Socceroos coach Tony Popovic is preparing to field a youthful Australian squad as the team readies for a two-match series against Brazil, beginning Friday at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville. Among the seven uncapped players invited to the camp are Toowoomba’s Eli Adams, Kealey Adamson, Kasey Bos, Jacob Chapman, Tanya Dukuly, Dylan Leonard, and Marcus Younis.

Popovic emphasized the potential and positive attitude of the newcomers but stopped short of confirming any debuts for the upcoming fixtures. “A debut is always possible,” he said, noting the team has frequently introduced young players over the past 18 months. “We have a lot of young boys that are not playing a lot of football at their clubs, so we’re basing a lot on potential for the future and we felt this was a good opportunity to bring them in.”

The coach acknowledged the challenge of integrating inexperienced players against a formidable opponent like Brazil, currently ranked fifth globally. “A huge challenge, obviously, doing it against Brazil, but we felt why not now? And we’ll see. The boys are training, they’re adapting, the senior players are making them all feel welcome,” Popovic added.

The Socceroos will also be monitoring the condition of striker Mo Toure, who remains sidelined after sustaining a serious shoulder injury while playing for Norwich City in the EFL Championship. Popovic indicated that the club and player are still deciding on the best course of treatment, whether surgery or conservative rehabilitation.

Despite fielding a less experienced squad, the Australian side is focused on the opportunity to compete against some of the world’s elite players. “We want to be challenged against the best, and that’s what we’re playing now, the fifth ranked team in the world,” Popovic said.

The two matches against Brazil are seen as a significant test for Australia’s emerging talent and a crucial step in building depth ahead of future international competitions.