Maybe not a Golden Generation, but I look at the current crop of youngsters playing in the A-League and I think a lot of them are already almost as good as some of our current Socceroos despite being a decade younger. I feel like we could be on to something by the time 2026 rolls around, I've compiled a list of what our squad could potentially look like by then (ages in brackets). There's plenty of talent around in the league now that will just coming into their prime around a similar time, if you look at our current squad, the ages are really scattered and I think the only quality players we've had that are now 28-35 are Ryan, Sainsbury, Mooy and Rogic. Seems a big cap to get that next range. I am sure I am forgetting a bunch too but this crop has me really excited for what our talent pool could look like for 2026, think we'll have loads more playing in Europe.
Goalkeepers
Ryan (34)
Gauci (25)
Maynard-Brewer (26)
Izzo (31)
Chapman (25)
Glover (28)
Bilokapic (23)
Right Backs
Atkinson (26)
Rawlins (22)
Karacic (30)
Miller (25)
Strain (29)
Centre Backs
Rowles (27)
Souttar (27)
Ryan (25)
Popovic (23)
Wright (33)
Sainsbury (34)
Degenek (32)
Deng (29)
Rich-Baghuelou (26)
Bility (26)
Left Backs
King (25)
Farrell (23)
Bos (23)
Garuccio (30)
Gersbach (29)
Centre Mids
McGree (27)
Genreau (27)
Metcalfe (26)
Hrustic (29)
Devlin (27)
Rogic (33)
Gomulka (24)
Stensness (27)
Yazbek (23)
Watts (24)
Irvine (33)
Mauk (30)
Wingers
Tilio (24)
Volpato (22)
Italiano (24)
Brook (25)
Mabil (30)
D’Agostino (28)
Najjarine (26)
Bernardo (22)
Arzani (27)
Folami (26)
Boyle (33)
Borrello (30)
M. Toure (22)
Irakunda (20)
Strikers
Yengi (26)
A. Kuol (24)
Iredale (30)
Cummings (30)
Wood (23)
G. Kuol (21)
Potential line up:
Ryan
Atkinson-Souttar-Rowles-King
McGree-Metcalfe-Hrustic
Volpato-A.Kuol-Tilio