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The moment Tony Popovic eventually gathered his initial Socceroos squad, the new coach detailed a range of expectations. Most were clear and direct – perfect in light of the disruption following his abrupt entry, after Graham Arnold’s resignation, and with fewer than three weeks to prepare for critical 2026 World Cup fixtures against China and Japan.

Popovic maintained that any player who aimed to pull on a Socceroos shirt would need to embrace an “top-tier” attitude to earn, or maintain that honour. But there was an additional point. Not so much an order and more an evocation – and one that has been cast sharper into view with any step taken on the journey towards the World Cup in North America.

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

Approximately a year on from that meeting in an Adelaide hotel, many of other things have evolved, even if Popovic’s expectations remain the same. The coach, for one, seems genuinely settled as Socceroos boss. The 52-year-old’s image for discipline stands in stark contrast with the expansive and at times light-hearted figure speaking freely for over an hour in what have become periodic discussions with football media. Similarly have the fortunes of his team progressed, with thoughts of a setback to Bahrain and tie with Indonesia seeming rather distant after successes over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June booked the Socceroos’ berth in next year’s global tournament.

Those victories came as part of an 11-game unbeaten run under Popovic, one that was only snapped away by the United States earlier this month. It’s momentum that has taken the Socceroos to the unexpected precipice of entering pot two in the World Cup draw. The performances of November friendlies against Venezuela, presently ranked 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 respect.

Although Popovic acknowledges that he began in the job expecting to only be able to count on a main squad of players, he now believes the group he can trust has swelled. This isn’t just through the emergence of young players such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as authentic international players. There are also the examples of Miloš Degenek’s return from the wilderness and Paul Izzo’s blossoming into a bona fide Socceroos keeper with the capability to compete with Maty Ryan.

“The squad has completely changed in my mind – of what’s attainable with players that have come in,” Popovic says. “I first thought, ‘OK, this is my group; I don’t fully have much apart from this. Just get by and make them better.’ Now, I feel like there are 15, 20 players that have joined that, and I’m certain there are others to come that I trust can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This surprising rise of talent, and the shift in outlook it has inspired in Popovic, has created opportunities for players on the periphery of the squad. Even those not yet viewed amongst those group can hold out hope that, come June next year, they could be on the roster. 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 perform consistently, then the coach is stating plainly they’re highly likely 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 new faces,” 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, returns us to Popovic’s first talk as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to surprise him, to do something special and exceed the hopes others have for them, he wants his team to have the same mindset.

“Saying I want to do something special is just ‘we don’t want to have boundaries’,” Popovic says. “We don’t want to confine ourselves into ‘let’s be competitors at the World Cup, and let’s go home and celebrate for being there’.

“I emphasize 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 praising something special from the Socceroos? Why should we have boundaries? Why not do it now?”