Leckie’s potential loss carries tactical and emotional weight. The forward was a key figure at the 2022 World Cup, scoring the goal that eliminated Denmark and sent Australia into the knockout phase. He has also battled fitness issues during his club season, making his return to the national team a significant part of the squad’s campaign.
Without him, Australia lose an experienced option who can stretch a defence and provide familiarity in high-pressure matches. The report says this is Leckie’s fourth World Cup, increasing the importance of his absence as Tony Popovic prepares for the elimination rounds.
Popovic has already tested a solution. The report says Jordan Bos moved from his usual left-sided position to the right in a more central role against Paraguay, with Aziz Behich operating on the left.
That change produced Australia’s brightest attacking combination in the goalless draw, with Bos linking effectively with Cristian Volpato. Bos was also described as the team’s standout performer, giving Popovic a strong reason to consider continuity rather than another wholesale change.
The Paraguay result offered evidence that the reshaped structure can function, but the 0-0 scoreline also underlined the need for greater attacking efficiency. Knockout football allows little time to refine an untested frontline.
The next match will reveal whether Australia keep Bos and Behich in those adjusted roles or restore a more conventional shape. Either way, the injuries reportedly suffered by Leckie and Italiano have turned squad depth into one of the tournament’s defining tests for Popovic.