Socceroos boss Tony Popovic has made the surprise call to give a maiden national team call-up to Croatian-born Hibernian striker Ante Suto for this month’s home friendlies against Cameroon and Curacao.
Suto and teenager Lucas Herrington are the only two players to have received maiden call-ups to the 26-player squad.
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While Deni Juric, who was named in November’s squad but withdraw due to injury, is the only other uncapped player.
Eighteen-year-old central defender Lucas Herrington caught the attention of Popovic with an impressive start to his MLS career with Colorado Rapids after trading Brisbane for the United States.
Herrington headed home his first goal for the Rapids in just his second appearance and has played the full 90 minutes in the first four matches to start the season.
Suto joins club teammate Martin Boyle in the squad as he prepares to present his case for a World Cup berth.
The 25-year-old striker arrived in the Scottish Premiership in the January transfer window from Croatian club Slaven Belupo and he has been on fire for Hibs.
Suto has scored three goals and provided an assist in six appearances for his new club.
His blistering start raised the possibility of him using his Australian passport to represent the Socceroos, and it quickly came to life.
“My father is from Australia. He was born there and lived there for 20-something years,” Suto told the Edinburgh Evening News last month.
“Then he came back to Croatia, met my mum and stayed there. He’s from Melbourne. So yeah, Melbourne City, Melbourne Knights and all that.
“I have a lot of family also in Australia. My cousins and all that. I’m connected to them.
“We chat almost every day. We have a group on Facebook, on Messenger. We are in touch. We are a big family.”
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Suto’s acquisition comes after the defection of 21-year-old attacking midfielder Adrian Segecic despite being born and raised in Sydney.
Popovic stressed last week that he “will not sell the shirt” to players who are uncommitted and in response to that comment, issued a whack at Segecic in Thursday’s press conference.
“When I say not selling the first, I think, if you’re getting called up for Australia through the junior levels, then you get called up by the Socceroos, shouldn’t that be enough?” Popovic said.
“That your wanted. Should I promise a player at 20 or 21 that he has to play?
“We’ve got young players in this squad now. Do I promise them that they’re going to play? And if they don’t, I have to fear that he will leave.
“It’s probably better for Adrian that he’s gone. I now haven’t restricted him from going where he maybe really wants to be.
“At 21, I don’t know, maybe times have changed, and maybe I’m a bit behind times here, but I know when I was 20 or 21, if I got called into the national team and I didn’t play, all I thought about was: ‘okay, I love that environment. I want to play for Australia. I’ll keep fighting and hope one day I get selected by the coach’.
“I wouldn’t walk out and say make a phone call and see who else wants me.
“Maybe that’s me a bit behind the times?
“That’s what I mean by not selling the shirt. I don’t think we’ve done anything to not indicate to young players that you can play for Australia.
“You can see by this squad. You can see by the last squads that we’ve selected.
“Young players have a great opportunity with the Socceroos. That’s clear.
“But I don’t know what else I’m supposed to do.
“Any player that comes in and says ‘if I don’t play, I’m out’, should I play that player?
“Even though maybe at that moment, whether it’s technically, tactically or maybe a player’s ahead physically at that moment, he shouldn’t play because someone’s told me he’ll leave?
“That’s what I mean by selling the shirt.”
Popovic’s stance was again made clear when he was asked about Cristian Volpato.
The 22-year-old Sydney born and raised winger declined the Socceroos before the last World Cup, but recently met with Popovic.
“No updates. Like I said, we’ve left the door open for him. We haven’t called him to force him to come and play for us,” he said.
“But we did have a discussion with him because he indicated that he was open to the idea.
“I think we did that well. We did it very professionally, respectfully and we’re not going to be calling him now begging him to play for Australia.
“But certainly if he indicated that he wants to play, it’s a talented young player that we would love to have here.”
Meanwhile, there are ten players returning to the Socceroos’ squad.
Experienced defender Aziz Behich is back for the first time since scoring in the World Cup qualifying victory over Japan.
Melbourne Victory’s Nishan Velupillay was also recalled, while Awer Mabil has been picked for his first squad since September 2024.
Feyenoord star Jordy Bos, Parma gun Alessandro Circati along with Ajdin Hrustic, Jacob Italiano, Fran Karacic, Alexander Robertson and Patrick Yazbek have also been recalled.
2022 World Cup hero and goal scorer Mitchell Duke, meanwhile, was a notable omission.
But the likes of Jackson Irvine and Harry Souttar are absent as they make their returns from injury.
“These are our last matches before our World Cup pre-camp, and we have considered a variety of factors in selecting this squad,” Popovic said.
“For many this camp is another opportunity to represent the Socceroos. However, we have also included new faces, as this is our final chance to see players first-hand before our World Cup camp.
“Representing our country is always an honour for both the players and the staff. We want to put on strong performances.
“While every game matters, these matches are crucial – they serve as a farewell to our fans and an opportunity for them to see the team one last time before we head to the United States.
“We appreciate the fantastic support we receive in Australia. Our fans really got behind us during the qualifying campaign, and we look forward to being back on home soil.”
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Australia will face Cameroon at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on Friday 27 March before heading south to take on Curacao at Melbourne’s AAMI Park on Tuesday 31 March.
The two friendlies serve as the Socceroos’ farewell matches before this year’s World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico.
They also shape as the last opportunity for squad members to push their case forward for selection in the World Cup squad.
Australia has one more friendly before their tournament opener against a yet to be determined opponent in Vancouver, but that clash with Mexico is scheduled for two weeks before their first group game.
SOCCEROOS SQUAD
Patrick Beach (Melbourne City)
Aziz Behich (Melbourne City)
Jordy Bos (Feyenoord)
Martin Boyle (Hibernian)
Cameron Burgess (Swansea City)
Alessandro Circati (Parma)
Milos Degenek (Apoel FC)
Jason Geria (Albirex Niigata)
Lucas Herrington (Colorado Rapids)
Ajdin Hrustic (Heracles Almemlo)
Nestory Irankunda (Watford)
Jacob Italiano (Grazer AK)
Paul Izzo (Randers FC)
Deni Juric (Wisla Plock)
Fran Karacic (NK Osijek)
Awer Mabil (CD Castellon)
Connor Metcalfe (St Pauli FC)
Riley McGree (Middlesborough)
Aiden O’Neill (New York City)
Paul Okon-Engstler (Sydney FC)
Alexander Robertson (Cardiff City)
Mathew Ryan (Levante UD)
Ante Suto (Hibernian)
Kai Trewin (New York City)
Nishan Velupillay (Melbourne Victory)
Patrick Yazbek (Nashville SC)