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Opinion
Regardless of club or country, all managers desire the same thing: a lethal No.9 capable of scoring in all conditions and on any occasion. Such a player can be the sole difference between winning and losing and greatly elevate the fortunes of any team.
For Socceroos fans, the question of “where do the goals come from” has raged since the departure of talisman Tim Cahill. The lethality of Cahill was constant throughout his career, providing confidence to green and gold supporters no matter the challenge at hand. His retirement was followed by a series of strikers who sought to stake a claim for striker duties with the national team.
However, no player has seemed to truly cement his claim to shouldering the responsibility of putting goals in the back of the net.
Each candidate who has built a case for favour so far differs in style. The likes of Mitchell Duke, Jamie Maclaren, Jason Cummings and Adam Taggart have all tussled for the starting position but, additionally, share a common truth: they will all be aged in their 30s come four years’ time.
It begs the question: who are the next generation of Aussie strikers who could feature at the 2026 World Cup?
Brother of Tomi and eligible for Australia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Deni Jurić is yet to make his international intentions clear. The Sydney product has been plying his trade in Croatia for the bulk of his professional career and is currently a Dinamo Zagreb player.
At 25 years of age, it is probable that Jurić will peak at the next World Cup. Strongly built, he would offer size and confidence in the final third similar to the Asian Cup heroics of his older brother.
A dynamic playing style and pleasant character, Alou, brother of Garang, poses as a likely addition to the Socceroos squad. Having recently made his Bundesliga debut, 21-year-old Alou continues to strive for a European-based career. Undeniably, Socceroos fans will salivate at the idea of the Kuol brothers combining for 2026 success. A scary prospect.
The candidate most A-League fans are most familiar with, D’Agostino has up until now played his entire career domestically. Having recently completing a move to Norwegian club Viking, the Gold Coast product appears intent on levelling up his game. D’Agostino differs to the previously mentioned players in that he has already been internationally capped, though yet to draw blood for the green and gold.
– Gabriel Popovic
– Noah Botic
– Archie Goodwin
– Tete Yengi
– Jing Reec
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