Comeback kid Circati back in Socceroos squad
Socceroos coach Tony Popovic has named fit-again defender Alessandro Circati as part of his extended 26-man squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Japan and Saudi Arabia.
Australia (13 points) sit third in the qualifying group and will round out their campaign against Japan in Perth on Thursday and third-placed Saudi Arabia (10 points) in Jeddah the following Tuesday.
The top two in the group will automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup, and Australia can guarantee their place if they beat Japan.
Classy central defender Circati ruptured his ACL last September, but has made a remarkable return for Serie A club Parma.
A large portion of Popovic's squad arrived in Perth direct from a training camp in the United Arab Emirates - which featured players free from their respective club duties.
Circati is joined by fellow West Australians, Cameron Burgess (Ipswich Town) and Adam Taggart (Perth Glory).
Riley McGree (Middlesbrough) and Connor Metcalfe (St Pauli) have also been selected, making their long-awaited returns from injury.
Aziz Behich will arrive in Perth fresh from lifting the A-League Men championship trophy, following Melbourne City's 1-0 win over Melbourne Victory.
Victory defender Kasey Bos, younger brother of injured left-back Jordy, earns his first Socceroos call up.
He is one of six players that will arrive into camp direct from the grand final, including teammates Daniel Arzani and Ryan Teague.
Injuries have scuppered the hopes of Mathew Leckie and Nishan Velupillay while Jackson Irvine was already ruled out.
Paul Okon-Engstler (Benfica) – son of Socceroos great and assistant coach Paul Okon – also earns his first call up to the senior national team, after impressing during his time in Abu Dhabi.
Okon-Engstler was most recently an integral part of Australia's successful AFC U20 Asian Cup campaign.
But Johnny Warren Medallist Nicolas Milanovic was overlooked, along with Kusini Yengi, while Craig Goodwin and defensive midfielders Nectar Triantis and Max Balard are also missing.
"We've put ourselves in a good position within the group to be in control of our destiny," Popovic said.
"We are ready to embrace this challenge with great respect of our opponents, though full of belief and confidence to achieve our goal of automatic qualification.
"We've had the opportunity to work with a large group of these players in a training camp in Abu Dhabi, which has been extremely beneficial both on and off the pitch."
SOCCEROOS SQUAD:
Daniel Arzani, Aziz Behich, Brandon Borrello, Kasey Bos, Martin Boyle, Cameron Burgess, Anthony Caceres, Alessandro Circati, Milos Degenek, Mitchell Duke, Joe Gauci, Jason Geria, Paul Izzo, Riley McGree, Connor Metcalfe, Lewis Miller, Paul Okon-Engstler, Aiden O'Neill, Kye Rowles, Mat Ryan, Mohamed Toure, Adam Taggart, Ryan Teague, Marco Tilio, Kai Trewin, Patrick Yazbek.
Socceroos coach Tony Popovic has named fit-again defender Alessandro Circati as part of his extended 26-man squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Japan and Saudi Arabia.
Australia (13 points) sit third in the qualifying group and will round out their campaign against Japan in Perth on Thursday and third-placed Saudi Arabia (10 points) in Jeddah the following Tuesday.
The top two in the group will automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup, and Australia can guarantee their place if they beat Japan.
Classy central defender Circati ruptured his ACL last September, but has made a remarkable return for Serie A club Parma.
A large portion of Popovic's squad arrived in Perth direct from a training camp in the United Arab Emirates - which featured players free from their respective club duties.
Circati is joined by fellow West Australians, Cameron Burgess (Ipswich Town) and Adam Taggart (Perth Glory).
Riley McGree (Middlesbrough) and Connor Metcalfe (St Pauli) have also been selected, making their long-awaited returns from injury.
Aziz Behich will arrive in Perth fresh from lifting the A-League Men championship trophy, following Melbourne City's 1-0 win over Melbourne Victory.
Victory defender Kasey Bos, younger brother of injured left-back Jordy, earns his first Socceroos call up.
He is one of six players that will arrive into camp direct from the grand final, including teammates Daniel Arzani and Ryan Teague.
Injuries have scuppered the hopes of Mathew Leckie and Nishan Velupillay while Jackson Irvine was already ruled out.
Paul Okon-Engstler (Benfica) – son of Socceroos great and assistant coach Paul Okon – also earns his first call up to the senior national team, after impressing during his time in Abu Dhabi.
Okon-Engstler was most recently an integral part of Australia's successful AFC U20 Asian Cup campaign.
But Johnny Warren Medallist Nicolas Milanovic was overlooked, along with Kusini Yengi, while Craig Goodwin and defensive midfielders Nectar Triantis and Max Balard are also missing.
"We've put ourselves in a good position within the group to be in control of our destiny," Popovic said.
"We are ready to embrace this challenge with great respect of our opponents, though full of belief and confidence to achieve our goal of automatic qualification.
"We've had the opportunity to work with a large group of these players in a training camp in Abu Dhabi, which has been extremely beneficial both on and off the pitch."
SOCCEROOS SQUAD:
Daniel Arzani, Aziz Behich, Brandon Borrello, Kasey Bos, Martin Boyle, Cameron Burgess, Anthony Caceres, Alessandro Circati, Milos Degenek, Mitchell Duke, Joe Gauci, Jason Geria, Paul Izzo, Riley McGree, Connor Metcalfe, Lewis Miller, Paul Okon-Engstler, Aiden O'Neill, Kye Rowles, Mat Ryan, Mohamed Toure, Adam Taggart, Ryan Teague, Marco Tilio, Kai Trewin, Patrick Yazbek.
Socceroos coach Tony Popovic has named fit-again defender Alessandro Circati as part of his extended 26-man squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Japan and Saudi Arabia.
Australia (13 points) sit third in the qualifying group and will round out their campaign against Japan in Perth on Thursday and third-placed Saudi Arabia (10 points) in Jeddah the following Tuesday.
The top two in the group will automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup, and Australia can guarantee their place if they beat Japan.
Classy central defender Circati ruptured his ACL last September, but has made a remarkable return for Serie A club Parma.
A large portion of Popovic's squad arrived in Perth direct from a training camp in the United Arab Emirates - which featured players free from their respective club duties.
Circati is joined by fellow West Australians, Cameron Burgess (Ipswich Town) and Adam Taggart (Perth Glory).
Riley McGree (Middlesbrough) and Connor Metcalfe (St Pauli) have also been selected, making their long-awaited returns from injury.
Aziz Behich will arrive in Perth fresh from lifting the A-League Men championship trophy, following Melbourne City's 1-0 win over Melbourne Victory.
Victory defender Kasey Bos, younger brother of injured left-back Jordy, earns his first Socceroos call up.
He is one of six players that will arrive into camp direct from the grand final, including teammates Daniel Arzani and Ryan Teague.
Injuries have scuppered the hopes of Mathew Leckie and Nishan Velupillay while Jackson Irvine was already ruled out.
Paul Okon-Engstler (Benfica) – son of Socceroos great and assistant coach Paul Okon – also earns his first call up to the senior national team, after impressing during his time in Abu Dhabi.
Okon-Engstler was most recently an integral part of Australia's successful AFC U20 Asian Cup campaign.
But Johnny Warren Medallist Nicolas Milanovic was overlooked, along with Kusini Yengi, while Craig Goodwin and defensive midfielders Nectar Triantis and Max Balard are also missing.
"We've put ourselves in a good position within the group to be in control of our destiny," Popovic said.
"We are ready to embrace this challenge with great respect of our opponents, though full of belief and confidence to achieve our goal of automatic qualification.
"We've had the opportunity to work with a large group of these players in a training camp in Abu Dhabi, which has been extremely beneficial both on and off the pitch."
SOCCEROOS SQUAD:
Daniel Arzani, Aziz Behich, Brandon Borrello, Kasey Bos, Martin Boyle, Cameron Burgess, Anthony Caceres, Alessandro Circati, Milos Degenek, Mitchell Duke, Joe Gauci, Jason Geria, Paul Izzo, Riley McGree, Connor Metcalfe, Lewis Miller, Paul Okon-Engstler, Aiden O'Neill, Kye Rowles, Mat Ryan, Mohamed Toure, Adam Taggart, Ryan Teague, Marco Tilio, Kai Trewin, Patrick Yazbek.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
'Letting the team down': Glenn Maxwell's sad admission as he retires from ODI cricket
Glenn Maxwell has called time on his One Day International (ODI) cricket career as he revealed he felt his recent performances were letting his teammates down. The Victorian retired on Monday with two World Cups, four centuries and a double-hundred next to his name in the 50-over game. Maxwell will forever be remembered for his matchwinning double century against Afghanistan at the 2023 World Cup. Watch England vs. India Test Series LIVE & EXCLUSIVE on Fox Cricket, available on Kayo Sports| New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. However, the white-ball specialist is still under contract Cricket Australia and therefore will still be available for selection for any T20 internationals. And while the 36-year-old has not officially confirmed his retirement from first-class cricket, any return to that format appears highly unlikely given he hasn't featured for his state since mid-2023 or played a Test match for Australia since 2017. In the end, Australia's Champions Trophy semi-final defeat to India in early March proved to be the catalyst for Maxwell's ODI retirement, with the all-rounder's bad back and injury niggles finally making him feel like he was no longer an asset to the team. Speaking about his decision to walk away, Maxwell told Adam Collins in an interview for the Final Word podcast he felt his body could no longer handle the rigours of the 50-over format. 'My decision to retire from one-day international cricket was probably more so on the back of the first couple of games in the Champions Trophy. I felt like I gave myself a really good opportunity to be fit and ready for those games,' Maxwell said. 'The first game in Lahore we played on a rock-hard outfield and post that game I was pretty sore. Against Afghanistan, we fielded 50 overs on a really, really wet outfield. It was slippery, it was soft, and I just didn't pull up that well. 'I started to think about if I don't have the perfect conditions in 50-over cricket, my body just probably struggled to get through that. 'It feels like it's a tiring affair just to get through on the basics of almost surviving the 50 overs, let alone being at my best.' Maxwell said he knew it was time to walk away when he felt he was no longer a game-changer and if anything was letting his teammates down. 'I felt like I was sort of letting the team down a little bit with how my body was reacting to the conditions. I had a really good chat with (selection chair) George Bailey while we were in the rain delay,' he continued. 'We basically talked about the 2027 World Cup, and I basically said to him there and then that I don't think I'm going to make that and I think it's time to start planning I suppose for people in my position to have a crack at it and make that spot their own for the 2027 World Cup, and hopefully they have enough of a lead-in where they can I suppose have success in that role. 'I think in reality I'd be doing a disservice to the team by hanging on a little bit longer and struggling to get through, and more hoping rather than expecting to get through. I don't think that would be fair to anyone.' In a whopping 149 ODIs, Maxwell finished with 3,990 runs and took 77 wickets with his off-spin. His batting strike rate of 126.70 is also currently the highest of anyone to face 1000 balls in ODIs.
West Australian
2 hours ago
- West Australian
Matildas relive shootout glory for national portrait
The Matildas' 2023 World Cup quarter-final triumph against France, which ended with a history-making penalty shootout, will be commemorated with an artwork at the National Portrait Gallery. The Matildas' 7-6 triumph on penalties made them the first Australian football side to reach the final four of a World Cup, capturing the attention of a nation and changing the perceptions of women in sport. Sydney-based artist and filmmaker Angela Tiatia has asked the World Cup squad of 23 Matildas to re-live the tension of the 10-round shootout for the video artwork. Some of the players had never re-watched those nail-biting moments, said Tiatia. "It elicited such emotional reactions, including visible goosebumps from the players, cementing for me what a privilege and inspiration it is to create this portrait," she said. Players Clare Hunt, Clare Wheeler, Courtney Nevin and Teagan Micah were on hand following a friendly match against Argentina on Monday night as the project was announced at the gallery in Canberra on Tuesday. The Matildas are currently ranked at a 20-year low of 16th in the world and will be hoping they can return to the heights of 2023 with the appointment of coach Joe Montemurro. While Montemurro sets his sights on silverware at a home Asian Cup in 2026, the National Portrait Gallery has artistic aspirations instead. The video portrait is its most ambitious commission yet, according to director Bree Pickering. "Some subjects, like the Matildas, need to be depicted in sound and motion or both," she said. Due to broadcast rights restrictions, the artwork can't actually include footage of the shootout, so Tiatia has decided to take a more artistic approach and hopes the result will be like watching a moving painting. She filmed with 14 members of the 2023 squad at a training camp in Houston in February, and hopes to film with injured striker Sam Kerr in London come July. Football Australia interim chief executive Heather Garriock said watching the 2023 squad capture the hearts of Australians was one of the most powerful moments she has ever experienced. "This portrait is more than a tribute to feats on the pitch, it's a testament to the cultural shift they helped lead, and the legacy they continue to build for women and girls," Garriock said. The artwork will be finished later in 2025 and is slated to show at the gallery in Canberra over summer before embarking on a tour.
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
Matildas relive shootout glory for national portrait
The Matildas' 2023 World Cup quarter-final triumph against France, which ended with a history-making penalty shootout, will be commemorated with an artwork at the National Portrait Gallery. The Matildas' 7-6 triumph on penalties made them the first Australian football side to reach the final four of a World Cup, capturing the attention of a nation and changing the perceptions of women in sport. Sydney-based artist and filmmaker Angela Tiatia has asked the World Cup squad of 23 Matildas to re-live the tension of the 10-round shootout for the video artwork. Some of the players had never re-watched those nail-biting moments, said Tiatia. "It elicited such emotional reactions, including visible goosebumps from the players, cementing for me what a privilege and inspiration it is to create this portrait," she said. Players Clare Hunt, Clare Wheeler, Courtney Nevin and Teagan Micah were on hand following a friendly match against Argentina on Monday night as the project was announced at the gallery in Canberra on Tuesday. The Matildas are currently ranked at a 20-year low of 16th in the world and will be hoping they can return to the heights of 2023 with the appointment of coach Joe Montemurro. While Montemurro sets his sights on silverware at a home Asian Cup in 2026, the National Portrait Gallery has artistic aspirations instead. The video portrait is its most ambitious commission yet, according to director Bree Pickering. "Some subjects, like the Matildas, need to be depicted in sound and motion or both," she said. Due to broadcast rights restrictions, the artwork can't actually include footage of the shootout, so Tiatia has decided to take a more artistic approach and hopes the result will be like watching a moving painting. She filmed with 14 members of the 2023 squad at a training camp in Houston in February, and hopes to film with injured striker Sam Kerr in London come July. Football Australia interim chief executive Heather Garriock said watching the 2023 squad capture the hearts of Australians was one of the most powerful moments she has ever experienced. "This portrait is more than a tribute to feats on the pitch, it's a testament to the cultural shift they helped lead, and the legacy they continue to build for women and girls," Garriock said. The artwork will be finished later in 2025 and is slated to show at the gallery in Canberra over summer before embarking on a tour.
