Mariners striker Jason Cummings has been named in the Subway Socceroos squad for the ‘Welcome Home’ Series against Ecuador, the forward’s third camp with the national team.
Since returning from the World Cup, the striker has continued the form that saw him taken to Qatar, scoring 12 goals in 14 matches.
This included a double against Macarthur FC on the weekend, his third brace in six matches.
Cummings is joined by six former Mariners in the squad, including national team captain Mathew Ryan and Garang Kuol.
The squad for this group of matches is mainly comprised of Australia’s World Cup stars, with four players missing due to injury and our captain Danny Vukovic recently retiring from international football.
“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.”
The series presents a strong test on the park for the Subway Socceroos, whose quest to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026TM starts this November and the AFC Asian Cup 2023TM to be contested in Qatar during early 2024.
“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.
