Socceroos Face Knockout Challenge After Losing Key Players

Australia will march into the World Cup knockout rounds a man light, and it feels heavier than the numbers suggest.

Veteran forward Matthew Leckie and right-back Jacob Italiano have both left camp, cutting Tony Popovic’s squad to 24 on the eve of the round of 32. Two injuries, two departures, and a sharp reminder of how quickly a tournament can turn.

Leckie suffered a leg injury in the defeat to the USA, a brutal twist for a player who had only just fought his way back from the treatment room at the end of the A-League season. Italiano’s groin problem arrived in training before the draw with Paraguay, a quieter moment but no less damaging.

Football Australia confirmed both have returned to their clubs’ countries to continue rehabilitation. For the squad, and especially for those who see them every day, it stings.

Aziz Behich, Leckie’s teammate at Melbourne City, didn’t bother hiding it.

“I’m gutted for him,” he said, a line that landed like a verdict rather than a cliché.

Behich has watched the grind up close this year: the extra sessions, the slow steps back to full speed, the final sprint just to make this World Cup. From Melbourne City to the Socceroos’ pre-tournament base in Sarasota, Leckie pushed his body to the limit to get here.

“He left no stone unturned and it’s a credit to him, it’s not easy, not just physically but also mentally at his age,” Behich said. “We’re all gutted for him because we want him to stick around because we know what he can give us as a team and even when he’s not playing.”

For a senior figure who has carried big moments in green and gold, this exit feels particularly cruel.

Popovic’s Wide Problem

The emotional hit is one thing. The tactical headache is another.

Tournament rules mean Australia cannot replace either player, leaving Popovic short in the wide areas at precisely the stage where depth often decides who survives and who goes home.

Italiano’s absence has already forced a reshuffle. Against Paraguay, regular left-back Jordy Bos flipped to the right, while Behich came in on the left. It worked in patches, but it was clearly a workaround rather than a luxury choice.

“(Italiano) worked hard to get himself in this position and I thought he did really well in the games that he played as well,” Behich said, a nod to a young full-back whose tournament has been cut off just as it started to open up.

For Behich, this is also personal. This World Cup is his third, and he did not come to watch.

“For myself, obviously I came here to play. I put myself in this position as well, to be involved in my third World Cup,” he said. “I’ve been biding my time. I’ve been working hard at training every day and just waiting for my opportunity.”

Now that opportunity has arrived, framed by misfortune but no less real.

Two Down, But Not Beaten

Inside the camp, the language is clear: no excuses.

“I think we’re in a good headspace. Obviously, two soldiers down, but we’ve got a lot of boys that can cover depth and position,” Behich said.

That phrase – “two soldiers down” – sums up the mood. This is a group that has taken a hit but refuses to see itself as weakened beyond repair. Bos adapting on the opposite flank, Behich stepping in, others ready to slide across the line if needed: Popovic will have to lean on versatility as much as talent from here.

Australia will stay in Oakland until July 1 before shifting to Dallas to prepare for their round-of-32 clash on July 3. By then, the reality of life without Leckie and Italiano will have fully settled in.

The squad is lighter. The path ahead is not. How far can 24 players carry a nation’s hopes?