Meet the FIFA World Cup Squad: The Forwards

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Graham Arnold announced his 26-man squad for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ on Tuesday.

After getting reacquainted with our goalkeepers, defenders, and midfielders, it is time to focus in on our forwards that complete our squad for the world’s biggest sporting event.

Mathew Leckie

Debut: 14/11/2012 v South Korea
Socceroos Cap Number: 550
Socceroos Caps: 73
Socceroos Goals: 13
Major Tournaments: FIFA World Cup 2014 & 2018, AFC Asian Cup 2015 & 2019, FIFA Confederations Cup 2017
Current Club: Melbourne City
Junior Club: Brimbank Stallions FC (Victoria)

Mathew Leckie's incredible pace and engine has enabled him to have a successful career for both club and country. The now 31-year-old will be just one of a handful of players to have been included in the previous three World Cup squads. Leckie has been a household name in the Socceroos set-up for almost a decade and carved out a respected reputation in Germany following his move from Adelaide United to Borussia Monchengladbach in 2011.

He spent a total of 10 years in Germany, which included stints at FSV Frankfurt and Hertha BSC, where he scored five league goals in his debut season. Ahead of the 2021/22 season, the forward returned to Australia after four seasons in the German capital, headlining the attack of hometown outfit and then-A-League Men's champions Melbourne City.

Awer Mabil

Debut: 16/10/2018 v Kuwait
Socceroos Cap Number: 597
Socceroos Caps: 29
Socceroos Goals: 8
Major Tournaments: AFC Asian Cup 2019
Current Club: Cadiz
Junior Club: St Augustines FC (South Australia)

Awer Mabil’s footballing passion started as a young boy with his parents in a Kenyan refugee camp. After settling in Australia, Mabil utilised this natural ability, signing for local A-League side Adelaide United, and becoming one of the club's youngest debutants at 17 years and 118 days.

In 2015, Mabil secured a move to Europe, creating a home in Denmark with Danish champions FC Midtjylland. In 2020, he played a telling role in Midtjylland’s title-winning campaign as they won their first championship since his arrival. He then lived out his lifelong dream of playing in the UEFA Champions League, where the Danish club were drawn alongside Liverpool, Ajax and Atalanta.

After a short loan stint in Turkey, Mabil signed with La Liga side Cadiz ahead of the 2022/23 season. The dynamic winger has established himself as a key member in the Socceroos set-up since his debut in October 2018. His eighth goal for the Socceroos was his first on home soil which secured a 1-0 friendly win over New Zealand in Brisbane, thanks to a sublime strike.

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Jamie Maclaren

Debut: 27/05/2016 v England
Socceroos Cap Number: 584
Socceroos Caps: 26
Socceroos Goals: 8
Major Tournaments: FIFA World Cup 2018, AFC Asian Cup 2019
Current Club: Melbourne City
Junior Club: Green Gully SC (Victoria)

Maclaren’s career began with Perth Glory, making 38 appearances and scoring 11 goals, before moving to Brisbane Roar in 2015. Maclaren took his game to another level at the Roar, being named Young Player of the Year in his two seasons with the club, winning the Golden Boot for the 2016/17 season. This strong form for the Roar saw Maclaren break into the Socceroos squad for the first time, making his debut against England in 2016.

Following the 2016/17 season, Maclaren secured a move to Europe, signing with German second division club SV Darmstadt 98. Struggling for game time in Germany, Maclaren mustered a loan deal with Scottish side Hibernian for the second half of the 2017/18 season. His form for the Scottish club, including a hat trick on the final day of the season, saw him force his way into the 2018 World Cup squad but was an unused substitute in each of Australia’s group matches.

At the beginning of 2019, the striker returned to Australia and linked up with Melbourne City where he scored goals at a prolific rate. His first international hat-trick arrived in October 2019 against Nepal.

Mitchell Duke

Debut: 20/07/2013 v South Korea
Socceroos Cap Number: 559
Socceroos Caps: 21
Socceroos Goals: 8
Current Club: Fagiano Okayama
Junior Club: Liverpool Rangers SC (NSW)

Mitchell Duke began his career at Central Coast Mariners and was part of a highly period at the club which culminated in them winning the championship in 2013. Duke made his debut for the Australian senior team in 2013 at the East Asian Cup tournament in a match against South Korea, while scoring his first international goal in the following match against Japan. After four caps in 2013, Duke would have to wait six years to again feature for the Socceroos.

He later earned a recall to the Socceroos in June 2021, where he played three of Australia’s four World Cup qualifiers – scoring a second-half brace against Chinese Taipei. The following month, the 31-year-old made his Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, leading the line for the Olyroos as their sole overage selection. Following the tournament, Duke remained in Japan, sealing a transfer to Fagiano Okayama. The Western Sydney born striker has also enjoyed successful spells with Japanese outfit Shimizu S-Pulse and then Western Sydney Wanderers which saw him orchestrate a transfer to Saudi Arabia.

Martin Boyle

Debut: 17/11/2018 v South Korea
Socceroos Cap Number: 599
Socceroos Caps: 19
Socceroos Goals: 5
Current Club: Hibernian FC
Junior Club: Lewis United FC/Montrose FC (Scotland)

Scottish-born Martin Boyle is one of the Socceroos’ bright attacking sparks, injecting pace and purpose into the team’s forward line. The Aberdeen-born winger forged quite the reputation in the Scottish Premiership with Hibernian, scoring 60 goals in nearly 250 appearances between 2014 and 2022. In the 2020/21 Premiership season, Boyle helped Hibernian notch a third-place finish and reach the Scottish Cup Final, scoring 12 league goals and assisting six others in a consistent season in Scotland.

Boyle left Hibs at the beginning of 2022 for Saudi Professional League side Al-Faisaly, but returned to the club where he has enjoyed immense success six months later. Despite his Socceroos career being in its infancy, Boyle had the privilege of leading the line on debut with Australian legend Tim Cahill on his final match. The match symbolised a potential change of guard toward the future of the Socceroos with Boyle playing a prominent role.

After scoring two and assisting another on his first start for Australia, Boyle unfortunately would not carry his form into the 2019 AFC Asian Cup after he suffered a serious knee injury in the lead up to the tournament. Boyle returned to fitness to come off the bench during the Socceroos’ FIFA World Cup Qualifier against Jordan in November 2019, before hitting top form at club level. Since 2021, he has been a mainstay for Australia.

Craig Goodwin

Debut: 25/07/2013 v Japan
Socceroos Cap Number: 562
Socceroos Caps: 10
Socceroos Goals: 1
Current Club: Adelaide United
Junior Club: Munro Para City FC (South Australia)

Craig Goodwin burst onto the A-League scene with the then Melbourne Heart in 2011 after being snapped up by Victorian Premier League outfit Oakleigh Cannons. His form for Heart caught the attention of Newcastle Jets who signed the Adelaide born winger on a two-year deal in 2012.

He spent two profitable years playing in the Hunter with a Socceroos call up arriving while he was at the club. Goodwin returned to his hometown to join Adelaide United and it was there where his career flourished, after securing an A-League championship and premiership double, he made his first overseas move to Dutch side Sparta Rotterdam in 2016. He went on to spend two years in the Netherlands before returning to United ahead of the 2018/19 season.

The Socceroos winger departed Adelaide once again in 2019 for Saudi Pro League side Al-Wehda. After half a season on loan with fellow Saudi club Abha, in February 2021 Goodwin sealed a return to the A-League for his third stint in Adelaide red and is considered one of the best players in the competition. The 30-year-old's scintillating form saw him return to the Socceroos fold, with his first goal for his country arriving in a 4-0 win over Vietnam and later converted a penalty in the shootout victory against Peru.

Garang Kuol

Debut: 25/09/22 v New Zealand
Socceroos Cap Number: 627
Socceroos Caps: 1
Socceroos Goals: 0
Current Club: Central Coast Mariners, will join Newcastle United in January
Junior Club: Goulburn Valley Suns (Victoria)

Garang Kuol received his first Socceroos call-up ahead of a pair of September friendlies against New Zealand. The 18-year-old prodigy would later become the youngest Australian to make his senior debut since Harry Kewell in 1996 following a lively substitute appearance against the Kiwis at Eden Park.

Kuol quickly endeared himself to Central Coast Mariners fans and put the A-League on notice when he scored four goals in his first seven substitute appearances in the competition. Widely regarded as one of the most exciting talents in Australian football, Kuol had reportedly courted interest from several big European clubs and ultimately agreed to join Premier League outfit Newcastle Jets in January.

Jason Cummings

Debut: 25/09/2022 v New Zealand
Socceroos Cap Number: 626
Socceroos Caps: 1
Socceroos Goals: 1
Current Club: Central Coast Mariners
Junior Club: Lothian Thistle Hutchinson Vale FC (Scotland)

Jason Cummings marked his international debut with a goal against New Zealand, converting a penalty in a 2-0 friendly win at Eden Park. Born in Scotland, Cummings is eligible to play for Australia due to his Australian mother.

The striker started his career at Hibernian, scoring 71 goals in 150 appearances before earning a move to Nottingham Forrest in 2017. Three loan spells at Rangers, Peterborough United and Luton Town followed until he signed permanently with Shrewsbury Town. In 2021, he returned to Scotland to play for Dundee and at the beginning of 2022, the 27-year-old agreed to join Central Coast Mariners, scoring 10 goals in 21 matches of the 2021/22 A-League Men season.

FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ - Australia's Group D Matches

France v Australia
Date: Wednesday, 23 November 2022
Venue: Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah
Kick-off: 6:00am (AEDT)
Watch: Live and Free on SBS and SBS On Demand

Tunisia v Australia
Date: Saturday, 26 November 2022
Venue: Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah
Kick-off: 9:00pm (AEDT)
Watch: Live and Free on SBS and SBS On Demand

Australia v Denmark
Date: Thursday, 1 December 2022
Venue: Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah
Kick-off: 2:00am (AEDT)
Watch: Live and Free on SBS and SBS On Demand