SANTA CLARA, California — Nestory Irankunda and Cristian Volpato have both been named to start for the Socceroos against Paraguay as Tony Popovic swings six changes in pursuit of a spot in the FIFA World Cup knockouts.
Irankunda and Volpato enter the XI alongside Connor Metcalfe, Lucas Herrington, Aziz Behich and Jackson Irvine, with Mohamed Toure, Cameron Burgess, Nishan Velupillay and Paul Okon making way alongside the injured duo of Mathew Leckie and Jacob Italiano.
Despite both netting in their side’s World Cup-opening 2-0 win over Türkiye, Irankunda and Metcalfe were both rotated out of the side to face the United States, but will now make their return, with the former likely to lead the line in place of Touré, while Metcalfe pairs with Volpato as the inverting wingers.
– Follow live: Australia takes on Paraguay at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Irvine will partner with Aiden O’Neill in the midfield, while Herrington replaced Burgess as the left-sided centre back in the back three. Though most known as a left-sided defender, Behich will shift out to the right-hand side in the absence of Italiano.
At 18 years, nine months and 20 days, Herrington becomes the youngest player to ever start for Australia’s men at a FIFA World Cup, breaking the record set by Irankunda against Türkiye a fortnight ago.
Both Australia and Paraguay sitting on three points thanks to wins over Türkiye, the Socceroos’ superior goal difference means that they only need to avoid defeat to secure second place in Group D and progress to the knockouts, while La Albirroja require the win.
Group D’s second-placed finisher will move on to a clash with the second-placed finisher in Group G — one of Egypt, Belgium, Iran, or New Zealand — in Dallas on July 3, while the side in third will face a nervy wait to find out if they’ll finish as one of the eight best third-placed sides that progress to the round of 32.
If the Socceroos lose but do remain in the tournament, their most likely opponent — which will be locked in following the conclusion of group play on Friday — is Group E winners Germany, in Boston on June 29.
