Connor Metcalfe Responds to US Critics Ahead of World Cup
Connor Metcalfe has had enough.
Days out from a World Cup that already has Australia marked down as cannon fodder in some corners of the United States, the Socceroos midfielder made it clear he’s tired of the narrative.
“I've seen all the US stuff and I'm just sick of it, to be honest,” he said in San Diego, where Australia is tuning up for a friendly against Switzerland. “Let's just wait for the game. Whatever happens, happens. It's just so much rubbish, honestly. I'm just sick of it.”
The spark this time came from former USA defender Alexi Lalas, who dismissed Australia as “an average team by any measure”. He’s not alone. Ex-striker Landon Donovan has already called coach Tony Popovic “smug” and confidently tipped the Socceroos to finish bottom of their group.
The message from inside the Australian camp? Talk is cheap. Kick-off will decide the rest.
Dress rehearsal in San Diego
Before the showdown with the USA, Popovic’s side faces Switzerland in a midday fixture designed to mirror the conditions of their group-stage clash with the Americans, which is also scheduled for 12pm.
“It's actually a good dress rehearsal for us, with travelling, with food, with training, with our meetings,” Popovic said, treating the Swiss encounter as a dry run for the rhythms and demands of tournament football as much as a test of tactics.
Australia is coming off a 1–0 defeat to Mexico, a match that exposed rust and left room for improvement, but also underlined where minutes and sharpness are still missing across the squad.
Volpato set for first Socceroos minutes
One of the biggest storylines around this camp has yet to set foot on the pitch. That changes against Switzerland.
Popovic confirmed that Cristian Volpato will finally play his first minutes for Australia after his high-profile switch from Italy, completed only days before the World Cup squad was named. The Sassuolo winger sat out the loss to Mexico as he worked his way back to fitness.
“He hasn't played a lot of football and he had eight to nine days off before he joined us,” Popovic said. “Comparing [him] to the group, he's probably at the bottom in terms of his conditioning right now. He's working hard, he's trying to get up to speed and we've seen some good inroads in the last couple of days.”
Volpato’s inclusion has stirred debate among fans, many of whom have not forgotten a social media post he made when Australia lost to Japan. That past has followed him into this camp, at least outside the dressing room.
Inside it, Metcalfe insists, the waters are calm.
“It's been pretty smooth sailing. I mean, he's come in, he's a really nice, relaxed guy,” Metcalfe said. “We see it online and we know the past and what's been done, but we're not here to talk about that. Whatever's said is done, so it's fine.”
The focus, from the players’ perspective, is on what Volpato can add now: creativity between the lines, a different kind of spark in the final third, and depth in a position Australia has long wanted more from.
Switzerland’s late boost after Embolo visa drama
On the other side of the halfway line, Switzerland’s preparation has carried its own drama.
Striker Breel Embolo, a key figure in their attack, was initially blocked from travelling with the squad due to a visa issue. US officials informed him just hours before take-off that he could not board the flight, with his ESTA — the automated travel visa used for tourism — rejected because of a criminal conviction.
For a team finalising World Cup plans, losing a forward with 23 goals in 85 caps at the last minute would have been a significant blow. Instead, the impasse turned into a scramble. Embolo met US officials during the week, and after further checks, he received approval to travel.
His eventual arrival gives Switzerland a late lift and restores a familiar focal point in attack for the San Diego friendly and beyond.
Australia, meanwhile, walks into this test with a simmering sense of grievance and a point to prove. Labeled “average”, tipped to finish last, written off before a ball is kicked — the external verdict is clear.
The response now has to come on the grass, under a midday sun, against a seasoned European side and with the United States waiting down the road.
