WHEN THE SOCCEROOS arrived in Qatar for the World Cup in 2022, Ajdin Hrustić was expected to be one of Australia’s key creative weapons. Such was the case during qualification, and Hrustić was coming off a Europa League title with Eintracht Frankfurt. Instead, injury curtailed his tournament, limiting his impact as the Socceroos produced one of the greatest campaigns in the nation’s football history, advancing to the knockout stages before pushing eventual champions Argentina all the way.
Four years later, the 29-year-old Nike athlete finds himself in a different place. He departed Frankfurt following the club’s Europa League triumph, relocating for two stints in Italy with Hellas Verona and Salernitana. This season, he impressed in a difficult campaign for Heracles Almelo in the Dutch Eredivisie. Hrustić arrives at the 2026 FIFA World Cup battle-hardened, fit and playing some of the most consistent football of his career. The years spent navigating the demands of European football have taught him how to manage his body, conserve his energy and peak when it matters most.
That experience has also strengthened his belief in this Socceroos side. While Australia may not feature among the tournament favourites (they are considered rank outsiders by all betting markets), Hrustić sees a squad with growing chemistry, confidence and a habit of exceeding expectations on the biggest stage. After all, few expected the Socceroos to reach the Round of 16 in Qatar, either.
Speaking with Men’s Health three months out from the World Cup, the midfielder discussed how he stays fresh through a gruelling season and why he believes this Australian team can make another statement on the world’s biggest stage.
MEN’S HEALTH: What are your thoughts on the new Socceroos kit?
AJDIN HRUSTIĆ: I love it. It goes back to the roots with the classic green and gold. You can never go wrong there. Australia has some good memories with traditional kits like this. We’ll see if we can make some more in a couple months.
What about the away kit?
The away kit’s a really modern, standout kind of thing. It catches the eye, you know what I mean?
Which of them are you more likely to wear on the street?
Probably the away kit – just because it stands out a little bit more – with three-quarter trousers, white socks and some clean sneakers.
You’ve already played 30 games this season, plus international duty. Now you’ve got to play a World Cup on top of that. Are you feeling fresh at this stage of the year?
You need to feel fresh, man. You’ve got to prepare yourself. As the season goes on, you can either go downhill or you can go uphill. The most important thing is that you stay fit. You eat good, you sleep well, you recover.
For myself personally, I have to say I’m feeling good. The more games I’ve been playing, I’ve been feeling more consistent, fresh, in form.
Have you learnt how to survive the long seasons and how to take care of yourself over the years?
Yeah, I think so. I’ve been playing in Europe for more than 10 years, and after a while you sort of figure out what works for you, when to push hard and when to rest up. At the moment because we’re in-season I’m obviously not going all-out in the gym. The focus is on conditioning and staying fit.
How confident are you heading into this World Cup?
I’m pretty confident that we can make a bit of a run. I think people are underestimating us. We’ve done something good at the ‘22 World Cup, why can’t we do something special in the ‘26 World Cup? I’ve always been someone that’s believed in my teammates, believed in myself and in my country.
Based on the friendlies you’ve played in the lead up to the world cup and the time you’ve spent with this Socceroos playing group, do you feel like there’s good chemistry in the team?
Yeah definitely. I don’t think ‘friendly’ is the right word for it though. This is preparation for the World Cup, and the World Cup is the biggest stage in the world. So, these teams that we’re playing aren’t treating it like a friendly game and neither are we. But based on our preparations I think we’ve got a great group of guys. There’s good cohesion and we’re playing well together.
This will be your second World Cup, but injuries interrupted your first. How do you approach the biggest tournament in sport, given all the spectacle surrounding it?
I just try to take it one day at a time. You’ve got to get everything out of yourself day by day. It doesn’t matter if it’s a gym session, pitch session, or recovery session, you’ve got to enjoy that moment, because you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow.
What’s the ceiling of this Socceroos team?
I don’t think there is one. I don’t want to guarantee that we’re gonna make the semis or something, but I do think we’re better than what a lot of people are giving us credit for.
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