MLS Emerging as a Key Pathway for Socceroos Talent

A changing pathway

Reports suggest Tony Popovic’s recent Australia plans have leaned heavily on players based in the United States.

• A recent squad reportedly included four MLS-based Australians from the start.
• The report says that number later grew to five.
• That would place MLS ahead of the A-League Men in current national-team representation.

That matters because it reflects more than scouting convenience. For emerging Australians, the United States appears to offer a middle ground: stronger weekly competition than home, but often a smoother cultural and football transition than a direct jump into Europe’s top leagues.

Why Herrington fits the trend

Herrington’s rise is central to that story. After standing out in a difficult season at Brisbane Roar, he moved to Colorado Rapids and reportedly settled quickly. The update says he faced elite opposition early, earned immediate recognition in MLS, and built a profile that has already put him on the radar for a possible future move to Europe.

That is the key point. MLS is no longer just a destination league for veterans or marquee names. For players like Herrington, it appears to be a development league with visibility, intensity and a clearer route to the international game.

The bigger picture for Australian football

There is also a club-level incentive.

• Australian clubs can showcase talent to a broader market.
• A strong MLS move may lead to a later European transfer.
• Sell-on structures can become important for A-League sides.

If that model keeps working, more Australian prospects may follow the same route. That gives the 20 June meeting with the United States extra bite: it is not just one national team facing another, but two systems now increasingly linked by the same player market. The next storyline to watch is simple - how many more Socceroos regulars are developed, and then exported again, through MLS.