Tony Popovic

Among the most decorated names in Australian football and will create history by becoming the first to represent the Socceroos at a FIFA World Cup as both a Player and Coach.

Capped 58 times by the Socceroos, Popovic was hailed as a leader of the golden generation, which included Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka, commanding his teammates’ respect with his professionalism
and insatiable work ethic.

That leadership has transitioned into coaching, where Popovic is among the top echelon of Australian Coaches matching it with the world’s best and following in the footsteps of trailblazer Ange Postecoglou.

Popovic sensationally revived the Socceroos’ faltering 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, engineering an eight-game undefeated run. It included historic wins over Japan and Saudi Arabia to secure Australia a direct berth for the first time since 2014.

Success has followed Popovic from the moment he made his Head Coaching debut in 2012, with a stunning season at A-League expansion club Western Sydney Wanderers.

His crowning moment was a great underdog triumph, leading the Wanderers to 2014 Asian Champions League glory and knocking off a host of cashed-up Asian giants.

Popovic’s tenures at both Perth Glory and Melbourne Victory followed similar themes – picking up fallen giants who had finished third-last and last respectively. Against all odds, he rebuilt both squads instantly in a salary cap league, securing first and second place finishes.

Domestically, Popovic has won two Minor Premierships (Wanderers and Glory), an Australia Cup (Victory) and reached five Grand Finals.

An uncompromising defender, Popovic is one of just 50-odd Australians to have played in the world’s best competition, the English Premier League, and one of few to have captained his side.

Popovic wore the armband for both Crystal Palace and the Socceroos during Australia’s golden era that broke a 32-year World Cup drought.

He featured in the historic win over Uruguay in November 2005 and was one of 17 Australian players who took to the pitch during the 2006 World Cup. Popovic scored eight Socceroos goals.

Now Popovic is plotting history as Head Coach of his beloved country, challenging his young squad to rise to elite world-class standards on and off the field.

His Socceroos team will be backed by a sea of green and gold shirts, with tens of thousands of Aussies
fans set to travel to the US, Canada and Mexico in June 2026.