Socceroos Turn To Next Generation With Adrian Segecic Named In Squad To Face New Zealand

Breakout sensation Adrian Segecic has earned a maiden call-up while Nestory Irankunda’s basking commencement to life astatine Watford has delivered a callback for nan Socceroos’ friendlies against New Zealand.

Portsmouth weapon Segecic, 21, is 1 of 4 players called up for nan first time, named successful Tony Popovic’s experimental squad to play for nan Soccer Ashes successful Canberra adjacent Friday and Auckland 3 days later.

Segecic’s call-up comes disconnected scoring 2 goals successful 3 Championship games for Portsmouth, on pinch notching an assistance successful nan League Cup.

Irankunda, who moved from Bayern Munich to English Championship nine Watford complete nan off-season, has already notched an assistance and a wonderful free footwear goal.

That has earned nan 19-year-old his first call-up nether Popovic since past October, having been overlooked since Australia’s conflict pinch Japan.

With nonstop World Cup qualification already secured, Popovic has licence to research and trial caller players successful nan first of 4 windows up of selecting his squad for nan 2026 tournament.

Former A-League Men stars Noah Botic (Austria Vienna), Nicolas Milanovic (Aberdeen) and Segecic (Portsmouth), positive astonishment call-up Anthony Kalik (Hajduk Split) will each caput into a elder campy for nan first time.

Nestory Irankunda has impressed since making a move to Championship broadside Watford. Photograph: Paul Harding/Getty Images

There are nary players from nan out-of-season A-League Men competition, including Aziz Behich, while respective different knowledgeable players person been near retired aliases overlooked.

Jackson Irvine is still connected nan comeback trail from his ft injury, while Mat Ryan has been near retired aft sealing his caller nine move to Levante.

Luckless playmaker Riley McGree is seemingly still sidelined while Japan-based Mitch Duke and Jason Geria person been overlooked.

Defender Jordan Bos, who precocious moved to Dutch powerhouse Feyenoord, returns from injury.

Ajdin Hrustic has been called up aft signing pinch Heracles Almelo and Sammy Silvera’s shape arsenic a wingback astatine Middlesborough has been rewarded.

“The players person done an outstanding occupation successful securing World Cup qualification, and now nan attraction connected 2026 begins,” Popovic said. “We’re successful nan early stages of this journey, but each our energies are now focused connected continuing to thrust nan elite standards that we aspire to and achieving our champion consequence astatine a World Cup.

“We want to do thing typical and make our federation proud. “We’re excited to beryllium backmost successful campy for nan first clip aft qualifying for nan World Cup and we’re looking guardant to testing ourselves against different squad that’s qualified for nan World Cup, successful New Zealand.”

Nectar Triantis, who precocious registered a Fifa move to Greece, has not been included, nor has seasoned midfielder Massimo Luongo

Socceroos squad

Goalkeepers: Joe Gauci, Tom Glover, Paul Izzo; defenders: Jordan Bos, Cameron Burgess, Alessandro Circati, Milos Degenek, Fran Karacic, Hayden Matthews, Lewis Miller, Kye Rowles, Samuel Silvera; midfielders: Max Balard, Ajdin Hrustic, Anthony Kalik, Connor Metcalfe, Aiden O’Neill; Ryan Teague, Patrick Yazbek; attackers: Noah Botic, Martin Boyle, Nestory Irankunda, Nicolas Milanovic, Adrian Segecic, Mohamed Toure.