Australia Faces Double Injury Setback with Leckie and Italiano Out
Australia will march into the World Cup knockout rounds a man light, the mood noticeably heavier.
The Socceroos have lost veteran forward Matthew Leckie and right-back Jacob Italiano to injury, trimming Tony Popovic’s squad to 24 and stripping depth from the wide areas just as the tournament tightens.
Leckie suffered a leg injury in the defeat to the USA. Italiano broke down with a groin problem in training before the draw with Paraguay. Both have now left camp, with Football Australia confirming they have returned to their clubs’ countries to continue rehabilitation.
For Leckie, it cuts particularly deep.
The 33-year-old only fought his way back from injury at the end of the A-League season and was a surprise inclusion in Popovic’s World Cup group. His story had the makings of a late-career redemption arc; instead, it stops abruptly on the training ground and treatment table.
Aziz Behich, his Melbourne City teammate and long-time Socceroos colleague, did not bother hiding the emotion.
"I'm gutted for him," Behich said. "I saw first-hand this year what he had to do to get back on that pitch for us at Melbourne City and then what he did in Sarasota.
"He left no stone unturned and it's a credit to him, it's not easy, not just physically but also mentally at his age.
"We're all gutted for him because we want him to stick around because we know what he can give us as a team and even when he's not playing."
Those words paint the picture of more than a lost option off the bench. Australia lose a dressing-room pillar, a player whose experience in big moments often matters most when the cameras aren’t on.
Popovic’s options tighten
On the tactical board, the damage is clear.
World Cup rules mean Australia cannot replace either player, leaving Popovic short in the wide channels at precisely the point in the tournament when rotation becomes a luxury. The impact of Italiano’s absence showed immediately in the draw with Paraguay.
With the 21-year-old unavailable, regular left-back Jordy Bos flipped to right-back, while Behich came in on his more familiar left side. That switch may become the new normal.
"(Italiano) worked hard to get himself in this position and I thought he did really well in the games that he played as well," Behich said.
His own role now sharpens into focus.
"For myself, obviously I came here to play. I put myself in this position as well, to be involved in my third World Cup.
"I've been biding my time. I've been working hard at training every day and just waiting for my opportunity.
"I think we're in a good headspace. Obviously, two soldiers down, but we've got a lot of boys that can cover depth and position."
That last line will be tested. With Leckie gone, the ability to change games from the flank drops a notch. With Italiano out, Popovic must lean on versatility: full-backs on their “wrong” side, wingers tracking deeper, perhaps even a shape tweak if the strain grows.
The road ahead
For now, Australia stay put. The squad will remain in Oakland until July 1 before flying to Dallas to prepare for their round-of-32 clash on July 3.
Two players down, tournament pressure rising, travel on the horizon.
Popovic’s side have spent months talking about resilience and depth. The knockout rounds will reveal exactly how much of that talk holds when the margin for error shrinks to a single match.
