Socceroos legend and goalkeeping great Mark Schwarzer says Mat Ryan remains the “standout candidate” to start between the posts for Australia at this year’s FIFA World Cup, but backed the decision to play other contenders ahead of him in the past 18 months.
Since the start of Socceroos coach Tony Popovic’s reign in September 2024, three keepers – Paul Izzo, Patrick Beach and Joe Gauci – have all started at different times in preference to national skipper Ryan.
Melbourne City’s Beach, Denmark-based Izzo and veteran Ryan, who has been in good form for his Spanish top-flight club Levante, are the three glovemen in the Socceroos’ 26-man squad for the FIFA Series games against Cameroon and Curacao.
Schwarzer, who represented Australia a record 109 times and played at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, said as much as Ryan wouldn’t have liked sitting on the bench, Popovic made the right call in giving the other keepers an opportunity.
“As a goalkeeper, I used to hate it, and I’m sure Maty hates it as well, because he wants to play every game – we all do,” Schwarzer said ahead of the Socceroos’ clash on Friday night against the Cameroonians at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.
“We’re selfish but you also know the bigger picture. That’s just the reality of the game today, and that’s what the manager needs to do because there’s a lot of time between now and the start of the World Cup (in June), so players can get injured.
“Hopefully no-one does, but players can get injured, so you have to make sure everyone’s up to speed. everyone has their exposure.”
However, Schwarzer said 33-year-old Ryan, who has made 101 appearances for the Socceroos, remained Australia’s first-choice custodian.
“Maty’s obviously the standout candidate. He’s been number one for a long period of time, he’s the captain of the national team, he’s the most experienced player in the squad – this is going be his fourth World Cup,” the former Middlesbrough and Fulham keeper said.
“He has a wealth of experience, but what ‘Popa’ (Popovic) has made very clear right from the beginning, (is that) it doesn’t matter who you are, everyone needs to be on their toes, everyone needs to get pushed.
“Maty has stepped up. Maty’s been exceptional for Levante in La Liga. Every time he’s played for the Socceroos, he’s never let the Socceroos down, but you also want that competition.”
Schwarzer praised his former Socceroos teammate Popovic for his work as national coach.
“He has come in and shook things up a little bit, also reminding people what it means to play for the national team, and that (World Cup) qualification is not granted, it’s not guaranteed – you have to earn it,” he said.
“The performances and togetherness the team has shown has been outstanding.”
