The Subway Socceroos’ 26-man squad for the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ has been revealed by Head Coach, Graham Arnold at a press conference in Sydney this morning.
Adelaide United goalkeeper Joe Gauci was one of four ISUZU UTE A-League players called into the squad.
Gauci has declared his call up to the Socceroos’ AFC Asian Cup Qatar™ squad as a “very proud moment.”
The humble and ever reliable shot stopper has already been involved in national camps in 2023, capping off a remarkable and consistent year for the Reds.
Having already won a national cap for Australia earlier in the year, Gauci burst onto the scene in March 2021 and he hasn’t looked back with 16 clean sheets in 73 appearances in all competitions and counting.
“It’s all about winning, and I’d love a quiet game with no saves and three points in a clean sheet. The most important thing are the results. I’ve had some saves and some key moments, but at the end of the day, I’m all about results,” Gauci said.
“My role is to go in and represent my country, whether that’s on the field or off the field, give it 100{9316bdc8926ea12fd3218e9df0be06a03991e545af91e98c723bc822f5d4d102} at every training session, every game and wear the coat of arms with pride. Whatever my role is within the Asian Cup, I will be giving 100{9316bdc8926ea12fd3218e9df0be06a03991e545af91e98c723bc822f5d4d102},” Gauci concluded.
Australia have been drawn into Group B for the tournament and will face India, Syria and Uzbekistan in the Group Stage; with selected players to assemble in Abu Dhabi from Monday, 1 January for a tournament pre-camp.
Catch the Subway Socceroos’ AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 campaign on Network 10 and Paramount+.
SUBAY SOCCEROOS AFC ASIAN CUP QATAR 2023™ FIXTURES (GROUP B):
Australia v India
Saturday, 13 January 2024
Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan
Kick-off: 2:30pm local (10:00pm ACDT)
Broadcast: Network 10 and Paramount+
Syria v Australia
Thursday, 18 January 2024
Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, Doha
Kick-off: 2:30pm local (10:00pm ACDT)
Broadcast: Network 10 and Paramount+
Australia v Uzbekistan
Tuesday, 23 January 2024
Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, Doha
Kick-off: 2:30pm local (10:00pm ACDT)
Broadcast: Network 10 and Paramount+
SUBAY SOCCEROOS AFC ASIAN CUP QATAR 2023™ SQUAD:
| Name | Current Club, Country | ‘A’ Caps (Goals) | Junior Club (Member Federation/Country) |
| Nathaniel ATKINSON | Heart of Midlothian FC, Scotland | 8 (0) | Riverside Olympic FC / Football Tasmania |
| Keanu BACCUS | St Mirren FC, Scotland | 12 (0) | Parklea FC / Football New South Wales |
| Aziz BEHICH | Melbourne City FC, Australia | 63 (2) | Meadow Park SC / Football Victoria |
| Jordy BOS | K.V.C Westerlo, Belgium | 6 (0) | Hoppers Crossing SC / Football Victoria |
| Martin BOYLE | Hibernian FC, Scotland | 23 (6) | Lewis United FC / Montrose FC (Scotland) |
| Cameron BURGESS | Ipswich Town FC, England | 3 (0) | ECU Joondalup / Football West |
| Thomas DENG | Albirex Niigata, Japan | 3 (0) | Adelaide Blue Eagles / Football South Australia |
| Mitchell DUKE | FC Machida Zelvia, Japan | 32 (11) | Liverpool Rangers SC / Football New South Wales |
| Bruno FORNAROLI | Melbourne Victory FC, Australia | 2 (0) | Club Nacional de Football (Uruguay) |
| Joe GAUCI (Gk) | Adelaide United FC, Australia | 1 (0) | Cumberland United FC / Football South Australia |
| Craig GOODWIN | Al Wehda FC, Saudi Arabia | 20 (2) | Munno Para City FC / Football South Australia |
| John IREDALE | SV Wehen Wiesbaden, Germany | 0 | West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook / Football New South Wales |
| Jackson IRVINE | FC St Pauli, Germany | 60 (9) | Ringwood City SC / Football Victoria |
| Gethin JONES | Bolton Wanderers FC, England | 0 | Wrexham FC (Youth), Wales |
| Riley MCGREE | Middlesbrough FC, England | 18 (1) | Gawler Eagles FC / Football South Australia |
| Connor METCALFE | FC St. Pauli, Germany | 13 (0) | South Cardiff FC / Northern NSW Football |
| Lewis MILLER | Hibernian FC, Scotland | 4 (0) | Pittwater RSL FC / Football New South Wales |
| Aiden O’NEILL | Standard de Liège, Belgium | 7 (0) | University of Queensland Football Club (Formerly Kenmore FC) / Football Queensland |
| Kye ROWLES | Heart of Midlothian FC, Scotland | 13 (0) | Palm Beach SC / Football Queensland |
| Mathew RYAN (Gk) (Cpt) | AZ Alkmaar, Netherland | 86 (0) | Blacktown City FC / Football New South Wales |
| Sam SILVERA | Middlesbrough FC, England | 2 (0) | Blacktown City FC / Football New South Wales |
| Harry SOUTTAR | Leicester City FC, England | 21 (10) | Brechin City Boys Club (Scotland) |
| Lawrence THOMAS (Gk) | Western Sydney Wanderers FC, Australia | 1 (0) | Winston Hills Bears FC / Football New South Wales |
| Marco TILIO | Celtic FC, Scotland | 7 (0) | APIA Leichhardt FC & Sydney Olympic FC / Football New South Wales |
| Patrick YAZBEK | Viking FK, Norway | 0 | Austral Soccer Club / Football New South Wales |
| Kusini YENGI | Portsmouth FC, England | 1 (0) | Fulham United FC / Football South Australia |
Outside of the pitch, Gauci is an ambassador for the Childhood Cancer Association, pledging to donate for every save, point and clean sheet in the 2023/24 ISUZU UTE A-League season. To donate, please click here.
