Connor Metcalfe Responds to US Media Ahead of World Cup

Connor Metcalfe has heard enough.

On the eve of a World Cup where Australia again walks in as underdog, the Socceroos midfielder has grown tired of being painted as cannon fodder by sections of the United States media.

Former USA defender Alexi Lalas fired the latest shot, dismissing Australia as “an average team by any measure” in the lead-up to the tournament. It landed exactly how you’d expect inside an Australian camp that has built its identity on defiance.

“I've seen all the US stuff and I'm just sick of it, to be honest,” Metcalfe said in San Diego, where the Socceroos are preparing for a friendly against Switzerland. “Let's just wait for the game. Whatever happens, happens. It's just so much rubbish, honestly. I'm just sick of it.”

Lalas is not alone. Ex-striker Landon Donovan has already taken aim at coach Tony Popovic, branding him “smug” and tipping Australia to finish bottom of their group. The narrative is clear: the Americans expect to roll the Socceroos when they meet later in the tournament.

Australia, though, has heard this script before.

Dress rehearsal in San Diego

Before the showdown with the USA, there is Switzerland. A midday kick-off in San Diego, deliberately chosen to mirror the 12pm start time against the Americans later in the group stage.

For Popovic, it is less about glamour, more about rehearsal.

“It's actually a good dress rehearsal for us, with travelling, with food, with training, with our meetings,” he said.

Every detail matters. Body clocks. Pre-match meals. How players respond to the heat and the rhythm of a lunchtime kick-off. The Swiss friendly doubles as a tactical tune-up and a logistical dry run.

It will also be the first chance for Australian fans to see one of the most talked-about names in the squad.

Volpato finally steps in

Cristian Volpato, the Sassuolo winger whose late switch from Italy to Australia stunned many, is set to play his first minutes for the Socceroos.

He watched from the bench during the 1–0 loss to Mexico last week, short of fitness after a quiet spell at club level and more than a week off before joining camp.

“He hasn't played a lot of football and he had eight to nine days off before he joined us,” Popovic explained. “Comparing [him] to the group, he's probably at the bottom in terms of his conditioning right now. He's working hard, he's trying to get up to speed and we've seen some good inroads in the last couple of days.”

Volpato’s selection has split opinion. Some fans have not forgotten a social media post he made when Australia lost to Japan, a moment that many viewed as disrespectful to the national team he has now chosen.

Inside the camp, though, the mood is far calmer.

“It's been pretty smooth sailing. I mean, he's come in, he's a really nice, relaxed guy,” Metcalfe said. “We see it online and we know the past and what's been done, but we're not here to talk about that. Whatever's said is done, so it's fine.”

The message is clear: the squad has moved on. The World Cup does not wait for old screenshots.

Swiss turbulence before take-off

While Australia fine-tunes, Switzerland has been wrestling with a problem off the pitch.

Striker Breel Embolo, one of their key attacking threats, was initially blocked from travelling with the squad due to a visa issue. US officials informed him just hours before the team’s flight that he could not board, with his ESTA — the automated travel authorisation used for short visits — rejected because of a criminal conviction.

The timing was brutal. A mainstay of the Swiss attack, with 23 goals in 85 games, left stranded while his teammates flew out.

Embolo met with US officials during the week and eventually received clearance to travel, easing Swiss nerves and restoring a focal point to their forward line ahead of the Australia clash.

So the stage is set in San Diego: a Swiss side finally at full strength, and an Australian team bristling at the idea they are simply making up the numbers.

The talk in the US may be that the Socceroos are “average”. Metcalfe and his teammates now have 90 minutes against Switzerland, and a looming date with the Americans, to decide how loudly they want to answer back.