Australia: matches, team and player to follow at the 2022 World Cup

In 2018, a group with France and Denmark had already been fatal to Australia.

After four years of hardships and a qualification snatched by forceps, the Socceroos find the same protagonists in the first round of the Qatari World Cup, which they approach on tiptoe.

The story

Since joining the Asia zone, Australia has not missed a single World Cup (five in a row).

General form of the team

Abused in qualifying, Australia had to win two play-offs, against the United Arab Emirates and then Peru, to get to Qatar.

Down Under is coming out of four complicated years, where its irregularity has played tricks on it.

Since the retirement of Tim Cahill, its workforce lacks executives playing in major championships: its goalkeeper and captain Mathew Ryan had to go into exile in Copenhagen, while his midfielders Ajdin Hrustic and Jackson Irvine play respectively in Hellas Verona and Sankt Pauli .

However, the Socceroos are confident and remain on five wins in a row, even if they were pocketed against opponents of weak pedigree.

The list of players summoned to Qatar

• Goalkeepers:

  Matt Ryan (cap., FC Copenhagen, DAN), Andrew Redmayne (Sydney FC), Danny Vukovic (Central Coast Mariners)

• Defenders:

  Nathaniel Atkinson (Heart of Midlothian, ECO), Joel King (Odense Boldklub, DAN), Aziz Behich (Dundee United, ECO), Kye Rowles (Heart of Midlothian, ECO), Milos Degenek (Columbus Crew, USA), Harry Souttar (Stoke City, ENG), Thomas Deng (Albirex Niigata, JAP), Bailey Wright (Sunderland, ENG), Fran Karacic (Brescia, ITA)

• Midfielders:

  Keanu Baccus (St Mirren, ECO), Jackson Irvine (Sankt Pauli, GER), Cam Devlin (Heart of Midlothian, ECO), Riley McGree (Middlesbrough, ENG), Ajdin Hrustic (Hellas Verona, ITA), Aaron Mooy ( Celtic, ECO)

• Forwards:

  Martin Boyle (Hibernian FC, ECO), Garang Kuol (Central Coast Mariners), Jason Cummings (Central Coast Mariners), Matthew Leckie (Melbourne City FC), Mitch Duke (Fagiano Okayama, JAP), Awer Mabil (Cadiz, ESP ), Craig Goodwin (Adelaide United), Jamie MacLaren (Melbourne City FC)

The probable composition

Australia's strength should be their dense midfield, led by Aaron Mooy, sentry in a 4-2-3-1.

The four-man defense has honed in during the play-offs, but the identity of the center forward is uncertain: Mitchell Duke holds the rope, even if he plays in the Japanese Division 2.

Player to watch: Aaron Mooy

Aaron Mooy in Australian colors, here against New Zealand, reunited in a friendly match in Brisbane on September 22.

© Kev Nagle 2022 Icon Sport

Indisputable in the midfield, Aaron Mooy has been the technical leader of his selection for seven years.

Technically skilled, renowned for his coiled shot, his pressing qualities and his bald head, the Australian sentry is currently enjoying the heyday of Celtic Glasgow, which he joined after two years in the Chinese championship.

To explain his recruitment, his coach Ange Postecoglou notably highlighted his excellent barrage against Peru, which sent his country to the World Cup.

Australia team match dates