New York Red Bulls star Tim Cahill heads the diverse 30-man provisional World Cup roster announced by Australia on Wednesday, a group hailing from a dozen different leagues on four continents.
With seven players age 21 or younger, Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou has blended in a substantial dollop of youth alongside the veteran core led by Cahill, Mark Bresciano and Josh Kennedy, heroes of Aussie World Cup campaigns past – but there was no place for longtime servant Lucas Neill.
Crystal Palace standout Mile Jedinak will anchor the midfield, while Dutch-based winger Tommy Oar offers a valuable wide option and Kennedy brings towering size up front. This week Postecoglou convenes a week-long training camp which will help him winnow his squad down to 23 by June 2.
After decades of frustrating near-misses, the Socceroos have now qualified for three straight World Cups since their move from Oceania to the Asian Football Confederation. They will travel to Brazil with cautious optimism, having been drawn into a rugged Group B alongside Chile, the Netherlands and reigning world champions Spain.
Australia open their tournament against Chile in Cuiaba on June 13. They face the Netherlands on June 18 in Porto Alegre, then play Spain in Curitiba five days later.
GOALKEEPERS (4)
Mark Birighitti (Newcastle Jets - Australia / 23yrs)
Eugene Galekovic (Adelaide United- Australia / 32yrs)
Mitch Langerak (Borussia Dortmund - Germany / 25yrs)
Mat Ryan (Club Brugge - Belgium / 22yrs)
DEFENDERS (9)
Josh Brillante (Newcastle Jets- Australia / 21yrs)
Jason Davison (Heracles Almelo - Netherlands / 22yrs)
Ivan Franjic (Brisbane Roar- Australia / 26rs)
Curtis Good (Dundee United - Scotland /21yrs)
Ryan McGowan (Shandong - China / 24yrs)
Matthew Spiranovic (Western Sydney Wanderers - Australia / 25yrs)
Alex Wilkinson (Jeonbuk - South Korea / 29yrs)
Luke Wilkshire (Dynamo Moscow - Russia / 32yrs)
Bailey Wright (Preston North End - England / 21yrs)
MIDFIELDERS (12)
Oliver Bozanic (Luzern - Switzerland / 25yrs)
Mark Bresciano (Al Gharafa - Qatar / 34yrs)
Ben Halloran (Fortuna Dusseldorf - Germany / 21yrs)
James Holland (Austria Vienna - Austria / 24yrs)
Mile Jedinak (Crystal Palace - England / 29yrs)
Massimo Luongo (Swindon Town - England / 21yrs)
Matt McKay (Brisbane Roar - Australia / 31yrs)
Mark Milligan (Melbourne Victory - Australia / 28yrs)
Tommy Oar (Utrecht - Netherlands / 22yrs)
Tom Rogic (Melbourne Victory - Australia / 21yrs)
Adam Sarota (Utrecht - Netherlands / 25yrs)
Dario Vidosic (FC Sion - Switzerland / 27yrs)
FORWARDS (5)
Tim Cahill (New York Red Bulls / 34yrs)
Josh Kennedy (Nagoya Grampus - Japan / 31yrs)
Mathew Leckie (FSV Frankfurt - Germany / 23yrs)
Adam Taggart (Newcastle Jets - Australia / 20rs)
James Troisi (Melbourne Victory - Australia / 25yrs)
