Four players from Melbourne’s north-west are among those named in the Socceroos squad for the World Cup.
Coach Graham Arnold revealed his 26 man squad on Tuesday, which will be led by goalkeeper Mathew Ryan, who has been selected for his third World Cup.
Mathew Leckie, who grew up in Melton and played his junior soccer with the Brimbank Stallions, has also been named in his third World Cup team.
Melbourne City striker Jamie Maclaren will again pull on the green and gold. Maclaren grew up in Sunbury and started his career there, before playing with Green Gully. It’s his second World Cup.
Aziz Behich is also playing in his second World Cup, having played 53 games for the Socceroos.
He started his career at Meadow Park in Gladstone Park, before moving to Green Gully, while also playing a season at Hume City.
He is currently playing for Dundee United in Scotland.
Thomas Deng will make his World Cup debuts.
Deng, who spent time at the Western Eagles and Green Gully, has played two games for Australia since his debut in 2018.
Arnold said the Socceroos go to Qatar full of pride and belief after a challenging four years.
“It’s been a unique and difficult qualification campaign and we now arrive in Qatar with an exciting squad which will do everything to make Australia proud on the world stage,” he said.
Australia’s World Cup starts on November 23 against France.
