‘In my prime’: Socceroos veteran Craig Goodwin eyes 2026 World Cup, opens up on frank retirement chat
Socceroos veteran Craig Goodwin says he is motivated to play on until the 2026 World Cup after a virtuosic performance against Lebanon on Tuesday night.
Goodwin set up two goals then added two of his own in a memorable 5-0 win, drawing widespread praise from his teammates and coach Graham Arnold.
The win books the Socceroos’ place in the next phase of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
And after years of injury niggles – including surgery on a hernia in July last year – he says he believes he’s “in his prime” and has “too much to give” to walk away from the Socceroos before the next World Cup.
Goodwin was forced to miss the first match against Lebanon, a 2-0 win in Sydney on Thursday, after contracting a virus on his flight back from Saudi Arabia where he plays his club football.
He said after the match: “For myself, really happy to be able to come in after missing last week. Whenever these windows come up, I want to be involved in every single game and play as much as I can.
“So to miss that one, watching at home on TV, it was obviously a little bit hard to take. But I’m really happy I could make up for it tonight.”
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He more than made up for it, beginning in the second minute with a perfectly-placed cross for former Adelaide United teammate Kusini Yengi to score his maiden Socceroos goal.
Lebanon was wholly unable to deal with Goodwin’s crossing and set-piece delivery all night, and the veteran could well have added a couple more assists had teammates Harry Souttar and Ajdin Hrustic converted gilt-edged chances in the first half.
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