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As soon as Tony Popovic at last assembled his initial Socceroos squad, the recently appointed coach presented a range of standards. Most were straightforward and concise – perfect in light of the disruption around his abrupt entry, in the wake of Graham Arnold’s departure, and with less than three weeks to prepare for critical 2026 World Cup fixtures against China and Japan.

Popovic asserted that any player who aspired to pull on a Socceroos shirt would need to take on an “elite” mindset to secure, or continue to earn that distinction. But there was a further theme. More an inspiration and a call to greatness – and one that has been brought more distinctly into view with any step taken on the path 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.”

Just over a year on from that gathering in an Adelaide hotel, many of other things have evolved, even if Popovic’s goals stay the same. The coach, for one, seems genuinely at home as Socceroos head. The 52-year-old’s image for discipline sharply contrasts with the open and at times cheerful figure holding court for over an hour in what have become semi-regular discussions with football media. Similarly have the performances of his team progressed, with recollections of a setback to Bahrain and draw with Indonesia appearing rather distant after wins over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June secured the Socceroos’ place in next year’s global tournament.

Those wins 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 form that has taken the Socceroos to the surprising edge of entering pot two in the World Cup draw. The results of November exhibition games against Venezuela, currently 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 – loom large in this regard.

Even though Popovic admits that he started in the job assuming to only be able to count on a main squad of players, he now believes the selection he can call upon has expanded. This isn’t just through the emergence of talented youth such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as genuine international players. There are also the cases of Miloš Degenek’s return from the wilderness and Paul Izzo’s blossoming into a bona fide Socceroos keeper with the ability to push Maty Ryan.

“The squad has totally changed in my mind – of what’s possible with players that have come in,” 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 feel like there are 15, 20 players that have joined that, and I’m sure there are others to come that I feel can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This unforeseen rise of talent, and the change in thinking it has inspired in Popovic, has paved the way for players on the fringes of the squad. Even those not yet viewed amongst those ranks can hold out hope that, by 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 – keeps to deliver consistently, then the coach is emphasizing they’re in with a shot of being part of his plans.

“I don’t want to put a cap or a end on that – to reveal in March that this is our squad, and there may be one or two more inclusions,” Popovic says. “No, I want every player to feel that they have an chance. Why can’t there be an additional player that comes in in June?”

But this broadening, 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 philosophy.

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

“I emphasize 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 sitting back and applauding something special from the Socceroos? Why should we have limits? Why not do it now?”