Tony Popovic named the same Australia starting XI for the World Cup 2026 last 32 against Egypt, with Nestory Irankunda again leading the attack. Jordan Bos also kept his place at right wing-back as Australia stuck with the side that faced Paraguay.
That makes Irankunda the name drawing the eye before kick-off, because the young forward is staying in the team for a match that now carries knockout stakes. Australia and Egypt met with the line-up already settled, while Egypt made five changes of their own.
The decision is easier to read when set against what Popovic had just seen from his previous selection. An unchanged XI usually means the coach believes the shape, spacing and roles are close enough to right that the safest move is to keep the same framework rather than rebuild it for a single game.
Irankunda was already involved early. At 4 min, Australia tried to find him with a long ball down the left, but Shobeir came out of his area to clear ahead of him. It was a small moment, but it showed exactly how Australia wanted to use him: direct, early and into space before Egypt could settle.
The broader context is simple. This was the World Cup last 32, where one selection can decide whether a team keeps moving or goes home. A second thread ran through the same match as well: Mo Salah could tie Hossam Hassan's Egyptian record of 69 international goals if he scored, with Hassan having reached that mark in 177 caps and Salah on 119 appearances at the time.
Australia's choice to stay unchanged while Egypt shifted five places suggests Popovic wanted continuity more than surprise. It also leaves Irankunda in the middle of the story, not as a novelty, but as part of the attack Australia trusted to carry them through a knockout test that had already started before the first whistle.
