Wanderer Brandon Borrello has been named in Subway Socceroos’ Head Coach Graham Arnold’s squad for this month’s “Welcome Home” Series against Ecuador.
Through the support of the NSW Government and Victorian Government, these matches will be played at CommBank Stadium in Sydney on Friday, 24 March (8:10pm AEDT kick-off) and Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on Tuesday, 28 March (7:35pm AEDT kick-off).
Due to injury Martin Boyle, Ajdin Hrustic, Jamie Maclaren, and Mathew Leckie are unavailable for this two match series, while goalkeeper, Danny Vukovic, recently announced his retirement from international football.
Their absence has presented the opportunity for others to be recalled following strong recent form for their respective club sides, including midfielder Connor Metcalfe of FC St. Pauli in Germany, and attacker Brandon Borrello of Western Sydney Wanderers FC.
“The upcoming series against Ecuador will feature no less than 16 players who took to the field for Australia at the World Cup in Qatar, and a further five members of the 26-player squad, where everyone is excited to get back home and celebrate with Australian football fans,” said Subway Socceroos’ Head Coach Graham Arnold.
“We saw the scenes back home in Australia during the World Cup and it would be wonderful to recreate that buzz and excitement during this upcoming series, where football fans can thank the players for their efforts and together, we can reminisce on a special moment in Australian sporting history.”
Arnold has also named four uncapped players in this squad. Defender Jordan Bos and midfielder Aiden O’Neill of Melbourne City FC, Adelaide United FC goalkeeper Joe Gauci, and Manchester City FC midfielder Alexander Robertson.
The selection of Robertson means that should the 19-year-old make his Socceroos’ debut, that will be three generations from the same family who have donned the green and gold for the senior men’s national team, following his grandfather, Alex Robertson Sr. (1984) and father, Mark Robertson (2001).
The series will also present a strong test on the park for the Subway Socceroos, whose quest to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ starts this November and the AFC Asian Cup 2023™ to be contested in Qatar during early 2024 (dates to be officially confirmed by AFC).
“While these two matches against Ecuador are an occasion for the players and fans to celebrate the achievements of the team in Qatar, we have also commenced preparations for the next FIFA World Cup cycle, which includes having a blank piece of paper mentality when it comes to player selection, where the twenty-six named for this window will get the first chance to press their claim for future honours,” concluded Arnold.
Adelaide United FC’s and Subway Joeys’ attacker, Nestory Irankunda will also join the Subway Socceroos in camp as a train-on player, giving the 17-year-old exposure to the senior national team environment.
Tickets for the Subway Socceroos’ “Welcome Home” Series are available from socceroos.com.au and start at $10 for Juniors and $20 for Adults with Concessions starting at $15.
Football Australia can confirm that $1 from every ticket sold for both matches will be donated to the CommBank Pararoos. The CommBank Pararoos are Australia’s national men’s football team for athletes with cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury, or symptoms acquired from stroke.
The two match “Welcome Home” series will be broadcast live on Network 10 and Paramount+.
SUBWAY SOCCEROOS SQUAD – WELCOME SERIES VS EQUADOR – MARCH 2023
| Name | Current Club, Country | ‘A’ Caps (Goals) | Junior Club (Member Federation/Country) |
| Nathaniel ATKINSON | Heart of Midlothian FC, Scotland | 6 (0) | Riverside Olympic FC / Football Tasmania |
| Keanu BACCUS | St Mirren FC, Scotland | 5 (0) | Parklea FC / Football New South Wales |
| Aziz BEHICH | Dundee United FC, Scotland | 57 (2) | Meadow Park SC / Football Victoria |
| Brandon BORRELLO | Western Sydney Wanderers FC, Australia | 4 (0) | Modbury Jets SC / Football South Australia |
| Jordan BOS | Melbourne City FC, Australia | 0 | Hoppers Crossing SC / Football Victoria |
| Jason CUMMINGS | Central Coast Mariners FC, Australia | 2 (1) | Lothian Thistle Hutchinson Vale FC (Scotland) |
| Milos DEGENEK | Columbus Crew, USA | 42 (1) | Blacktown City FC / Football New South Wales |
| Thomas DENG | Albirex Niigata, Japan | 2 (0) | Adelaide Blue Eagles / Football South Australia |
| Cameron DEVLIN | Heart of Midlothian FC, Scotland | 1 (0) | Sutherland Sharks FC / Football New South Wales |
| Mitchell DUKE | Fagiano Okayama, Japan | 25 (9) | Liverpool Rangers SC / Football New South Wales |
| Joe GAUCI (Gk) | Adelaide United FC, Australia | 0 | Cumberland United FC / Football South Australia |
| Craig GOODWIN | Adelaide United FC, Australia | 14 (3) | Munro Para City FC / Football South Australia |
| Jackson IRVINE | FC St. Pauli, Germany | 53 (7) | Ringwood City SC / Football Victoria |
| Garang KUOL | Heart of Midlothian FC, Scotland | 3 (0) | Goulburn Valley Suns / Football Victoria |
| Awer MABIL | AC Sparta Prague, Czechia | 31 (8) | Saint Augustines FC / Football South Australia |
| Riley MCGREE | Middlesbrough FC, England | 15 (1) | Gawler Eagles FC / Football South Australia |
| Connor METCALFE | FC St. Pauli, Germany | 5 (0) | South Cardiff FC / Northern NSW Football |
| Aaron MOOY | Celtic FC, Scotland | 57 (7) | Carlingford Redbacks FC / Football New South Wales |
| Aiden O’NEILL | Melbourne City FC, Australia | 0 | University of Queensland Football Club (Formerly Kenmore FC) / Football Queensland |
| Andrew REDMAYNE (Gk) | Sydney FC, Australia | 4 (0) | Gosford City Dragons FC / Football New South Wales |
| Alexander ROBERTSON | Manchester City FC, England | 0 | Pagewood Botany FC / Football New South Wales |
| Kye ROWLES | Heart of Midlothian FC, Scotland | 7 (0) | Palm Beach SC / Football Queensland |
| Mathew RYAN (Gk) (Cpt) | FC Copenhagen, Denmark | 79 (0) | Blacktown City FC / Football New South Wales |
| Harry SOUTTAR | Leicester City FC, England | 14 (6) | Brechin City Boys Club (Scotland) |
| Marco TILIO | Melbourne City FC, Australia | 5 (0) | APIA Leichhardt FC & Sydney Olympic FC / Football New South Wales |
| Bailey WRIGHT | Rotherham United FC, England | 28 (2) | Langwarrin SC / Football Victoria |
| Train-On PlayerNestory IRANKUNDA | Adelaide United FC, Australia | 0 | Adelaide Croatia Raiders SC / Football South Australia |
