Tony Popovic’s dream of taking his first choice eleven into Australia’s World Cup opener in Vancouver is off the table, after right-back Lewis Miller was ruled out of the tournament with an achilles injury sustained while playing for Blackburn Rovers last week.

It’s a sad reality of football that with injury an ever-looming threat, there’s generally a hard-luck story or two come major tournaments. Miller’s injury is particularly unfortunate given Australia’s lack of cover in his position, continuing a history of challenges at right-back.

Graham Arnold cycled through Nathaniel Atkinson, Fran Karacic and (an out of position) Milos Degenek at the last World Cup and while all three remain in the international mix none have proven as dependable as Miller, who has played all fourteen games under Popovic and started all eight of consequence.

‘There was a rotation there [in Qatar] and Australia had struggled for solidity in that role, and Lewis Miller had been the solution’, Daniel Garb told Box2Box.

‘He’d been going so well at Blackburn, was really ready for a World Cup and we feel sorry for him, first and foremost. But it’s a massive worry because it’s not only the player, it’s the formation Popovic uses with wing-backs.

‘There’s such an emphasis on those players because you’re not only defending, but forced to get up and attack. So it’s worth raising the question: do you tinker with the formation if you don’t have the perfect player for that position that Miller is?’

If there is a Socceroo who is genuinely flying abroad it’s Mo Toure. Just three games into a four-and-a-half year deal with Norwich he’s scored five goals, helping them move away from the bottom of the Championship table and also advance in the FA Cup.

All things permitting, such form puts him clear of his competition for a starting position at the World Cup. Mitch Duke, Nick D’Agostino and Apostelos Stametelopolous have all returned to the A-League to press their case and at least two will likely feature, but Toure’s development paired with current form makes him presently irresistible.

‘It’s amazing what he’s done, five in three including a hat-trick and two of them were off the bench, so he’s still managed to find the net [when not starting]. Obviously it’s fantastic for him and Norwich will be buzzing, he’d be the hero over there’, said Garb.

‘We all know how difficult it is to have a player up front that you have confidence in scoring a big goal at a World Cup, conjuring something from nothing. We had Tim Cahill for so long, it was then a concern in Qatar, and we found solutions through Duke and Mat Leckie.

‘No one’s saying Toure is going to go to the World Cup and score three goals, but we’ve now got a striker that we have confidence can lead the line. He’s young, will need experience around him, but if can maintain something close to this level leading in, then he’s going to be bursting out of his skin to show the world what he can do.’

Harry Souttar remains on the long comeback trail from an achilles rupture initially suffered in December 2024; while undeniably a first eleven player with proven World Cup pedigree, his absence has been mitigated by the fine international form of Cam Burgess.

Another star of 2022 in Craig Goodwin is racing the clock with a groin injury and Connor Metcalfe’s knee has precluded him from featuring for St Pauli in 2026. Otherwise, signs appear better for Metcalfe’s club teammate and regular Socceroos skipper Jackson Irvine, and Middlesbrough midfielder Riley McGree.

‘Jackson, we all know how important he is to the Socceroos, not just his playing performance, but his leadership and the way he sets the culture and the agenda of the team.’

‘McGree has also been scoring for Borough, they’re top of the Championship. He’s such a key player for them, we just need to keep him fit. Injuries are the only worry with McGree, he’s a first eleven player every time outside of that.

‘Their [experience] is a key part of it, for me. We’re a talented group, and have spoken of that for a little while, but it’s still a little bit raw. Souttar, Irvine and McGree are critical in that first eleven because of the experience they’ve got at the World Cup compared to so many others.’