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When Tony Popovic at last gathered his maiden Socceroos squad, the recently appointed coach detailed a range of expectations. Most were unambiguous and direct – suitable considering the upheaval following his unexpected appointment, following Graham Arnold’s departure, and with less than three weeks to get ready for vital 2026 World Cup qualifiers against China and Japan.

Popovic asserted that any player who aspired to represent in a Socceroos shirt would need to take on an “elite” attitude to secure, or maintain that privilege. But there was a further theme. Not so much an order and more an evocation – and one that has been brought clearer into perspective with every step taken on the path towards the World Cup in North America.

“My expectations were to do something extraordinary, in my first talk to the players,” Popovic says. “That hasn’t changed.”

A little more than a year on from that meeting in an Adelaide hotel, many of other things have evolved, even if Popovic’s ambitions stay the same. The coach, for one, seems truly comfortable as Socceroos boss. The 52-year-old’s image for austerity sharply contrasts with the open and at times cheerful figure holding court for over an hour in what have become semi-regular interviews with football media. Similarly have the performances of his team improved, with memories of a loss to Bahrain and stalemate with Indonesia feeling fairly far off after wins over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June secured the Socceroos’ place in next year’s worldwide tournament.

Those triumphs came as part of an 11-game undefeated streak under Popovic, one that was only ended away by the United States earlier this month. It’s form that has taken the Socceroos to the surprising precipice of entering pot two in the World Cup draw. The performances of November exhibition games against Venezuela, presently positioned 50th in the world, and 13th-ranked Colombia – as well as Ecuador’s games against Canada and New Zealand, and the remaining games of European qualifying – are significant in this context.

Although Popovic admits that he started in the job assuming to only be able to count on a key players of players, he now believes the group he can call upon has grown. This is not only through the emergence of youngsters such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as authentic international players. There are also the cases of Miloš Degenek’s comeback from the obscurity and Paul Izzo’s blossoming into a genuine Socceroos keeper with the ability to compete with Maty Ryan.

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

This unexpected rise of talent, and the change in thinking it has sparked in Popovic, has opened the door for players on the periphery of the squad. Even those not yet regarded amongst those circle can keep faith that, come 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 – persists to play steadily, 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 declare in March that this is our squad, and there may be one or two more additions,” Popovic says. “No, I want every player to know that they have an opportunity. 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 rise above the expectations others have for them, he wants his team to have the same mindset.

“Saying I want to do something unique is just ‘we don’t want to have boundaries’,” Popovic says. “We don’t want to pigeonhole ourselves into ‘let’s be competitors at the World Cup, and let’s go home and congratulate ourselves 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 sitting back and applauding something special from the Socceroos? Why should we have limits? Why not do it now?”