Australia aims to make World Cup history against Egypt

Australia's coach Tony Popovic has called on his players to forge new history and place the nation on the global football map as they prepare for their 2026 World Cup Round of 32 match against Egypt.

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We are happy to be here. We worked hard to reach this stage and truly deserve to be among the top 32 teams. We also feel calm, comfortable, and have prepared thoroughly. This is a special match, and we want to showcase Australian football's capabilities on the world stage.

Popovic stated that the Socceroos are in peak condition after successfully navigating the group stage and are determined to deliver Australia's first-ever knockout stage victory at the World Cup. "We are happy to be here. We worked hard to reach this stage and truly deserve to be among the top 32 teams," he said at a press conference. "We also feel calm, comfortable, and have prepared thoroughly. This is a special match, and we want to showcase Australian football's capabilities on the world stage."

Australia began their tournament campaign with a 2-0 victory over Turkey, followed by a loss to co-hosts the United States. They then drew with Paraguay to secure their spot in the knockout rounds. Popovic acknowledged that Egypt enters the match with high confidence after achieving their first-ever World Cup win in the group stage, but he believes Australia has the ability to advance further.

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We are good enough to deliver a quality performance. Our job is to ensure everything planned is translated onto the field, whether in 90 minutes, extra time, or through a penalty shootout.

He noted that his squad comprises a mix of young and experienced players, including 18-year-old center-back Lucas Herrington, who has been linked with a move to Spanish giants Barcelona. "We are good enough to deliver a quality performance. Our job is to ensure everything planned is translated onto the field, whether in 90 minutes, extra time, or through a penalty shootout," Popovic said. "I expect this match to be more challenging than previous ones because it's a knockout game. We respect Egypt, but at the same time, I believe we can still show better performance. If we play at our best, we have a chance to make history."

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I expect this match to be more challenging than previous ones because it's a knockout game. We respect Egypt, but at the same time, I believe we can still show better performance. If we play at our best, we have a chance to make history.