Sydney FC star Anthony Caceres revelled in the “highlight of my career” after making his long-awaited Subway Socceroos debut while highlighting how he intends to stay in the national team squad.
Caceres is one of the lsuzu UTE A-League’s premier players but it was not until last week, at the age of 32, that he represented the Socceroos for the first time.
A two-time A-Leagues champion, Caceres came on in the 74th minute of the 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia in 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup qualifying in Melbourne.
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“It sunk in the second I stepped onto that field. It was a very special moment looking into the stand and seeing my family there with the Australia kit on,” said Caceres as Tony Popovic’s Australia prepare for Wednesday’s qualifier against Bahrain.
“It felt very real from the get go, it fuelled me with energy and excitement, and it’s immediately become the highlight of my career. It’s a special moment, and one I’m grateful for.”
It had been a long time coming for Caceres, who had never represented Australia at any level prior to the November 14 showdown at AAMI Park.
He is determined to retain his place in the squad, having finally been given the nod by new boss Popovic – an A-Leagues great who coached Western Sydney Wanderers, Perth Glory and Melbourne Victory prior to replacing Graham Arnold in September.
“I’m familiar with a lot of people here. It’s a serious environment, but a welcoming one. I think it’s a place that allows everyone to strive for and be at their best,” said Caceres, who believes he still has room to grow.
“So I’ve enjoyed every minute so far. It’s an amazing feeling and even though I’m in my 30s, I think this will provoke growth in me still.
“It’s going to test the level that I’m at, but I’m confident I can deliver a good performance when called upon.”
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While Sydney prepare for Saturday night’s blockbuster derby against Western Sydney Wanderers in Unite Round, he continued: “I’m here because of the consistency I’ve achieved over the last few years. It’s taken Popa coming in to give me that chance.
“Over time, I’ve developed good habits that have kept me at the top of my game for a long time. For me, it’s not about changing anything. It’s simply about improving, understanding what the coach demands, his ideas and philosophies and trying to bring something new to the team.
“I think that that will give me the best chance at staying where I am now. I believe my strengths are a lot of what I do with the ball, and I think I can offer the team a lot of solutions in that respect, I feel comfortable receiving the ball in all areas.”
Caceres also revealed how Sydney superstar Douglas Costa helped get him a Socceroos call-up.
“Before the call-up, we had a few chats talking about ambitions and goals and what we wanted to achieve,” Caceres said. “And the national team came up, and he said that he was going to do everything he could to help me achieve a level that is good enough to be called here.
“Thankfully, that’s happened, and having players like that around me will continue to help me be better every day. It’s a pleasure to be with someone like that who’s competed at this level many times.
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“He had some good words of encouragement for me before I left, and he’s extremely happy to see me here.”
The Socceroos are gearing up for a rematch with Bahrain, having been upstaged by the world no.76 1-0 on the Gold Coast.
An 89th-minute own goal via Harry Soutter gave Bahrain a history-making defeat as Caceres watched the game on TV at the time.
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“It’s always easier from the outside though, everything looks so simple until you get on the field, it’s a lot different,” said Caceres.
“But what I do remember from that game is thinking we could take more risks and look to take it to Bahrain and be the team that dictates the game. I feel, if we play with bravery, freedom and belief in our ability, then we can really hurt them.
“Structurally, we’ve got all the tools to make it impossible for them to penetrate and look to threaten our goal. We have a great backline who are great individually at winning their duels. And the formation allows us to get pressure on the ball, it allows you to be on the front foot and close people down when they receive the ball.
“So I think if we are fluent in our play, we stay connected, and we are brave enough to play forward, look to drive, and be creative, then we should create a lot of chances and hopefully take advantage of them when they come. “
