Caltex Socceroos Head Coach Graham Arnold today announced the 23 players that have been selected to represent Australia in the nation’s first qualification match on the road to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.
Arnold's squad, which features a host of players that have made positive and impressive starts to their club campaigns at home or abroad, will play Kuwait on Tuesday, 10 September 2019 (local time) after spending a week acclimatising in the Middle East at a training camp in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
ULTIMATE GUIDE: Road to FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
HYUNDAI A-LEAGUE: Three players in Caltex Socceroos Squad
Arnold’s first selection on the journey to Qatar 2022 features a blend of international experience, and will offer further deserved opportunities to numerous players at relatively early stages of their respective senior international careers.
“I have spent the past month in Europe with one of my Assistants, Rene Meulensteen, watching and speaking with our players and their coaches and we have been delighted with what we have seen and heard,” Arnold said.
“The players that have been selected in this squad are fit and ready to go, while many, such as Brandon Borrello at Freiburg, Ajdin Hrustic at Groningen, Milos Degenek at Red Star Belgrade, Adam Taggart at Suwon Bluewings, Jackson Irvine at Hull City, and Harry Souttar at Fleetwood Town, have made very positive contributions with their clubs.
“Our June camp and friendly in Busan was a really important time for us. While many of the senior players that had participated in three major tournaments since 2017 were left out to give them a chance to refresh mentally and physically, many young and emerging players were given the chance to enter or re-enter the set-up, which has helped us to develop our depth,” he said.
TICKETS: Secure your spot to see Australia’s finest young footballers in action
HOW TO WATCH: Kuwait v Caltex Socceroos
Arnold’s squad for September’s FIFA window features 12 players with ten or fewer caps, highlighting the rejuvenation that is continuing within the Socceroos’ set-up.
“I find it exciting for the Socceroos and the nation that there were so many more players in contention for this squad, and am expecting healthy competition for places in the starting side for Kuwait and our upcoming qualification matches as we target a winning start on our journey to Qatar,” Arnold concluded.
Following Australia’s qualification opener against Kuwait, the Caltex Socceroos will play Nepal in Canberra on October 10, Chinese Taipei in Kaohsiung on October 15, and Jordan in Jordan on November 14.
Tickets for Australia’s home match against Nepal at Canberra’s GIO Stadium are on sale now (visit www.socceroos.com.au for details).
Caltex Socceroos 23-Player Squad | 2-10 September 2019 | FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ & AFC Asian Cup China 2023™ – Preliminary Joint Qualification Round 2
|
Name |
Club, Country |
A-International Caps (Goals) |
|
Mustafa AMINI |
AGF Aarhus, Denmark |
6 (0) |
|
Aziz BEHICH |
Istanbul Başakşehir, Turkey |
36 (2) |
|
Brandon BORRELLO |
SC Freiburg, Germany |
1 (0) |
|
Milos DEGENEK |
Red Star Belgrade, Serbia |
26 (1) |
|
Apostolos GIANNOU |
AEK Larnaca, Cyprus |
10 (2) |
|
Craig GOODWIN |
Al-Wehda, Saudi Arabia |
4 (0) |
|
Rhyan GRANT |
Sydney FC, Australia |
8 (0) |
|
Ajdin HRUSTIC |
FC Groningen, Netherlands |
1 (0) |
|
Jackson IRVINE |
Hull City, England |
30 (3) |
|
James JEGGO |
Austria Wien, Austria |
2 (0) |
|
Mitchell LANGERAK (Gk) |
Nagoya Grampus, Japan |
8 (0) |
|
Mathew LECKIE |
Hertha BSC, Germany |
61 (9) |
|
Massimo LUONGO |
Sheffield Wednesday, England |
43 (6) |
|
Awer MABIL |
FC Midtylland, Denmark |
10 (4) |
|
Jamie MACLAREN |
Melbourne City FC, Australia |
13 (1) |
|
Mark MILLIGAN |
Southend United, England |
79 (6) |
|
Aaron MOOY |
Brighton & Hove Albion, England |
39 (5) |
|
Andrew REDMAYNE (Gk) |
Sydney FC, Australia |
1 (0) |
|
Mathew RYAN (Gk) |
Brighton & Hove Albion, England |
55 (0) |
|
Trent SAINSBURY |
Maccabi Haifa, Israel |
46 (3) |
|
Brad SMITH |
Seattle Sounders FC, United States of America |
20 (0) |
|
Harry SOUTTAR |
Fleetwood Town, England |
0 (0) |
|
Adam TAGGART |
Suwon Bluewings, Korea Republic |
8 (3) |
CLICK HERE TO READ IN-DEPTH PLAYER FEATURES.
Upcoming Matches – Caltex Socceroos – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ and AFC Asian Cup China 2023™ – Preliminary Joint Qualification Round 2
Kuwait v Australia
Date: Tuesday, 10 September 2019
Venue: Kuwait Club Stadium, Kuwait City, Kuwait
Kick-off: 6.30pm (local); 1.30am + 1 (AEST)
Australia v Nepal
Date: Thursday, 10 October 2019
Venue: GIO Stadium, Canberra
Kick-off: 7.30pm (AEDT)
Tickets: Tickets on sale via www.socceroos.com.au
Broadcast: Live in Australia on FOX SPORTS, Kayo Sports, and via the My Football Live App, Live, Fast and Data Free for Telstra mobile customers
Chinese Taipei v Australia
Date: Tuesday, 15 October 2019
Venue: National Stadium, Kaohsiung
Kick-off: 7.40pm (local); 10.40pm (AEDT)
Jordan v Australia
Date: Thursday, 14 November 2019
Venue: TBC, Jordan
Kick-off: TBC
PLAYER FEATURES:
The monumental hurdle that built Borrello for Bundesliga
The step up that readied Amini to take Caltex Socceroos chance
Irvine’s 'trademark' that could bolster Caltex Socceroos arsenal
'Goose bumps': Hrustic's Caltex Socceroos dream a decade in the making
How City's Guardiola blueprint is set to benefit Maclaren
Never missed a minute: Grant's plan to build on remarkable feat
