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When Tony Popovic finally assembled his initial Socceroos squad, the fresh coach outlined a series of expectations. A lot were unambiguous and direct – suitable considering the disruption around his abrupt appointment, following Graham Arnold’s departure, and with less than three weeks to make arrangements for vital 2026 World Cup fixtures against China and Japan.

Popovic maintained that any player who hoped to pull on a Socceroos shirt would need to adopt an “top-tier” mindset to secure, or keep that honour. But there was an additional message. Not so much an order and an invitation to excel – and one that has been brought sharper into view with every step taken on the path towards the World Cup in North America.

“My hopes were to do something remarkable, in my initial talk to the players,” Popovic says. “That stays constant.”

A little more than a year on from that team talk in an Adelaide hotel, many of other things have shifted, even if Popovic’s goals are the same. The coach, for one, looks genuinely comfortable as Socceroos head. The 52-year-old’s standing for discipline sharply contrasts with the expansive and at times jovial figure engaging openly for over an hour in what have become frequent sit-downs with football media. Likewise have the results of his team changed, with thoughts of a setback to Bahrain and tie with Indonesia feeling rather distant after successes 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 snapped away by the United States earlier this month. It’s performance that has taken the Socceroos to the surprising precipice of entering pot two in the World Cup draw. The outcomes of November exhibition games against Venezuela, currently placed 50th in the world, and 13th-ranked Colombia – as well as Ecuador’s games against Canada and New Zealand, and the last games of European qualifying – are significant in this regard.

Even though Popovic acknowledges that he began in the job thinking to only be able to depend on a core group of players, he now thinks the selection he can trust has swelled. This is not only through the breakthrough of youngsters such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as authentic international players. There are also the likes of Miloš Degenek’s comeback from the sidelines and Paul Izzo’s development into a true Socceroos keeper with the capability to compete with Maty Ryan.

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

This unforeseen appearance of talent, and the transformation in thinking it has sparked in Popovic, has created opportunities for players on the edges of the squad. Even those not yet viewed among those group can hold out hope that, in June next year, they could be on the flight. A player like Adrian Segečić might be about to miss a month of playing due to an ankle injury, but if he – or any other player – keeps 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 restriction or a stop 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 possibility. Why can’t there be one more player that comes in in June?”

But this growth, in a way, brings us back 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 go beyond the predictions others have for them, he wants his team to have the same philosophy.

“Saying I want to do something exceptional is just ‘we don’t want to have limits’,” Popovic says. “We don’t want to pigeonhole ourselves into ‘let’s be competitors at the World Cup, and let’s go home and pat each other on the back for being there’.

“I repeat it to the group: one day, Australia will go a long way in the World Cup. And why not this group? Why do we have to wait two or three World Cups, when I’m watching and cheering something remarkable from the Socceroos? Why should we have boundaries? Why not do it now?”