"Make Our Nation Proud" - Seven Uncapped Players Named to Socceroos Squad for Ashes Series

Socceroos head coach Tony Popovic has named seven uncapped players in his latest squad, with calls for the likes of Noah Botic and Adrian Segecic to be included to face New Zealand answered. There are no A-Leagues-based players in the group, with the league's season yet to begin for 2025/26.

Noah Botic of Western United celebrates after scoring a goal during the round 13 A-League Men match between Melbourne Victory and Western United at AAMI Park, on January 10, 2025, in Melbourne, Australia. (Image: Getty Images/Robert Cianflone)

The 25-man squad's debutants with a chance to feature alongside Botic (Austria Vienna) and Segecic (Portsmouth) include Aberdeen's Nicolas Milanovic and Hajduk Split's Anthony Kalik, with all four cashing in strong starts to the season in Europe for maiden first-team callups.

Returns are set for Watford wonderkind Nestory Irankunda and new Feyenoord star Jordan Bos in the first squad named since Australia qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the wins over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June.

Nestory Irankunda returns to the Socceroos squad after a move to Championship side Watford. (Image: Football Australia)

“I always had faith and confidence in our ability to not only qualify for the World Cup but continue growing as a team. The players have done an outstanding job in securing World Cup qualification, and now the focus on 2026 begins,” Popovic said on Friday morning when naming the squad in Canberra.

“We’re in the early stages of this journey, but all our energies are now focused on continuing to drive the elite standards that we aspire to and achieving our best result at a World Cup. We want to do something special and make our nation proud."

Tony Popovic told the media it was the best time to take the Socceroos role, despite Australia's poor results in World Cup qualifiers. (Image: AAP/Bianca De Marchi)

Rotation and testing is the theme for the two-game series, to be played across Canberra and Auckland, with familiar faces rested. The likes of Japan goal-scoring hero Aziz Behich, Mitch Duke, Riley McGree and captain Mat Ryan are all missing out this window.

2022 Qatar World Cup players Ajdin Hrustic and Fran Karacic make their return to the senior team, while Ryan's replacement in goal will most likely be Joe Gauci, although Paul Izzo and Tom Glover are a chance to feature for their first caps across the two games.

"We want to do something special and make our nation proud."

“We’re excited to be back in camp for the first time after qualifying for the World Cup and we’re looking forward to testing ourselves against another team that’s qualified for the World Cup, in New Zealand.” Popovic's charges are just four international windows away from the 2026 World Cup squad being named.

Australia hold the Soccer Ashes, having defeated New Zealand in London in 2023. (Image: Getty Images/Bryn Lennon)

The Socceroos will face the All Whites for the Soccer Ashes on September 5 in Canberra and September 9 in Auckland.

Name	Current Club, Country	‘A’ Caps (Goals	Junior Club (Member Federation/Country)
Max BALARD	NAC Breda, Netherlands	0	Maccabi Hakoah FC / Football NSW
Jordan BOS	Feyenoord, Netherlands	19 (1)	Hoppers Crossing SC / Football VIC
Noah BOTIC	Austria Vienna, Austria	0	Hurstville Zagreb / Football NSW
Martin BOYLE	Hibernian FC, Scotland	34 (10)	Lewis United FC / Montrose FC (Scotland)
Cameron BURGESS	Swansea, Wales	17 (0)	ECU Joondalup / Football West
Alessandro CIRCATI	Parma, Italy	5 (0)	Perth SC / Football West
Milos DEGENEK	FK TSC, Serbia	49 (1)	Blacktown City FC / Football NSW
Joe GAUCI (Gk)	Port Vale, England	7 (0)	Cumberland United FC / Football SA
Tom GLOVER (Gk)	Middlesbrough, England	0	Menai Hawks / Football NSW
Ajdin HRUSTIC	Heracles Almelo, Netherlands	31 (3)	Heatherton United SC / Football VIC
Nestory IRANKUNDA	Watford, England	5 (1)	Adelaide Croatia Raiders SC/ Football SA
Paul IZZO (Gk)	Randers FC, Denmark	0	Campbelltown City SC / Football SA
Anthony KALIK	Hajduk Split, Croatia	0	Manly United / Football NSW
Fran KARACIC	Hajduk Split, Croatia	15 (1)	NK Lokomotiva / Croatia
Hayden MATTHEWS	Portsmouth, England	1 (0)	Sydney FC Academy / Football NSW
Connor METCALFE	St Pauli, Germany	26 (1)	South Cardiff FC / Northern NSW Football
Nicolas MILANOVIC	Aberdeen, Scotland	0	Sydney United 58 FC/ Football NSW
Lewis MILLER	Blackburn Rovers, England	13 (1)	Pittwater RSL FC / Football NSW
Aiden O’NEILL	New York City FC, USA	21 (0)	University of Queensland Football Club / Football QLD
Kye ROWLES	DC United, USA	25 (1)	Palm Beach SC / Football QLD
Adrian SEGECIC	Portsmouth, England	0	Lidcombe Waratah Junior FC/ Football NSW
Samuel SILVERA	Middlesbrough, England	7 (0)	Blacktown City FC / Football NSW
Ryan TEAGUE	K.V. Mechelen, Belgium	3 (0)	Maroubra United / Football NSW
Mohamed TOURE	Randers FC, Denmark	2 (0)	Croydon Kings / Football SA
Patrick YAZBEK	Nashville SC, United States	2 (0)	Austral Soccer Club / Football NSW

Subway Socceroos v New Zealand 

Friday, 5 September 

GIO Stadium, Canberra

Kick-off: 7.45pm AEST 

Broadcast: 10, 10 Play and Paramount+ 

New Zealand v Subway Socceroos 

Tuesday, 9 September 

Go Media Stadium, Auckland 

Kick-off: 7.00pm local / 5.00pm AEST 

Broadcast: Paramount+