend can answer.
Left back
Starter: Jordan Bos
Reserves: Kasey Bos
Other Contenders: Jacob Farrell, Daniel Bennie, Franco Lino
Jordy Bos will be in his prime at 27 by the time of the next World Cup, and he's got all the tools to be an internationally recognised difference-maker by then, playing in one of Europe's biggest leagues. Having been dogged by soft-tissue injuries in recent years, though, consistently staying on the park looms as a major determining factor in these hopes, but, mercifully, he avoided a catastrophic injury against Egypt.
Which player replaces Aziz Behich, who will be 39 in 2030, is an intriguing question, with several youngsters capable of making the leap but all needing to log consistent senior football, at a high-level, in the years ahead to turn their potential into reality. Set to start the new season on loan at Excelsior (from Bundesliga club Mainz), a strong start to the campaign by Jordy Bos' younger brother Kasey could give him an inside-run at the position.
Center backs
Starter: Harry Souttar, Alessandro Circati, Lucas Herrington
Reserves: Kai Trewin, Dylan Leonard, Cameron Burgess
Other Contenders: Gianni Stensness, Hayden Matthews, Kye Rowles, Dan Hall, Panagiotis Kikianis, Anthony Pantazopoulos, Mark Natta, Miloš Degenek, Sebastian Esposito
Given the way the center back trio performed in North America and their age profiles -- Souttar will be 31 in 2030, Circati entering his prime at 26, and Herrington still eligible for the Olyroos at 22 -- there's no reason to project anyone other than them for the next World Cup. And what a luxury that is.
Much of the depth behind this cohort are already capped Socceroos, too, which should help the unit maintain its solidarity, while there are a few young talents, highlighted by 18-year-old Schalke 04 defender Leonard -- who was invited to the Socceroos' pre-World Cup camp in Sarasota -- to offer excitement over an even higher ceiling.
Right back
Starter: Lewis Miller
Reserves: Jacob Italiano
Other Contenders: James Overy, Joshua Rawlins, Kealey Adamson, Raphael Borges Rodrigues
It's almost certain, given his previous usage by Popovic, that, had Miller not hurt his Achilles, he would have been starting for the Socceroos at the World Cup. Nonetheless, given he'll be 29 years old when 2030 arrives, he's got plenty of time to recover and battle it out with Italiano, who impressed in North America before getting hurt, for that starting right back role.
Beyond them, Overy is obviously an incredibly exciting prospect given he's on the books of Manchester United, and should be in contention if he can spend the next four years establishing himself at a decent level in senior football. Rawlins, Adamson, and Raphael are all a bit further along in that journey, giving the right wing back position the potential to be a strong one in four years.
Central midfielders
Starter: Paul Okon Jr., Aiden O'Neill
Reserves: Connor Metcalfe, Alex Robertson, Patrick Yazbek
Other Contenders: Dylan Scicluna, Max Balard, Cameron Devlin, Ajdin Hrustić, Ethan Alagich, Jaylan Pearman, Jonny Yull, Josh Nisbet, Haine Eames, Rhys Bozinovski, Will Dobson, Denis Genreau, Ryan White
Having completed a move to FC Cologne, Okon Jr. will be 25 by the time 2030 rolls around, and if he's able to use that move to the Bundesliga as a springboard, he shapes as a nailed-on starter. O'Neill, who undoubtedly will also have the option of moving back to Europe if he wishes after a strong World Cup, will be 31 and shaping as one of the veteran heads in the XI. Metcalfe should now be able to leverage an impressive World Cup to find more minute in clubland in the coming months too and will be just 30 in four years, while Robertson and Yazbek will both be in their primes and another cycle battle-hardened come then.
That the Socceroos can project a midfield for 2030 in which every player is already capped and will be in or close to their primes come then speaks to the potential strength the midfield could be -- a group capable of imposing themselves on games and playing a key role in the side's evolution to a more proactive collective. And that's before one sees the talent coming up, or previously capped players at an age where they could push to return.
Wingers
Starter: Nestory Irankunda, Cristian Volpato
Reserves: Riley McGree, Eli Adams, Garang Kuol
Other Contenders: Marcus Younis, Alex Badolato, Clayton Taylor, Matthew Grimaldi, Nishan Velupillay, Nicolas Milanović
There's going to be a lot of hope and hype riding on Irankunda and Volpato in the decade to come, with both at an age -- Irankunda is currently 20, and Volpato is 22 -- wherein they could be key contributors in not just 2030 but 2034 as well. There will be plenty of work that needs to be done before that's a reality, though, and it starts with them establishing themselves as regular starters in quality European leagues, with both the subject of reported transfer interest coming out of North America.
Beyond that pair, McGree will be just 31 come 2030 and if his body cooperates -- which is a mammoth if -- he should be able to significantly contribute. Beyond them, there's a cadre of young and exciting prospects coming through that all can make the leap with regular senior football at a good level. The Socceroos' bolter at the 2022 World Cup, Kuol, is perhaps the most intriguing of this group: still just 21 years old, establishing himself at Sparta Prague after his ill-fated move to Newcastle United, and a potential Asian Cup smokey if he has a strong start to the new season.
Striker
Starter: Mohamed Touré
Reserves: Noah Botić, Luka Jovanovic
Other Contenders: Max Caputo, Nicholas D'Agostino, Kusini Yengi, Tete Yengi, Ante Å uto, Medin Memeti, Deni Juric, Archie Goodwin, Zac Sapsford
Touré wasn't at his best through the World Cup, amid speculation he was carrying some kind of injury or illness, hinted at by his missing training ahead of the United States clash. Nonetheless, at just 22 years old and with several years overseas under his belt already, he should be well-placed to establish himself as a regular in a good quality league and make the No. 9 shirt his own for the Socceroos.
Behind him, there's plenty of young talent coming through, too, to provide competition and depth as well as different looks up top. Botić will be targeting a big second-season back in Europe after breaking his ankle last November and could push for the Asian Cup, while Jovanovic is coming off a co-Golden Boot-winning season in the A-League Men. Melbourne City duo Caputo and Memeti have the tools to develop into international players, too, while D'Agostino, both Yengis, Jurić, and Šuto are all of an age where they can still target 2030 as a tangible goal.
Coach
Starter: Tony Popovic
Other Contenders: John Aloisi, Mark Milligan, Kevin Muscat, Steve Corica, Patrick Kisnorbo, Mile Jedinak
While there will be pressure on Popovic to evolve the Socceroos approach in the lead into next January's Asian Cup -- with his contract concluding following that tournament -- all the language coming out of Football Australia suggests that he's firmly seen as the man to lead Australia into 2030, should he wish to do so. There will be a post-World Cup review that takes place, too, but as of now, Football Australia has yet to fill its newly created head of men's football position, meaning that this analysis will mostly be autobiographical in scope.
Should Popovic depart for whatever reason between now and the World Cup, the federation would almost certainly look to appoint another Australian to the role, with Aloisi, who is understood to have been a runner-up to Popovic in 2024, and Milligan, coming off a standout rookie coaching campaign with the Newcastle Jets, the front-runners. Muscat has long been viewed as a standout candidate but reportedly turned down the role in 2024 and may still have his eyes on returning to Europe.
ESPN's projected 26-man Socceroos squad for the 2030 World Cup
Goalkeepers: Patrick Beach, Joe Gauci, Mathew Ryan
Defenders: Jordan Bos, Kasey Bos, Harry Souttar, Alessandro Circati, Lucas Herrington, Kai Trewin, Dylan Leonard, Cameron Burgess, Lewis Miller, Jacob Italiano
Midfielders: Paul Okon Jr., Aiden O'Neill, Connor Metcalfe, Alex Robertson, Patrick Yazbek
Forwards: Nestory Irankunda, Cristian Volpato, Riley McGree, Eli Adams, Garang Kuol, Mohamed Touré, Noah Botic, Luka Jovanovic
Coach: Tony Popovic
