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The moment Tony Popovic at last brought together his first Socceroos squad, the fresh coach presented a range of standards. A lot were unambiguous and to the point – suitable in light of the disruption around his sudden arrival, after Graham Arnold’s resignation, and with less than three weeks to make arrangements for crucial 2026 World Cup fixtures against China and Japan.

Popovic insisted that any player who aspired to pull on a Socceroos shirt would need to embrace an “premier” attitude to earn, or keep that privilege. But there was a further theme. Less a demand and an invitation to excel – and one that has been thrown sharper into view with each step taken on the path towards the World Cup in North America.

“My hopes were to do something special, in my initial talk to the players,” Popovic says. “That stays constant.”

Just over a year on from that team talk in an Adelaide hotel, many of other things have changed, even if Popovic’s expectations are the same. The coach, for one, looks genuinely settled as Socceroos head. The 52-year-old’s image for strictness stands in stark contrast with the open and at times jovial figure holding court for over an hour in what have become frequent discussions with football media. Similarly have the performances of his team progressed, with recollections of a setback to Bahrain and draw with Indonesia appearing quite far off after successes over Japan and Saudi Arabia in June booked the Socceroos’ berth in next year’s worldwide tournament.

Those victories came as part of an 11-game undefeated streak under Popovic, one that was only snapped away by the United States earlier this month. It’s performance that has taken the Socceroos to the unexpected precipice of entering pot two in the World Cup draw. The performances of November exhibition games against Venezuela, presently positioned 50th in the world, and 13th-ranked Colombia – as well as Ecuador’s games against Canada and New Zealand, and the last games of European qualifying – loom large in this context.

Although Popovic concedes that he began in the job assuming to only be able to rely on a key players of players, he now thinks the pool he can rely on has grown. This isn’t just through the rise of young players such as Nestory Irankunda, Max Balard, or Mohamed Touré as genuine international players. There are also the likes of Miloš Degenek’s reappearance from the sidelines and Paul Izzo’s growth into a genuine Socceroos keeper with the ability to compete with Maty Ryan.

“The squad has entirely changed in my mind – of what’s possible with players that have come in,” Popovic says. “I first thought, ‘OK, this is my group; I don’t truly have much outside of this. Just manage and make them better.’ Now, I believe like there are 15, 20 players that have come into that, and I’m certain there are others to come that I believe can help make us better as a squad at the World Cup.”

This unforeseen rise of talent, and the transformation in thinking it has sparked in Popovic, has paved the way for players on the edges of the squad. Even those not yet considered amongst those ranks can remain optimistic that, by June next year, they could be on the plane. A player like Adrian Segečić might be about to be absent for a month of playing due to an ankle injury, but if he – or any other player – persists to play consistently, then the coach is making clear they’re highly likely of being part of his plans.

“I don’t want to put a cap or a end on that – to declare in March that this is our squad, and there may be one or two more new faces,” Popovic says. “No, I want every player to know that they have an opportunity. Why can’t there be one more player that comes in in June?”

But this expansion, in a way, leads back to Popovic’s first talk as Socceroos head coach. For just as much as he wants players to surprise him, to do something remarkable and rise above the expectations others have for them, he wants his team to have the same philosophy.

“Saying I want to do something unique is just ‘we don’t want to have limits’,” Popovic says. “We don’t want to box ourselves into ‘let’s be contenders at the World Cup, and let’s go home and celebrate for being there’.

“I repeat it to the group: one day, Australia will go very far in the World Cup. And why not this group? Why do we have to wait two or three World Cups, when I’m sitting back and applauding something exceptional from the Socceroos? Why should we have limits? Why not do it now?”