Melbourne City attacker Marcus Younis is among the A-League Men players hoping to make a late push for a spot in the Socceroos' squad for the 2026 World Cup. The 20-year-old, on loan from Danish club Brondby, has scored seven goals and provided three assists in just 11 matches since arriving in January, drawing comparisons to Daniel Arzani and Garang Kuol, who earned World Cup spots as teenagers through impressive A-League form.
Veterans and Newcomers Eye Selection
Mitch Duke, Craig Goodwin, and Aziz Behich, all veterans of previous World Cup campaigns, are also plying their trade in Australia and hoping for one more opportunity. Duke, 35, has scored five times for Macarthur since returning from Japan in December, including a brace against premiers Newcastle Jets. "He's a different profile to what the Socceroos are like," said Bulls coach Mile Sterjovski. "Whether he starts or comes off the bench, he's got something different."
Melbourne City coach Aurelio Vidmar praised Younis's impact: "Marcus has been exceptional since his arrival. His goals, assists, and form have been very good." However, Younis must prove himself in the high-pressure A-League Men finals, starting with an elimination final against Auckland on Saturday.
Finals Showdowns for Aspirants
City goalkeeper Patrick Beach and left-back Aziz Behich are also likely contenders. "Aziz has been extremely consistent and won our Scott Jamieson award," Vidmar said. However, Mat Leckie and Andrew Nabbout may miss out due to injury recovery. "Leckie has only had bench minutes recently," Vidmar noted. "You need consistent playing time to be considered."
The elimination final between Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory features a midfield battle with Socceroos aspirants. Victory's Denis Genreau, who has six caps, hasn't given up hope of making the trip to North America, while emerging talents Louis D'Arrigo and Jordi Valadon also seek selection. Victory coach Arthur Diles called Paul Okon-Engstler "a fantastic young footballer" and said, "Valadon's a big young talent. His name should never be far from Socceroos conversations."
Other Contenders Across the League
Newcastle Jets and Adelaide United are also rich in Australian talent. At Adelaide, Craig Goodwin returns from injury, joined by young Australians Ethan Alagich and Jonny Yull. The premiership-winning Jets boast wingers Eli Adams and Clayton Taylor, veteran Max Burgess, and Joel Bertolissio, who could fill the right-back gap left by injured Lewis Miller.
Victory's Nishan Velupillay, part of the Socceroos' last squad, is another hopeful. Diles expects a "sprinkling" of Victory players in the final squad. "Tony's got a massive headache ahead of him," he said. "It's a pleasing headache because there are so many good players out there."
The Socceroos squad will be announced on 1 June, with Popovic closely watching the finals this weekend.
