Has Daniel Arzani Taken Tony Popovic’s Guidance? Update from the Socceroos Coach.

Subway Socceroos head coach Tony Popovic expressed his satisfaction with Daniel Arzani, issuing a challenge to the Melbourne Victory star.

The Socceroos are set to compete against Indonesia in the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup qualifying match in Sydney this Thursday night, and Arzani’s return to the squad is credited to his impressive performances in the Isuzu UTE A-League.

The 26-year-old has been called up following Popovic’s candid assessment of the gifted attacker, who was previously selected for the qualifiers against China and Japan in October but didn’t make an appearance. He was then omitted from November’s fixtures against Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

At that time, Popovic, the former Victory manager, commented unfavourably on Arzani’s training, referring to it as “poor”.

As the qualifiers approach for next year’s tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Popovic was asked whether Arzani had met the expectations in training.

ACADEMY FOCUS: German international’s vision for youth football amid global ‘trend’ in A-Leagues
WONDERKID WATCH: An 18-year-old’s memorable debut with Melbourne Victory seems destined for greatness

“He’s been extremely good. Really good,” he responded during his pre-match press conference.

“He is performing well in training, as all the players are, so I’m not singling him out.”

“Of course, in October he wasn’t at his best. You asked me that question then, and I gave you an answer. Now, he is doing very well.”

“But does this guarantee him a spot in the squad for the game? No, it doesn’t, as there are 26 players competing for positions to make an impact. That’s what we are looking for.”

“However, I am very pleased with his contributions thus far.”