From Australia's biggest loser to hero: Popovic celebrates World Cup upset after near-misses

Tony Popovic, the architect of Australia's surprising World Cup victory over Turkey, has become a national hero overnight. The Socceroos secured a 2-0 win against the heavily favored European side, with goals from Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe, marking one of the tournament's biggest upsets.

Popovic, 52, took the helm in the fall of 2024 following a disastrous start to Australia's World Cup qualifying campaign. He steered the team through qualification and has now delivered a significant shock result on the world stage, transforming his reputation from a coach with a history of near misses to a celebrated figure.

His coaching journey is marked by a unique distinction: he has led teams to five Australian league finals (three with Western Sydney Wanderers, one each with Perth Glory and Melbourne Victory) but has never won the title, holding a record for the most final defeats. Despite this, he has secured two Premier awards for the best team in the regular season.

Popovic's personal background includes Croatian heritage, with his parents emigrating from Croatia. His sons, Gabriel and Kristian, have played for Rudeš, a Croatian first division club. He was also reportedly linked to the Hajduk Split coaching position three times, most recently in 2024, but the club opted for Gennaro Gattuso.

His most significant coaching achievement remains the 2014 AFC Champions League title with Sydney FC. Popovic also had brief stints coaching in Europe with Turkey's Karabukspor in 2017 and Greece's Xanthi in the 2020-21 season. As a player, he is remembered for his time at Crystal Palace, where he played 140 games and captained the team in the Premier League. He also represented Australia 59 times, scoring eight goals and participating in the 2006 World Cup.